Afghanistan Focus

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghan policewomen return from training ready to serve

Afghanistan sent nearly 200 policewomen for training in Turkey to boost their ranks and capabilities.

By Sayer Zaland

2015-03-17

KABUL -- Afghan policewomen now have the skills to counter security threats and contribute to stability in the communities in which they serve.




An Afghan police official addresses a ceremony March 9 in Kabul. The service was organised to welcome home 190 policewomen who underwent four months of training in Turkey.

On March 9, 190 policewomen returned home after a four-month training course in Turkey .

Turkish officers trained the Afghan policewomen in computers, administration and management, rule of law, and driving. Japan paid for the training, which cost US $15,000 (869,770 AFN) for each officer.

"Women are playing a crucial role in the Afghan National Police, and these 190 trained women police officers will improve security in Afghanistan," Masoma, a policewoman, told Central Asia Online.

"Women in the police mean a better response to community needs and security," she said. "Having more trained policewomen is essential in Afghanistan. As we saw recently, policewomen did very well in the 2014 presidential elections around Afghanistan."

Policewomen to improve security

The government is optimistic about what the newly trained officers can do for the country.

These police officers have gained valuable training, said Brig. Hikmat Shahi, the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI)'s gender officer.

The ministry plans to have 20 of the policewomen train other officers, she told Central Asia Online, adding that the officers will help improve the overall quality of police by sharing their knowledge and experiences from the training.

Recruiting other women to join the police force is another goal.

"The MoI has worked hard to provide courses for these police officers in Turkey," Shahi said. "This will encourage other women to join police, and the number of them will increase."

"I learned a great deal in Turkey and plan to share it with my colleagues," one of the trainees told Central Asia Online, adding that she hopes to make a difference when she starts working in Herat Province. "Serving the society is the slogan of police; we will prove it by serving this country bravely."

"My message to other Afghan women is to join the police and serve their country," she said.

"I think our country will benefit from what we learned in Turkey," said Shabnam, another trainee.

More policewomen needed

With women comprising less than 2% of the police force, Afghanistan is in need of more female officers, officials say.

Currently, there are about 2,300 policewomen, but the government would like to increase that to 5,000, according to MoI officials.

The Taliban have exploited the under-representation of women police by sending out suicide bombers wearing women's clothing, taking advantage of policemen's reluctance to search women.

Having more policewomen to search other women would eliminate that advantage.

"If they think that women are being searched too, they won't dare attempt an attack," said Jamila, a Kabul resident. "We need more policewomen."

The ministry is working to bring on more female officers, Shahi said, adding that it has created provincial councils in Balkh, Herat and Bamiyan to help encourage women to join the police.

So far the results have been positive, she said.

http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/features/2015/03/17/feature-02

A picture of Karzai with the Japanese during his leadership.

Well done to Japan for this. I see the Japanese as a positive influence in Afghanistan unlike Arab nationalists from America of Yemeni origin who used to support the Taliban and who hate Pashtuns and Pashtunwali.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Happy news from Afghanistan

Mar 10, 2015




Sreeram Chaulia

The heroic qualities of Afghanistan’s Army commando units inspire a nation thirsty for pan-Afghan heroes. The country’s top political leadership is determined to wrest back control of the nation’s fate from foreign masters.
Mazar-e-Sharif

From this bustling city in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, the future of the conflict-torn country looks brighter than what is usually portrayed by the media. Businesses are flourishing. Traffic circles have been entrusted by the powerful provincial governor, Atta Muhammad Nur, to entrepreneurs to develop and display for commercial branding. A train network chugs across bordering Uzbekistan, ferrying petroleum, construction machinery and agricultural products. The sheer density of gas filling stations along the highways in Balkh conveys rising economic activity.
Universities campuses are sprouting in Balkh, triggering aspirations of the present and coming generations. As spotless white pigeons flutter in clam skies at the famed Blue Mosque of Imam Ali in Mazar-e-Sharif, a cautious optimism is asserting itself in pockets of northern and central Afghanistan. Ethnically mixed areas that once witnessed horrific massacres and pitched artillery battles are today flag-bearers for a new unity of purpose.
Having marginalised the Taliban menace, parts of Afghanistan are claiming the peace dividend even before a countrywide settlement is achieved between the Central government and the Taliban. With terrorism out of the way, the age-old Afghan genius for mercantile mobility and connectivity with Central Asia and Turkey is slowly taking wing.
Throughout the country, private telecom company Roshan has erected eye-catching billboards with images of Afghan multiethnic youth commingling with joy. The tagline reads: “One nation, One voice”. For a land buffeted by endless killings, bombings and military operations, the manner in which Roshan has managed to ward off Taliban attacks on its transmission centres is an inspirational story.
According to its CEO, Karim Khoja, Roshan’s infrastructure used to face an average of 19 terrorist attacks by the Taliban per month. But this figure declined sharply “once Roshan began getting locals to protect the base stations, rather than hiring international security agencies.” The solution, Mr Khoja says, is “engaging villagers and empowering civil society”. By promising a share in revenues to ordinary stakeholders, Roshan is harnessing the Afghan psyche, which historically preferred community self-reliance and decentralised authority.
Abject dependence on foreign aid to make ends meet and to protect oneself from the Taliban and Al Qaeda is no longer accepted by Afghans as inevitable. As the snows melt from the mountains, doomsday predictions of a ferocious new “fighting season”, where the Afghan military devoid of Western backing has to face the Taliban, are circulating internationally.
But Afghans of all walks of life are expressing admiration for their long-critiqued national Army and security services. The heroic qualities of Afghanistan’s elite Army commando units, some of which have been trained in India, inspire a nation thirsty for pan-Afghan heroes.
They are the new poster boys, besides the national cricket team of course. Fears of a power vacuum and overthrow of the state once the Americans leave Afghanistan now appear overblown. The country’s top political leadership is determined to wrest back control of the nation’s fate from foreign masters. President Ashraf Ghani has argued, “We are entering an era of national sovereignty where we will be the only legitimate authority and no one else.” In attempting to regain Afghanistan’s self-determination, Mr Ghani is trying to script a new chapter after a four-decade long trend of dependence on donors, foreign military occupation and proxy wars shaped by the strategic interests of the Soviet Union, the United States and Pakistan.
The destabilisation and destruction of state capacities by exploitative external actors, coupled with all-pervading corruption that is common in transitional societies, mean that Mr Ghani’s dream of a self-reliant and undivided Afghanistan is still in the making. But he deserves credit for earnestly trying to reform state institutions.

