News

On 23 July in Chagcharan, Afghanistan, the 5th Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor Province (PRT-5) was visited by three brigadier  generals of the coalition forces (CSTC-A) together with Head of Lithuania’s Special Mission to Afghanistan Birutė Abraitienė, engineers and technical specialists, who took interest in the possibilities to reconstruct Chagcharan airport. Generals Jonathan George, Frank Padilla and Afghan National Army Air Force Commander Mayor General Wahab Wardak Piolot arrived in Ghor province at the invitation of Lithuania’s Special Mission.

Lithuania takes the view that the planned airport reconstruction is not sufficient to satisfy the development economic needs of the remote Ghor Province. Lithuania draws attention to the strategic significance of the airport in Ghor, the central province of Afghanistan, and the potential to use the airport for the whole central region of Afghanistan, when coming to a crisis or under the necessity of humanitarian aid.

In Chagcharan the visitors met with Governor of Ghor Province Baz Mohammah Ahmadi, other important local officials, visited a micro-hydroelectric power plant, building of which was cared about by the PRT and the Special Mission. Generals and the Head of Special Mission were presented the activities of the PRT by the Team commander Col. Dalius Polekauskas.

Currently the 5th Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor Province is taking part in the operation of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. One of the Provincial Reconstruction Team’s in Ghor Province top priorities is to help consolidating the influence of Afghanistan’s Government in the province, ensure security and establish appropriate conditions for the reconstruction of the province.

Lithuania’s Special Mission is implementing development cooperation projects in Ghor Province using funds allocated by Lithuanian Government and attracts other donor countries to contribute to the reconstruction activities in Ghor Province.