Swedish Provincial Reconstruction Team holds press conference

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

02.09.2009

Courtesy Story

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs

By the International Security Assistance Force - Afghanistan Public Affairs Office

KABUL, Afghanistan - Colonel Hakan Hedlund, Commanding Officer of the Swedish Provincial Reconstruction Team, along with Svante Kihlander, the Swedish Ambassador to Afghanistan, and Eva Joelsdotter, the Swedish Development Advisor, held a press conference with Afghan media at Camp Northern Lights, Feb. 7.

The conference was held to emphasize Sweden's commitment to Afghanistan following an Afghan television news report accusing the Swedish PRT of failing in their reconstruction efforts.

"Comments from the Afghan people are very important to us," said Kihlander. "We are looking into their statements and will see if any of it has any relevance. We have a good dialogue with the authorities and the people elected in Parliament. We are discussing this with them."

"We are doing a lot in Regional Command North," added Kihlander. "We look at our contributions as a whole in the North and it is quite substantial."

The government of Sweden has assisted development and reconstruction in PRT Mazar-e-Sharif and its four provinces. The Swedish reconstruction and development has been focused on health, education, agriculture, rural development and infrastructure. In 2008 alone, the international community invested nearly 320 million U.S. dollars in 400 projects in the PRT Mazar-e-Sharif region.

"Winning hearts and minds of the Afghan people is decisive for our success in this area," said Colonel Hedlund. "We pay them respect to gain their trust and support. Together with our Afghan partners, international organizations, and non-government organizations we provide a stable and secure environment for the Afghan people in order to facilitate the establishment of local governance, restoration of basic services and improvement of local economies."

In 2010, the Swedish support to the development and reconstruction will increase to 18 million dollars for PRT Mazar-e-Sharif's area of responsibility.

"One of the major problems in Afghanistan is unemployment," said Joelsdotter. "In our new strategy, there is a plan to add another sector, which will promote sector development. This sector will look at ways to establish job opportunities."

• Date Taken: 02.09.2009
• Date Posted: 02.09.2009 22:44
• Story ID: 29812
• Location: KABUL, AF