World Bank to give Kabul $55m

KABUL.

The grant would go the Afghanistan Second Skills Development Project (ASDP II) that focuses on building systems and institutions in the formal sector to impart technical and vocational skills in diverse job streams. The Ministry of Finance signed the grant agreement the World Bank.

With this new financing, the World Bank will have provided a total grant of $75 million for technical and vocational education. Another id=”mce_marker”8 million has been provided by the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) in this sector.

Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal said about the accord: “To ensure Afghanistan’s sustained economic growth in the long-run, it is critical that adequate investment is made in equipping its young population with vocational skills and expertise. We are grateful to the World Bank for its financial and technical assistance.”

The noteworthy success of ASDP has been the establishment of the National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA), revitalising the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) and supporting the Blind School in Kabul.

Minister of Education Ghulam Farooq Wardak, hailing the grant, said: “Vocational school graduates equipped with business skills guarantee a productive workforce for the emerging industries in Afghanistan The assistance by the World Bank will enable us to offer the young people avenues to acquire technical and vocational knowledge…”

For his part, the World Bank acting country director stressed the centrality of a skilled and employable workforce to Afghanistan’s nation building efforts that could continue to drive the country’s prosperity and people’s wellbeing

Illango Patchamuthu said: “The World Bank remains committed to supporting interventions that are critical to reducing poverty and generating economic growth in the country through transition and transformation. Jobs are central to inclusive growth. Through this project the government of Afghanistan and the World Bank are committed to building skills of youth and reducing unemployment.”

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