Too often, elite politicians have put Afghanistan to shame. However, the national unity government of Mr Ghani and chief executive officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah is receiving accolades from the public.

I met Mr Abdullah in Kabul and sensed a constructive spirit replacing the post-election bickering and animosity that threatened to reopen old ethnic feuds. The CEO has a keen eye for national reconstruction, particularly by skilling the youth and through maintaining his nation’s mutually beneficial bonds with India.

I asked Mr Abdullah about the chatter in diplomatic corridors that Afghanistan is drifting away from India in order to make peace with Pakistan and to obtain capital investment from China. He replied emphatically: “Our relations with India are deep and they range from the elites to the grassroots. A few people with different orientations cannot ruin the embedded friendship between our fraternal people.”

Mr Ghani, who is hastily being painted by some observers as friendlier towards Pakistan and China and chilly towards India, also cleared the air when he met India’s foreign secretary last week and commented that “further expansion” of bilateral relations is on the cards.
The Afghan President would be aware that New Delhi cannot be sidelined from the nascent peace process in Afghanistan due to the overwhelming popularity of India among Afghan people. Amar Sinha, the Indian ambassador in Kabul, has leveraged this goodwill by reminding everyone that the negotiations with the Taliban “must be in accordance with the demands and interests of the Afghan people.”
Apart from public opinion, there is another factor that gives India indispensable stature in Afghanistan. Indian governmental and private institutions have much-needed skills and capacity building knowledge that are superior to what Pakistan or China can offer in terms of quality and content in the English language. While Western countries have focused more on security sector assistance, only India can deliver advanced educational and technical skills to empower Afghanistan’s young workforce in non-military sectors of the economy.

India is most desired by insightful Afghan planners for interventions that can extract local wealth and reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on foreign aid. Agriculture, mining, human resource management, governance reform, judicial improvement and technological solutions to poverty are some of the crucial subjects where Afghanistan looks up to Indian service providers.
Post-conflict transitions are irreversible if human capital is raised. This insight is well known to economists like Mr Ghani. For its core competencies in technology and skill-endowing institutions, India is the most proximate friend that Afghanistan can bank upon without feeling anxious about surrendering its sovereignty. The budding self-confidence in Afghanistan I witnessed from the ground up can only be sustained if India takes cues from the transformation that is underway and steps in as a catalyst for nation-building.

http://www.asianage.com/columnists/happy-news-afghanistan-335

1. Well done to the Afghan National Army for securing peace and greater prosperity in many parts of Afghanistan including the deeply historical region of Balkh.


2. Afghans are good traders. Here in London there have been Afghans who came with nothing then started selling phone cards behind small boxes on the street, then progressed to market stalls, then progressed to shops and are now millionaires with several houses.

The writer talks about the Afghan preference for decentralization and self-sufficiency, meaning a "get up and go" attitude which is a key ingredient in successful capitalism and entrepreneurship.



Afghan Special Forces protecting the country from Pakistani-backed terrorists.




[MENTION=4551]hamid954[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghans seek turbine-generator rehabilitation at 100-MW Naghlu hydro project

03/10/2015



Naghlu Hydropower Project



Afghanistan national utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) seeks bids for turbine-generator rehabilitation at the 100-MW Naghlu hydroelectric project on Afghanistan's Kabul River. A pre-bid meeting is set March 25 with bids due April 15.
DABS recruited consultants in January to monitor and supervise the turbine-generator rehabilitation work. t also took bids in January to supply spare parts and consumables for Naghlu's rehabilitation. he utility recruited consultants last year to provide operations and maintenance training for Naghlu staff.
Since 2006, the World Bank has been financing the rehabilitation of electrical and electro-mechanical parts of the Naghlu project, which was built with help from the Soviet Union in the 1960s.

DABS now seeks bids for rehabilitation of Unit 1, overhaul of Unit 3 and procurement of spare parts to support regular maintenance of Naghlu's generating equipment for at least five years. The work is expected to require 270 days.

