PRT/QAL-E NOW: REBUILT AIRSTRIP IMPROVES LIVES

UNCLAS KABUL 005666

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT, SCA/PB, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
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OSD FOR KIMMETT
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF
SUBJECT: PRT/QAL-E NOW: REBUILT AIRSTRIP IMPROVES LIVES


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Spanish PRT recently upgraded the
Qal-e Now airstrip to increase the Spanish Military's ability
to support and supply the PRT during the upcoming winter
months. The project was conducted by the Spanish Agency for
International Development (AECI),which trained local staff
and provided construction equipment that will be donated to
the Provincial Government. In addition to increasing the
accessibility to Badghis (one of the country's more remote
provinces),the project has provided critical training and
experience to local workers. As locals begin to see the
successful execution of reconstruction projects, this will
reinforce the idea there is a positive alternative to rule by
warlords and the Taliban. END SUMMARY.

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New Airstrip Increases Access, Supports Relief Effort
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2. (SBU) On November 20, AECI finished upgrading the
provincial capital's dirt airstrip to a concrete runway
capable of year-round operation. The airstrip is 25 meters
wide by 2,000 meters long, and there are plans to add an
additional five meters to the width at an unspecified later
date. The upgrade was completed in less than three months
and it enables the Spanish Military to better supply and
support the Qal-e Now PRT during the fast-approaching winter.
The PRT is already using the new runway to deliver flood
relief supplies and it will use the newly-constructed storage
sheds adjacent to the airstrip as the primary staging point
for the flood relief effort. (Note: In mid-November, heavy
rains in Murghab District resulted in flooding that affected
at least 21 villages. Several dozen people were killed, and
over 4,000 people needed assistance with food and shelter.
Blankets, tents, and several metric tons of food aid were
shipped to the affected area. End note.)

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Donated Construction Equipment Give Locals Vital Tools
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3. (SBU) The project utilized 17 pieces of heavy construction
equipment, including several cement mixers, a grader,
steamroller, vehicle-born crane, fuel truck and a mobile
vehicle-repair shop. All of this equipment is slated to be
turned over to the provincial government in the near future.
The PRT has already constructed a facility in Qal-e Now to
house the construction equipment once the handover takes
place. AECI provided equipment maintenance and usage
training as well as resources needed to make equipment
repairs to local staff so they will be able to maintain the
fleet of equipment in the future. The provincial government
will assume all payroll costs for local equipment repair and
staff to perform maintenance in the near future. AECI will
continue to support the storage facility with spare parts.
This support is intended to provide provincial leadership
with the ability to undertake future development projects
without AECI involvement.

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PRT Trains and Employs Locals in Reconstruction
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4. (SBU) In accordance with the PRT's policy to increase
local work-force capacity, 90 percent of the 50 employees who
worked on the airstrip upgrade were local hires. Five
Spanish contractors provided oversight and management to the
locals, and AECI provided 15 days of training and orientation
to the local workers prior to commencing work to familiarize
them with the equipment and provide basic skills needed to
complete the project successfully. Local staff now know how
to use the soon-to-be donated equipment and are prepared to
undertake a wide-range of construction projects that would
require their construction machinery.

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COMMENT
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5. (SBU) The runway has greatly improved the Spanish
military's ability to support and supply Qal-e Now, but the
long-term impacts of the project are more civilian than
military. As often noted by provincial leadership, the
runway is a prominent symbol of foreign donor commitment to
the province as well as a sign of the province's efforts to
modernize and connect with the outside world. Those involved
in the current flood relief effort are already using the
runway as the center for relief efforts, even as the
construction workers clean up the area and add the finishing
touches. In the long run, perhaps the greatest impact of the
airstrip will be the development of the province's capacity
to conduct future projects. The provincial government has
the machinery needed to enable them to launch their own
projects, and can use local workers who have the experience
needed to operate that equipment. The ability to conduct
reconstruction projects is essential to expanding GOA's
reach, especially to the more remote provinces. It
demonstrates viable progress to locals and improves their
daily life. As locals in these provinces begin to see the
successful execution of reconstruction projects, this will
reinforce the idea that the GOA offers a positive alternative
to rule by warlords and the Taliban. END COMMENT.
NEUMANN