News

On 9 January, Japan’s government announced its decision to dispatch a civilian assistance team to the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Ghor Province, Afghanistan, in spring. They made a decision to send civilians after receiving Lithuania’s invitation.

The Japanese civilian personnel will contribute to the reconstruction of Ghor Province, Afghanistan. The Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team is the only one out of the 26 PRTs of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, to which the government of Japan has decided to send its civilians.

Such a positive decision of the government of Japan is based on the experience of its successful cooperation with the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan.

The Japanese civilian assistance team will coordinate the implementation of the development cooperation projects’ programmes in the province.

By the end of 2008, the government of Japan had financed 10 projects in Ghor Province, in the areas of increasing literacy among women in Ghor Province, of professional education promotion among the residents, tuberculosis prevention and construction of elementary and secondary schools. The areas were recommended by the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan.

Currently, Japan has undertaken an obligation to allot 2 milliard U.S. dollars for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. By the end of 2008, Japan had been allotted about 1.46 milliard U.S. dollars for strengthening security, enhancement of infrastructure and agriculture, and development of rural areas.