Taliban official asks World Bank to carry out projects in Kandahar
The Taliban governor’s office in Kandahar has said that Mullah Mohammad Shirin Akhund, the Taliban governor in the province, has asked the World Bank to implement “important and fundamental” projects, especially in Kandahar, in a request made amid continuing public need for basic and quality services.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, the request was raised during a meeting between Mullah Mohammad Shirin Akhund, Farid Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank’s country director for Afghanistan, and Richard Trenchard, a representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The office said the meeting focused on the World Bank’s and FAO’s assistance and activities in Afghanistan.
According to officials involved in the meeting, the World Bank has continued its activities in Afghanistan even after the Taliban returned to power. It was also said that the institution funds all FAO financial activities, and that the organisation is working in the fields of health, humanitarian assistance, education, clean water and agriculture.
The statement said cooperation had also begun with local officials to advance projects related to strengthening the private sector and creating jobs. However, no further details were provided on the amount of funding, the timeline or how these projects would be implemented.
The Taliban governor in Kandahar said continued support for Mirwais Regional Hospital, the construction of cold storage facilities and small control dams, marketing of fresh and dried fruit, and alternative crops to narcotics were among the areas needing support. He also said that after years of hardship, the people of Afghanistan need basic and standard services.
Kandahar in southern Afghanistan is considered one of the country’s important agricultural provinces, while Mirwais Hospital is one of the main medical centres in the south, serving residents from several provinces.
