UAE OUTLINES ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000214 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, SRAP (BLANC),SCA/A, NEA/RA (YOUSSEF) STATE PLEASE PASS USAID/ODP/BMD (FREEMAN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN AF AE SUBJECT: UAE OUTLINES ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN REF: 09 ABU DHABI 1160; 09 KABUL 3993 ¶1. (SBU) On January 10, visiting SRAP Special Advisor for International Partnership Jarrett Blanc and EconOff met with Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi to discuss UAE aid for Afghanistan. Al Suwaidi explained that the ADFD currently has four projects planned for Afghanistan, in response to GOA requests: - The first is for Kabul roads, part of a $30 million grant announced in 2002. Three projects for 18 km of roads is being funded, with four other roads under consideration. - The second is a $15m project with Germany to fund work at the Mazar-e-Sharif airport. - The third project is a Shahtoot dam project near Kabul, which will focus on drinking water, irrigation and recharging ground water. - The fourth project would utilize the UAE's remaining $235m pledge to build 7,000 housing units in Kabul, in cooperation with the Urban Development Ministry. This project is facing planning and implementation challenges, and ADFD may be open to alternatives for disbursing this portion of the pledge. ¶2. (SBU) Blanc provided an overview of the USG's development focus for Afghanistan, including agriculture, job creation, anti-corruption and local government development. He also discussed the need for and agricultural credit facility and offered to provide Al Suwaidi with further information on U.S. agriculture programming. Blanc described the importance of international support for Afghan-led reintegration, including a new international trust fund and bilateral projects. Al Suwaidi asked about USG efforts to manage projects with the GOA, noting concerns about slow decision-making, corruption and lack of transparency. ¶3. (SBU) Al Suwaidi said he remains interested in traveling to Washington in early 2010 to meet with USAID and other USG officials (reftels). Post will work with appropriate USG offices to organize this visit. ¶4. (SBU) Special Advisor Blanc has cleared this cable. OLSON