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ADB Approves $20 Million Grant for Urgent Road Works in Afghanistan

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (22 December 2003) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$20 million grant, funded by the Government of Japan, to rehabilitate priority roads in northern Afghanistan.

The grant, from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), will be used to rehabilitate 112 kilometers of the ring road in northern Afghanistan, including 57 km of the Khulum-Naibabad-Mazar-i-Sharif-Balkh road, and 55 km of the Naibabad-Hairatan international road link with Uzbekistan.

The JFPR was set up in 2000 with an initial contribution of ¥10 billion (about US$90 million), followed by additional contributions of $155 million and a commitment of $50 million. The fund supports projects that target poor people and prioritizes innovative approaches.

To date, $42 million in JFPR funds has been approved for four projects in Afghanistan's transport, education and health sectors.

More at adb.org/media

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