Fact Sheet: Rebuilding Afghanistan

The United States and Afghanistan share a common vision for an Afghanistan that is prosperous, democratic, self-governing, and respectful of human rights. The determination of the Afghan people and the on-going commitment of the Coalition Partners have created an environment of stability and success. The U.S. has contributed over $900 million in assistance to the people of Afghanistan since 2001.

Health

Afghanistan has improved its health care system and with a U.S commitment of $133 million planned for a three-year program, access to health services will be expanded. Successes since April 2002 include:

• Reopening Rabia Balkhi Women's Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, after a six-month renovation project supported by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense
• Vaccination of 4.3 million children against measles and treated 700,000 cases of malaria
• Revitalization of the polio eradication programs surveillance system
• Revising the national curriculum for midwives
• Completing the rebuilding of 72 hospitals, clinics and womens healthcare centers
• Planning to build or rehabilitate 550 heath care centers

Education

Afghanistan has made great strides in revitalizing the education system. Recent successes include:

• 4 million children are now enrolled in school
• Six students completed the first module of a six-month radio journalism program offered by Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty in Kabul
• Eleven men and six women graduated from the University of Kabuls new Cisco Networking Academy
• Afghan staff were hired and trained to work at Radio Arman, Afghanistans new independent radio station

The U.S. is initiating a $60 million program to build or repair 1,000 schools, train 30,000 teachers, offer accelerated learning programs to 60,000 students and print 15 million textbooks for 2.9 million students, 30 percent of whom are girls.

Refugees

The Afghan government and international organizations are assisting the returning refugees. 2.5 million Afghans have returned home, the largest refugee repatriation in the world in the last 30 years.

The U.S. has helped with a total of $185.5 million since the beginning of the Afghan crisis in September 2001.

Agriculture

Rehabilitating agriculture is key to the growth of the Afghan economy and the local farmers are working to re-establish production. The U.S. is helping by providing the following:

• $6 million to assist the Afghan people in managing the water system
• $15 million to restore irrigation systems and other essential services
• 6,100 water projects (including wells, springs, irrigation canals, urban water systems, dams, and culverts)

There have been successes in agriculture, such as, an increase of food production, an 82percent increase in wheat yields through fertilizer and improved wheat seed, the development of a crushing facility to produce and market peanut and other oils from the high-value crops, and high-value crop diversification for approximately 18,000 farmers

Infrastructure

A priority for revitalizing the economy of Afghanistan is to rebuild Afghans main transportation artery the Kabul-Kandahar-Herat road

• The U.S. has committed $180 million to the rebuilding of the road The Kabul-Kandahar portion will be completed by the end of December 2003
• The U.S. in partnership with Norway will provide $12 million to build a bridge over the river between Afghanistan and Tajikistan

Empowering Women

Afghanistan is providing renewed opportunities for women. With the support of the U.S., women are receiving education, skills and tools they need to obtain jobs and integrate into the political and public life. Programs include:

• Handicraft training
• Resource centers that includes a library, Internet room and audio visual training centers
• Widow bakeries providing bread to Afghanistans urban poor
• Educational and vocational courses

Afghan National Army

The Afghan government plans to create an army of 70,000 to defend their country. As of April 5, 2003 the ninth battalion of 716 Army recruits began basic training.

The new recruits will be trained by fellow Afghan non-commissioned officers, instead of by Coalition Partners.