EU-funded municipal building inaugurated

KABUL said.

The building is part of a broader project worth €5.5 million for establishing and supporting 40 Community Development Councils (CDCs) in Kabul and 20 CDCs in Jalalabad, the delegation said in a statement.

European Union Special Representative Ambassador Vygaudas Usackas, Kabul Mayor Mohammad Younus Nawandesh and Country Representative of UNHABITAT Jan Turkstra jointly inaugurated the building.

Rehabilitated by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) with financial support from the European Union, the project will help raise the standard of living for vulnerable newcomers and removing the inherent problems of displacement.

Since 2000, the European Union has allocated over €115 million to the sector, not counting humanitarian aid, and over €40 million provided directly to UNHABITAT.

“Activities in this sector are very wide. They include shelter, income generation, water supply and small infrastructure. They also include support for legal aid, human rights protection, urban community organisation and vocational training. The new commitment planned for 2011 is € 27 million.”

Usackas called municipal offices an important link in the chain between the government and people. “By bringing together the elected representatives of the people and the appointed officials of the municipality, they help to make local government more inclusive, more democratic, and more responsive to the needs of the constituency.”

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