Safe drinking water to Afghanistan
India and Afghanistan held a virtual signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] for the construction of the Lalandar [Shatoot] Dam in Afghanistan on 9 February 2021. The MoU was signed by External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Afghanistan Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. PM Modi highlighted the civilizational bearings between India and Afghanistan while pronouncing the assurance of India’s long term commitment for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan. This construction project is a part of the New Development Partnership that has been initiated between both countries. The Lalander [Shatoot] Dam would meet the safe drinking water needs of Kabul City, provide irrigation water to the nearby areas, rehabilitate the existing irrigation and drainage network while also aiding in flood protection and management efforts & providing electricity to the region. “This will provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city,” said PM Modi while addressing the event. This is the second major dam being built by India in Afghanistan, after the India- Afghanistan Friendship Dam [Salma Dam], which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and the President back in June 2016. The signing of the MoU on Lalandar [Shatoot] Dam is reflective of India’s strong and long-term commitment towards the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and the enduring partnership between the two countries. In lieu of several Development Cooperation initiatives with Afghanistan, India has completed more than 400 projects covering all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. PM Modi iterated that violence is woe to democracy therefore both India and Afghanistan aim to rid the region free of terrorism. While highlighting the developmental cooperation between both countries, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani also expressed his gratitude to India for 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccination. He stated that these doses will be administered to the frontline health workers, security forces, and vulnerable people. “We cherish this act of exceptional generosity,” he remarked.