Bidding documents in English may be obtained by e-mail request to the addresses below. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. March 25.
Bids are due by 10 a.m. April 15. For information, contact Procurement Director Shafiqullah Hanif, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), First Floor, O/o CFO, Chaman-e-Houzouri, Kabul, Afghanistan; (93) 752002063; E-mail: tender.dabs@dabs.af, shafiqullah.hanif@dabs.af; Internet: www.dabs.af.

http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2015/03/afghans-seek-turbine-generator-rehabilitation-at-100-mw-naghlu-hydro-project.html

*Afghanistan has been experiencing impressive economic growth in the past few years (if anyone doubts that I can bring the stats) but also faces the challenge of Pakistani-backed terrorism and destabilization of the country.

Projects such as this power generation project are indicative of the growth and progress in the country which though not optimal is in the right path.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Villager Named Radio Free Afghanistan's "Person Of The Year"




RFE

Saturday 21st March, 2015 villager named radio free afghanistan person of the year


To mark Norouz, the Afghan New Year, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan has named Jawas Khan, a farmer residing in a remote village in the country's Khost province, the recipient of its eighth annual Person of the Year award.
Khan, a 38-year old father of nine, was recognized by his fellow villagers in Warzhali, a village in Tani district, for demonstrating extraordinary self-sacrifice when he concealed the death of his eight-year old daughter on the eve of Afghanistan's June 14, 2014 presidential runoff election, so as not to deter voting the next day.
"Our close relatives came to discuss the funeral and let people know about [our daughter] Dreiam Gula's death, but the election was due the next day and I did not want anybody to miss voting," Khan said.
Attendance at a village funeral is considered an obligatory sign of respect in Afghan culture, and yet Khan insisted that the vote was more important for the country's future.
"I told my family members we would tell villagers after the voting is done."
Along with the other eligible men and women in his village, Khan and 14 family members cast their vote the next day.
Radio Free Afghanistan listeners praised the selection of Khan following the announcement today that Khan was selected as "Person of the Year." One listener, Spogmai KH, commented on the Service's Facebook page: "Thanks Radio Azadi. Truly it's the radio of democracy. Congratulations to Jawas Khan," while a second, Marof Askashemi, wrote, "Long live, truly brave Afghan man."
Khost is one of Afghanistan's eastern provinces, located along the border with North Waziristan, a tribal area inside Pakistan that is believed to be the base of the Haqqani Network, a group on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
With its annual "Person of the Year" award, Radio Free Afghanistan, known locally as Radio Azadi, recognizes distinguished individual contributions to peace, democracy, and culture in Afghanistan. Previous winners include Ahmad Sarmast, the director and founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, former princess Hindia d'Afghanistan, Afghan musician and UN Goodwill Ambassador Farhad Darya, lawmaker Ramzan Bashardost, physician and human rights activist Anarkali Honaryar, Nangarhar province governor Gul Agha Sherzai, and social entrepreneur Ehsanullah Bayat.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/231280477

I was almost in tears reading this.

In some ways this is even more touching than Malala Yusufzai because Malala survived (thank God, Alhamdulilah) but unfortunately this man's daughter didn't.

Despite that he wanted a better life for his family, his community and his nation and he believed that the elections (which signify a society dealing with their affairs in a peaceful, consensual manner giving dignity to individuals as important stakeholders in a nations governance and future) were so important in making a better Afghanistan.


[MENTION=4551]hamid954[/MENTION] [MENTION=17579]Loy Afghanistan[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Roshan among Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in “Social Good”



By ZABIHULLAH MOOSAKHAIL - Wed Mar 25 2015, 4:02 pm

Roshan Afghanistan Fast Company, one of the leading business magazines in the world, recently released its annual Top 50 and Top 10 ranking of the Most Innovative Companies worldwide for various business and innovation categories in which Roshan Telecommunication Company from Afghanistan was ranked number 7 at the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in “Social Good”.

Fast Company recognized Roshan for its ethical business practices and work on social and economic development across Afghanistan.

The Top 10 Most Innovative Companies list usually includes very prominent international corporations, including tech giants such as Apple and Google. This is the first time that an Afghan company has been included in Fast Company’s ranking, bringing prestige and honor to Afghanistan and especially to the country’s telecom industry.

Karim Khoja CEO of Roshan says “Being named one of the world’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Social Good is a proud moment for us as a leading Afghan telecom company and for Afghanistan that our innovative work and social contributions has been recognized globally,”

Roshan started its operation in 2003 and its investment is now more than $600 million in telecom infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Roshan has more than 1,100 employees of whom 20 percent are women.

http://www.khaama.com/roshan-among-top-10-most-innovative-companies-of-2015-3062

[Bengal_Tiger]

Ghani aims to turn Asia the largest continental economy with strategic railroad


By GHANIZADA - Fri Mar 27 2015, 12:52 pm




Ashraf Ghani Afghan President


The Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani aims to turn Asia as the largest continental economy with the planned multibillion-dollar railroad amid persistent instability in the country.

Outlining the plans regarding the strategic railroad, President Ghani, said the plans are to remake the war-torn Afghanistan’s economy by relying on its traditional geographic advantage as the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

“In 25 years, Asia is going to become the largest continental economy. What happened in the United States in 1869, when the continental railroad integrated, is very likely to happen in Asia in the next 25 years,” said
Ghani. “Without Afghanistan, Central Asia, South Central Asia, East Asia and West Asia will not be connected,” President Ghani said.

His remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York think tank, were followed after he secured a commitment from President Barack Obama on Tuesday to keep more U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
He said the planned railroad could allow goods to reach Europe in five days, via the Caspian Sea, while insisting that his goal was turn Afghanistan into a transit country.

