DUSHANBE, December 6, 2011, Asia-Plus – In a statement delivered at the international conference on Afghanistan in Bonn, Tajik Foreign Minister Harahan Zarifi noted on December 5 that construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power plants (HPPS) in Tajikistan is significant for development of new lands in Afghanistan, the Tajik MFA information department reports.
Tajikistan considers it expedient to involve Afghanistan in the regional cooperation through implementation of infrastructure development projects connecting the countries of the region and implementation of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Trade and Transmission Project (CASA 1000), Zarifi said.
Tajik minister also pointed to the necessity of development of the human potential of Afghanistan through improvement of the level of education. “Tajikistan makes an active contribution to training of personnel for Afghanistan’s law enforcement and civilian authorities,” said Zarifi, “We have also initiated the establishment of a multiprofile vocational training center in Tajikistan and we call on international community to assist with implementation of this project.”
He also underlined the significance of involvement of Afghan farmers in agricultural programs that seek to replace poppy with legal crops.
Zarifi noted that construction of a network of HPPs with dams for accumulation of water resources in the upper reaches of Panj and Amu Darya would assist development of new lands in Afghanistan.
We will recall that the conference was hosted by Germany and chaired by Afghanistan. The second Bonn Conference on Afghanistan reportedly focused on three main areas: 1) civil aspects of the transition process, the transfer of responsibility for security to the Afghan Government by 2014; 2) long-term engagement of the international community and further international commitment to Afghanistan after the handover; and 3) political process that should lead to a long-term stabilization of the country, i.e. national reconciliation and the integration of former Taliban fighters.
The high-level conference in Bonn that reportedly brought together representatives of 85 countries and 15 international organizations concluded with agreement on how the international community should proceed on Afghanistan. Leaders of the international community have vowed to support Afghanistan after foreign troops withdraw by the end of 2014.
