Afghanistan housing project underlines China’s growing role

KABUL: Afghan authorities expect work on the first phase of a multimillion dollar housing project financed by China to begin within months, as Beijing continues to raise its development profile in the region.

The project, originally announced in 2015 during a visit to Kabul by Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao, is expected to see construction of 10,000 housing units for Afghan civil servants after the project was cleared by both governments last week.

The first phase will see 1,400 units built near the old Darulaman palace in the capital Kabul, with China agreeing to provide 500 million yuan ( US$ 73 million) in finance.

Two further phases are expected to follow, depending on successful implementation of the first stage.

“So far, the project is the largest Chinese- supported project in Afghanistan,” Hamid Jalil, a deputy minister at the Ministry of Urban Development told Reuters.

“We hope that within two to three months, we’ll be able to finalise procurement and start,” he said.

China is investing heavily in the region, with the US$ 57 billion China- Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC) project to link its landlocked northwest to the Arabian Sea and projects such as the massive Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan.

Although it has been very cautious about taking an active security role in Afghanistan, it has promised to help build up the economy which has been shattered by decades of war. — Reuters