The planned railroad will have a length of 2,237 miles and is expected to eventually become linked to China, besides allowing Afghanistan to transport its wealth of mineral deposits, including lithium, copper and gas and oil reserves, which the Pentagon estimated was worth roughly $1 trillion in 2010.


According to President Ghani Afghanistan the potential to supply transport, power transmission, gas pipelines and fiber optics, which would create “massive jobs and opportunity”.
According to President Ghani the railroad could play a vital role as Afghanistan could be the largest producer of copper and iron in the world in 10 years and the bulk of what Afghanistan would produce in the next 10 years would be very heavy and “Without rail, there are no possibilities of creating economies of scale.”
President Ghani also added that the project will be funded by World Bank, the Asian Development and Pakistan, and about 90 percent of the funding is secure.
In the meantime, there are concerns that the planned economic project could leave the United States with diminishing influence, even as US being the costs of the country including the security, being a strategic partner of Afghanistan.
However, President Ghani didn’t mention the US as an economic partner and his main focus floated on India, the Gulf countries, Azerbaijan, even its prickly neighbor Pakistan as potential investors.

http://www.khaama.com/ghani-aims-to-turn-asia-the-largest-continental-economy-with-strategic-railroad-9957

- President Ghani is seeking to utilize Afghanistan's strategic location in Asia.

- Afghanistan could be the largest producer of copper and iron, with their all pervasive presence in modern day life items, according to this article.

I am very impressed by Dr Ghani and his foresight, strategic vision and planning.


[MENTION=2]Admin Khan[/MENTION] I think his high level of academic excellence which you have mentioned is quite evident.

[MENTION=17579]Loy Afghanistan[/MENTION]

Salamoona wrora, sanga chal ye? Good to see you back on the forum and thanks for liking my posts. Hope you are well.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghan Students receive gold medals in Bulgaria


By ZABIHULLAH MOOSAKHAIL - Wed Apr 01 2015, 11:56 am

A group of Afghan students who attended a mathematics competition in Bulgaria received gold medals.

They were among 13,000 students from 29 countries who took part in the academic competition in Bulgaria.
The five Afghan students who attended the competition from Kandahar province were guest of the acting governor Tooryalai Waisa at the governor’s house yesterday.



Tooryalai Waisa thanked the students for studying hard and achievements and praised the efforts of their parents as well as the instructors of Afghan-Turk High School in Kandahar.
Murad Tasoon, principle of Afghan-Turk High School in Kandahar said that he is planning to organize an academic competition among the students of Oruzgan, Zabul, Helmand and Kandahar province.
He added that the outstanding students will then go to Kabul and take part in the mass academic competition where intelligent students from all provinces will attend.
A specific date for the mass academic competition is not yet given.

http://www.khaama.com/afghan-students-receive-gold-medals-in-bulgaria-3093

[Bengal_Tiger]

Industrial Festival Opens in Kabul to Promote Domestic Production

Tuesday, 31 March 2015 18:31
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 April 2015 12:13
Written by Geeti Mohseni




The National Industrial Festival opened in the Loya Jirga tent in Kabul this week, presenting an opportunity for Afghan businesses from around the country to showcase their products in hopes of expanding their presence in domestic markets.

Participants in the trade show praised the Afghanistan Investment Supporting Agency's (AISA) efforts to promote increased reliance on domestic goods rather than imports, as has been the case traditionally. In the presence of President Ashraf Ghani, who visited the fair, they called on the government to continue industrial development and domestic product promotion.

"We should prove our capability of production and growth of national products to the people and undertake the necessary steps to introduce these products to the people," AISA Deputy Ibrahim Shams said on Tuesday.

The products at the trade show represented a variety of different sectors and sub-sectors of the economy, presenting a wide spectrum of Afghan-made alternatives to the foreign products that currently dominate the market. The products being showcased at the event include, but are not limited to, construction materials, food items, home appliances, home decorations, medical equipment, carpets and detergents.

"We have reached self-reliance with 17 products and those products have been displayed in today's exhibition," a factory owner named Mohsin Amiri told TOLOnews.

Members of the business community, independent economic analysts and government officials all agree that boosting domestic production and industrial growth is key to sustainable economic development in Afghanistan.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/business/18841-industrial-festival-opens-in-kabul-to-promote-domestic-production

[MENTION=17579]Loy Afghanistan[/MENTION]

[Bengal_Tiger]

14 Afghan students complete two-month academic mining program in Germany




Post
BY ZARIZA CORRESPONDENT PUBLISHED 2015-03-31

As part of a series of training programs for academic mining education in Afghanistan (AMEA), 14 Afghan students came back after completing a two-month study programme at the Bergakademie Technical University in Freiberg, Germany.

They were welcomed back to Afghanistan by the representatives of the German Embassy in Kabul and ministers of mines and petroleum (MoMP) and higher education (MoHE), according to a statement issued by the Afghan-German Cooperation.

At an impressive ceremonyin Kabul, the 14 students were also issued certificates for participating in the two-month programme.

“You are the most valuable resource of this country. You are also the key to help access what is perhaps the second most valuable resource of Afghanistan: its mineral riches,” said Christian Hannemann, counsellor for economic affairs at the German Embassy in Kabul.

“I call upon you to put your skills into the service of your country,” he said in his opening remarks at the function.

The 14 students who participated in the course are from Kabul University’s Faculty of Geosciences and from Kabul Polytechnic University’s Faculty of Geology and Mining.

