UNCLAS OTTAWA 000047

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/A AND WHA/CAN
USAID FOR ANE AND DCHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL SOCI AF CA
SUBJECT: MORE CANADIAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN ANNOUNCED:
MINEFIELD CLEARANCE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, RECONSTRUCTION,
AND WOMEN



1. (U) Summary: On January 9, International Cooperation
Minister Josee Verner announced that Canada will provide
C$8.8 million for demining activities in Kandahar province
and across Afghanistan as well as C$1.9 million to promote
community-led development in that province. The Minister
made the announcement during a visit to the Canadian Forces
Base at Valcartier. She said that Canada's aid to clear land
mines and unexplored ordnance will open up more land for
agriculture, pasture and housing and its investment in 12 new
democratically-elected Community Development Councils will
help communities to establish shelter, electricity, roads,
drainage and sewers, and improve water and waste management
services. A day earlier, Minister Verner said that Canada
will provide C$1.75 million to UNICEF for projects to support
maternal health and women's literacy in Kandahar. She also
announced a C$11.5 million Accelerated District
Reconstruction Program to speed up reconstruction and
development throughout Kandahar province. Comment: The two
announcements coincided with Foreign Minister MacKay's early
January visit to Afghanistan, including to Canadian forces in
Kandahar province, and may be an attempt by the Harper
Government to remind Canadians that the GoC has robust
reconstruction and poverty-alleviation programs to help
stabilize Afghanistan in addition to the efforts by its
military. End summary.


2. (U) According to the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA), Canada's contribution will support activities
undertaken by the United Nations Mine Action Center for
Afghanistan (UNMACA) across the country, including minefield
survey and clearance, stockpile destruction, mine risk
education, victim assistance and capacity building. C$3.8
million of the money will support Operation Hamkari (the Dari
word for assistance and partnership) in the Kandahar
districts of Panjwari and Zherai. Canada hopes that over the
next 12 months, about 2.9 million square meters of
contaminated land will be cleared, and 27,000 local Afghans,
including women and children, will be educated about the
dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance. Awareness and
advocacy will also be undertaken to ensure opportunities and
equal rights for land mine survivors and people with
disabilities.


3. (U) In a separate initiative, Canada will contribute C$1.9
million to UN-Habitat's activities in Kandahar City. Working
with the Afghan Ministry of Urban Development and Housing,
UN-Habitat will establish 12 new democratically-elected
Community Development Councils (CDCs). It will work with
these and existing CDCs in Kandahar city to help communities
implement neighborhood development projects. Some 6.000
households are expected to benefit from this project which
seeks to rebuild areas destroyed by the conflict in Kandahar.
The project will also rehabilitate local infrastructure
including shelter, electricity, roads, drainage, while also
improve services such as water, health and sanitation, and
waste management. The infrastructure upgrades will also
create local employment.


4. (U) The funding announced on January 8 will support UNICEF
efforts to establish a residential obstetric care facility in
Kandahar City as well as to expand that agency's literacy
program throughout the province. The C$11.5 million set
aside for the Accelerated District Reconstruction Program,
over two years, will speed up the construction and
Qover two years, will speed up the construction and
rehabilitation of roads, aqueducts, sanitation infrastructure
as well as repair schools and clinics through Kandahar
province.

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DICKSON