“We are seriously lacking the skills needed in the mining sector associated with the economics of the industry, marketing, legal and regulatory issues, contract management, safety issues or good governance” said Ahmad Javid Sadaat, deputy minister of the MoMP.

The training programme for the students was organised on the request of the MoMP, the Afghan Geological Survey (AGS) and the private sector, the statement said.

“The mining sector holds great potential for sustainable economic development as an essential source of revenue for Afghanistan. For the country to gain proper ownership of the mining sector, graduates need more practical experience and international know-how relevant to the industry and administration,” reads the statement.

Prof. Dr. Babury, acting minister of the MoHE, said “Afghanistan needs to improve its human capital through post-graduate studies or short term training.”

In the two-month programme, the students received training in mining, economics, mining law and administration, safety, international marketing, CAD mining planning, large scale open pit coal mining, small scale mining, remote sensing and geological mapping.

They also took part in field trips to active mining sites for coal, uranium or lignite deposits and to processing plants to help improve their skills.

Currently, 15 professors and lecturers from four provinces and staff from the MoMP are also pursuing a two-year master degree course in Germany.

Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of Afghan-German Cooperation, AMEA is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) through the MoHE and in close collaboration with the MoMP, according to the statement.

“The programme helps universities modernise existing study programmes, with an emphasis on practical training and academic exchange with the goal of making Afghanistan less dependent on foreign expertise,” reads the statement.

Blurbs:

The 14 students who participated in the course are from Kabul University’s Faculty of Geosciences and from Kabul Polytechnic University’s Faculty of Geology and Mining

The students received training in mining, economics, mining law and administration, safety, international marketing, CAD mining planning, large scale open pit coal mining, small scale mining, remote sensing and geological mapping

- See more at: http://www.afghanzariza.com/2015/03/....EEFpCoKQ.dpuf



- This is important because Afghanistan is rich in natural resources e.g. minerals, some say with maybe up to $3 trillion worth of resources.

This is equivalent to Saudi students before the use of mass oil going to a country to become petroleum engineers, so that they can learn how to work with "black gold" (oil).

[Bengal_Tiger]

Ghani's Efforts to Spur Industrial Growth Inspire Hope

Saturday, 04 April 2015 20:33

Written by Zabiullah Jahanmal



Leaders of the Afghanistan Industries Association have heralded a new chapter in the country's industrial growth following meetings with President Ashraf Ghani this week. In addition to creating a Chamber of Industries and Mines, the president has reportedly pledged to address a number of major barriers to industrial growth within the next three months.

According to members of the Industries Association, President Ghani will be meeting members of the association every three months to address problems facing the industrial sector.

Tariffs, domestic product preferential treatment, infrastructural issues and access to finance were among some of the top priorities the industrialists have called on Ghani to take action on.

Meanwhile, lending interest rates standardization, protection of investors involved in different government contracts and the creation of a new Chamber of Industries and Mines are among the programs that have been initiated but still must be implemented by the Ministries of Trade, Finance and Mines, as well as the the private Breshna Company.

Afghan Industries Association Chairman Sherbaz Kameen Zada has said that if certain problems are resolved, the scale of investment in Afghanistan would increase significantly.

"We are hopeful with the recent decisions of the president, because he has emphasized that, in the next three months, there will be another meeting with industrialists, along with ministers of finance, mines and trade, in order to make sure their problems are addressed," Mr. Zada said. "This will provide the opportunity for the problems to be resolved by the relevant institutions."

That President Ghani has expressed concerted interest in serving the interests of the industrial sector has given way to hope among Afghan business leaders.

"Now the government must know that the foreign aid has decreased and the only way for the economy to improve is the development of the domestic sector, the development of industries and products of Afghanistan," one factory owner named Muhammad Mohsen Amiry. "So we hope that these programs will be implemented as soon as possible so that our problems are resolved and our economy develops," he added.

Over the past 13 years, 1.6 billion USD has been invested in Afghanistan's industrial sector and over one million workers are employed by it.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/18901-ghanis-efforts-to-spur-industrial-growth-inspire-hope

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghanistan’s first project for grid-tied solar power kicks off in Kabul




Ghulam Faruq Qazizada, the acting minister of Energy and Water, on Wednesday opened Afghanistan’s first project for grid-tied solar power in Kabul

BY ZARIZA CORRESPONDENT PUBLISHED 2015-04-08 | 21:00:00 112 Print |



With financial and technical assistance from the German government, it is the first-of-its-kind project to test the ability to feed solar power generated by consumers into the country’s national grid, said a statement issued by German-Afghan Cooperation.

The grid-tied solar power systems help reduce dependency on public power sources while helping to reduce load on the grid itself.

According to the statement, the planned capacity for this pilot project is 3

According to the statement, the purpose of this pilot project is to “study, learn and verify the challenges grid-tied systems could potentially face in Afghanistan”

Mr. Qazizada, speaking at the opening ceremony in Kabul, said this grid-tie system contribution may appear to be insignificant to the grid, but will provide insights into the functioning of such projects.

“This unique project will certainly raise awareness on the benefits and opportunities of solar energy,” said Mr. Qazizada.“It will surely show that in Afghanistan – a country with more than 300 days of sun a year – the benefits of solar power are almost as infinite as the energy of the sun itself.”

According to the statement, the purpose of this pilot project is to “study, learn and verify the challenges grid-tied systems could potentially face in Afghanistan”.

The project, the statement adds, will also test and analyse performance and integration restrictions and solutions for grid-tied solar power systems in use with the general grid.

“The lessons learned from the project can be used by university students, private sector, government and other renewable energy actors to develop and expand solar energy technology in the country,” reads the statement.

With more than 300 sunny days in a year and an average solar radiation of 6.5 kWh/m2 per day, Afghanistan has tremendous potential for solar energy.

Besides offering a solution for environmentally friendly generation of power for households, businesses and public facilities, solar power users can also sell surplus energy to the utilities company, helping to reduce their own electricity bills while providing the grid with clean power.

The solar power grid-tie pilot in Kabul is part of a programme financed by the German government in cooperation with the Afghan Government to help supply both urban and rural areas in Afghanistan with renewable energy.

“As the power shortages in Kabul in February, March and April illustrated, Afghanistan is still highly dependent on imported electricity; however, the country has huge potential for installing electrical grids based on renewable energy sources, like solar, wind and water power,” reads the statement.

“Also, since many of Afghanistan’s smaller, rural communities are still too remote to be connected to the main electricity grid, solar power can play a key role in supplying the country’s isolated districts and villages with energy, both now and in the future,” it adds.

Since 2007, as part of the German Cooperation with Afghanistan, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been supporting the Afghan Government in its effort to build capacities in the renewable energy sector.

According to the statement, one of the objectives of this programme financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is to advise the Ministry of Energy and Water on “policy for use, operations and maintenance of decentralized renewable energy technologies”.




- See more at: http://www.afghanzariza.com/2015/04/....85jiPqms.dpuf

[Bengal_Tiger]

News, mobile and citizen journalism in Afghanistan

Citizen journalism website Paiwandgah has recently relaunched, offering Afghans the ability to send in stories via SMS



Posted: 7 April 2015 By: Jack Shepherd




Social media has given citizen journalists more opportunity than ever before to source and distribute their work. Even in countries where as little as six per cent of the population have access to the internet, and even fewer use social media, online citizen journalism has prevailed.

One such country is Afghanistan, where the recently relaunched citizen journalist platform Paiwandgah is making headway with its latest steps into mobile-based technologies.

"While digital technology is still in its nascent stages in Afghanistan, it is fast growing," Paiwandgah's digital managing editor, Ruchi Kamar, told Journalism.co.uk via email. "There are over 2 million Afghans online, 1.3 million on social media, and 800,000 just on Facebook.

Mobile penetration, however, is upwards of 70 per cent by some estimates, making it ripe for reaching and reporting on more remote elements of the country.

"Paiwandgah focuses on tapping this section of the Afghan society. While social media is a great tool for citizen reporting, we encourage citizens to use their mobile phones as social media."




Screenshot from Paiwandgah

Since the site's relaunch in March, registered members have been able to send their stories to Paiwandgah via SMS messages and phone calls. Once received, a team of five editorial staff translate, edit, verify and publish the stories to the website.

"The convenience of [mobile] technology has helped in penetrating regions where the traditional media are yet to reach," she said. "For instance, during the recent Taliban attack in the Farah province, Paiwandgah citizen journalists provided updated and accurate information from the scenes, before most large media houses had them."

Empowering citizen journalists through their mobile devices is a growing theme in countries where desktop computers or hard-wired connections may be prohibitively expensive.

The most recent project from self-styled 'communications rights organisation' On Our Radar saw 36 citizen journalists trained in Nigeria to report on the presidential elections using SMS and WhatsApp, and the BBC has been experimenting with WhatsApp and Line for both sourcing and distributing stories.

Established for the 2014 presidential elections, Paiwandgah – which literally means "a place to connect" – offers citizens the ability to upload their stories online in English, Dari and Pashto.

The convenience of technology has helped in penetrating regions where the traditional media are yet to reach

Paiwandgah's digital managing editor, Ruchi Kamar

"Paiwandgah was started as a platform to allow Afghan citizens to participate in the national dialogue by sharing not just relevant information but also their general opinions on issues of national interest," she said. "The response we received was phenomenal."

The platform now boasts a network of over 750 reporters, cultivated through various digital training programs conducted by Impassion Afghanistan, the digital media agency behind Paiwandgah.

There is currently no paywall in place but as other Afghan news sites, such as Pajhwok, implement them the possibility remains to follow suit.

"It of course depends on the audience," continued Kamar. "Pajhwok is a wire news agency and meant for a professional and foreign audience. Our audience is a little broader and includes people that don't necessarily have access to technology and payment systems."

Along with the developments into mobile-based technologies, the relaunched Paiwandgah has also meant an updated website that has extended coverage to areas like economy, society, entertainment and sport.

"There are so many stories to tell in Afghanistan, stories that impact global politics deeply. Citizen reporting platforms such as Paiwandgah could help voice these stories, as well as help understand public opinions and key trends."

https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/citizen-journalism-in-afghanistan-/s2/a564705/

[Bengal_Tiger]

د موبایل رښتیانۍ ګټی


FEBRUARY 24, 2015

د یو داسې ښارګوټی انځور پخپل ذهن کی مجسمه کړئ چی له تیلیفونی او انترنتی خدمتونو څخه بی برخی وی. داسې ځای چی کیدای شی سیمه ییز سوداګری ولری، خو د ننیو نړیوالو صنعتونو ملاتړ د وړتیا نشتوالی سره مخامخ دی په دی معنا چی دی ته اړتیا لری چی له یو بل او د نړی نورو هیوادنو سره ونښلول شی. تر ډیرو تیرو نږدی وختونو راپه دی خوا دغو خبرو د افغانستان په ډیریو سیمو کی د واقعیت بڼه درلودله. سره له دی بی له شکه ننګونیو پاتی دی، د موبایل تکنالوژی راتګ سره د ۲۰۰۳ کال راهیسی د روشن مخابراتی شرکت ۶۰۰ میلیون امریکایی دالرو څخه زیات په دغه ډکر کی پانګوونه کړی ده او کورنی سوداګری کی نوی فرصتونو زمینی ته وده و د ژوند د معیارونو د پرمختګ او ښه والی لپاره مرسته کړی دی

د مثال په توګه د ۲۰۰۰ میلادي کال په سر کی، د افغانستان لرغونی ښار بامیان له ډیرو ستونزو سره مخامخ و، یو وخت بامیان د سیلانیانو د میلې ځای و خو اوس یی اصلآ د سیلانیانو دفتر له منځه تللۍ او سیمه ییزه سواداګرۍ یی هم په ټپه ولاړه ده، حتی د نوی سکتورونو د پرمختګ مواقع د روغتیایی باکیفیت خدمتونو لاسرسی په څېر پېچلی او ناڅرګند دی. خو په ۲۰۰۴ میلادی کال کی، کله چه روشن خپل لومړنی مخابراتی آنتن نصب کړ، که څه هم مونږ ته دا معلوم وو چی دا ډیر وخت نیسی تر څو مونږ خپل د دغه پانګوونی څخه ګټه واخلو. خو سره له دی مونږ دا احساس وکړ چی بامیان کی د مخابراتی خدمتونو د بنسټ ډبره ایښودنی سره د بامیان د ولایت خلک د نیمکرغی او ښې لاسته راوړنې په لور ګام پورته کوی او همدارنګه د روشن او نورو مخابراتي شرکتونو لپاره د ګټې وړ وګرځي

په تیرو لسو کلونو کی دوه پیښې رامنځته شوې، وروسته د هغه نه چی مونږ په بامیان کی د مخابراتي شبکو په جوړولو کار پیل کړ او د بامیان ښار د سوداګریزو چارو کی هم یو لړ پرمختګ رامنځ ته شو. د سیلانیانو تګ راتګ یو ځل بیا پیل شو، هوايي ډګر جوړ او د بامیان د جمعې د ورځې بازار یو ځل بیا د پخوا په څېر ښه تود شو، همدارنګه د خلکو د ژوند په معیارونو کی د تیرو لسیزو په پرتله بدلون منځ ته راغی او نوی صنعتونه د غوټی په شان د تکنالوژی د راتګ او د ودی امکانات برابر کړل

د موبایل تکنالوژی د هیواد په سپما او اقتصاد کی د توان څخه زیات اغیزه منځ ته راوړی ده. د مثال په توګه، دروشن د لیری واټن څخه درملنه (تیلی مدیسن) خدمتونو پروژه ډیرو بی وزلو ټولنو سره مرسته کړې ده چی د نړی تر ټولو ښه روغتیایی متخصصیونو ته چی د سلو میلو څخه زیات لیری دی لاسرسی پیدا کړی. د بامیان په هکله، دروشن د لیری واټن څخه درملنه (تیلی مدیسن) خدمتونو پروګرام له لاری د بامیان روغتون د آغاخان د پوهنتون روغتون سره چی د پاکستان په کراچی ښار کی دی نښلول شوی دی چی په سیمه کی د ترټولو نوی روغتون ګڼل کیږی. د لیری واټن څخه درملنه (تیلی مدیسن) خدمتونو شبکی د روغتیایی متخصصینو د روزنی له لاری، د بامیان مسلکی روغتیایی کارکوونکی وکولای شو چی روزنه او د لیری واټن څخه د درملنی سلا او مشوری تر لاسه، او روغتیایی آمایښتونه لکه ایکس ری (X-Ray)د متخصصیونو ارزونی تبادله او د نړیوال متخصصینو مرسته د بامیان د ناروغانو درملنی لپاره تر لاسه کړی

د موبایل تکنالوژی مثبت اغیزه په بامیان کی یوازی د نړی د ډیرو مواردو څخه یو دی چی ټولنیز پرمختیا او د هیواد اوسیدونکو ته د راز راز ګټو د رسولو مرسته کړی دی. دا د روغتیا د وړتیا ښکارندوی دی چی وده کوی، نوښت او عصری کیدنه منځ ته راوړی

http://roshan.af/blog/?p=101

[Bengal_Tiger]

Govt has announced jihad against terrorism, corruption and poverty: President Ghani



A gathering of former jihadi leaders and senior government officials during a ceremony in presidential palace on Saturday

BY ZARIZA CORRESPONDENT PUBLISHED 2015-05-03 | 01:00:00 125 Print |


An impressive ceremony was organized in presidential palace on Saturday to honor the exemplary sacrifices of mujahideen who fought against Soviet forces two decades ago.

President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah were present on the occasion and addressed the gathering of former mujahideen leaders and senior government officials.

The 23rd anniversary of the defeat of Soviet forces in Afghanistan was commemorated on Tuesday, when President Ghani was on a three-day official visit to India.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Ghani paid rich tribute to former mujahideen commanders and said the nation is indebted to them.

He said the national unity government is committed to serve the country and uphold rule of law.

“Our primary focus is on rule of law and we are committed to leave behind a legacy of peace and stability,” he said.

President Ghani said the government has announced jihad against terrorism, corruption and poverty in the country and is committed to provide good governance

President Ghani said the government has announced jihad against terrorism, corruption and poverty in the country and is committed to provide good governance.

“We are committed to bring peace to this country and our stand against enemies is in full compliance with Islamic teachings,” he said.

He also applauded the bravery of Afghan security forces who have been fighting against insurgents in various parts of the country.

“Terrorists are maligning the name of Islam, but let me emphatically state that they do not represent the religion of Islam,” President Ghani said.

Dr. Abdullah in his speech also paid tribute to former mujahideen commanders. He said the event that took place 23 years still holds relevance for this country.

He urged the people to support Afghan security forces in their fight against terrorism.

- See more at: http://www.afghanzariza.com/2015/05/....G8obRO9g.dpuf

[Bengal_Tiger]

‘In a brief period we have reshaped regional diplomacy’: President Ghani

BY ZARIZA CORRESPONDENT PUBLISHED 2015-05-02 | 11:47:00 275 Print |



During his maiden visit to India, President Ashraf Ghani recurrently confronted questions about his delayed visit to India and the apparent shift in Kabul’s foreign policy.

His recent peace overtures to Pakistan and canceling the request for arms from India had raised many eyebrows in New Delhi, and many observers saw it as Kabul’s growing proximity with Islamabad.

In an attempt to allay their concerns, President Ghani repeatedly emphasized that Afghanistan is committed to strengthen ties with India and work together for regional cooperation.

In an interview with CNN-IBN, President Ghani said the national unity government (NUG) has in a brief period reshaped regional diplomacy.

“We have reordered our relationship with each of our partners based on very actionable plans on a very important set of things,” he said, stressing on the need to forge closer ties among countries in the region.

Dismissing speculation that his government’s policy is tilted in favor of neighboring Pakistan, President Ghani said he is only working in the “national interest”

He said India is an integral part of Afghan government’s “five circles of foreign policy” and he wanted to visit the country earlier but had to delay his plans because of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “active travel engagement”.

“We have 5 circles of foreign policy. The neighborhood, and this covers India. Our second circle of foreign policy is the Islamic world - India is the 2nd largest Muslim country on earth,” said President Ghani.

“Our 4th circle of foreign policy is Asia - India is one of the global powers reshaping Asia and that of course is what we bank on to move from poverty to prosperity. Our 5th circle is the circle of aid providers and investors - India is the 4th largest provider of assistance to Afghanistan,” he added.

President Ghani said his government is looking at Indian private sector as the “major source of transforming Afghanistan”.

All his foreign visits, he said, are “intensely prepared” and he does not believe in “ceremonial visits”.

He also spoke about his admiration for legendary Indian political leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad.
President Ghani said his government wants peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, for which two-fold peace process is required

“One reason I went to the World Bank is because they offered me India and China at the same time. It was dream come true because I had studied both countries and never thought that I would have got that kind of thing,” he said.

Dismissing speculation that his government’s policy is tilted in favor of neighboring Pakistan, President Ghani said he is only working in the “national interest”.

“I am following our national interests. And those interests are permanent, I am temporary,” he said. “Afghanistan does not have an identity complex, we have existed for 5000 years, we are going to be here for another 5000.”

He said his government wants peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, for which two-fold peace process is required.

“There has been an undeclared state of hostilities for 13 years. Sovereign states do not exist in state of hostilities. So there is a two-fold peace that the region needs. A peace between states and a peace where sanctuary to armed opposition movements is not provided,” he said.

President Ghani said the region must overcome the “sense of victimhood and the sense of conspiracy”.

“Asia is having the greatest moment in history in the next 20 years. It is going to be turned from a geographical notion to a continental economy,” he stressed.

On the issue of request for arms from India, President Ghani said the request has not been suspended but it has not been acted upon by India.
On the issue of request for arms from India, President Ghani said the request has not been suspended but it has not been acted upon by India

He termed the relation between the two countries as “multi-dimensional”. “There are over 10,000 Afghan students in Indian universities. There are thousands of Afghans who have studied in India and have come back. So we have an immense reservoir of experience, outlook formation and understanding that shapes this relationship,” he said.

India, he said, willbe one of the most significant trading partners for Afghanistan and a source of investment to transform Afghanistan’s natural wealth into financial and human wealth.

Speaking on the achievements of his government, President Ghani said he acted against corruption by ordering investigation into the 850 million USD scandal of Kabul Bank, andreorganized procurement in government, particularly in the defense.

“I changed the currency of this nation in 3 months. If I have something that is distinctive, it is to turn theories into practice and to articulate theory that relates closely to practice,” he said.

- See more at: http://www.afghanzariza.com/2015/05/....eUDmk2F1.dpuf


1. Ghani has been accused by some of being too pro-Pakistan, and by others of being too pro-India, he is more the latter than the former as the state of Pakistan is hostile to the nation of Afghanistan, or to be more accurate the Pakistani military is.


2. He is very much focused on a process of national reconciliation and consolidation and economic growth.


3. What I found particularly interesting from Dr Ghani, the head of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was this quote:

“Afghanistan does not have an identity complex, we have existed for 5000 years, we are going to be here for another 5000.

For any Arab nationalist out there trying to undermine Afghan/Pashtun identity or belittle it and argue that Pashtuns are a relatively new entity, this should help them to understand that they won't be successful in promoting their nonsense and propaganda.