Embassy of in Japan

December 2010 December

Afghan News Latest News Select invest- H.E. Dr. Sayed M. Amin Fatimie appointed as Ambassador to Japan ment facts • Since 2003, US$5.6 billion has been invested in Afghanistan’s private sector

• 2010 has seen a 6% increase in private sector investment over 2009.

• 4976 companies with an initial capital invest- ment of $ 1.2 billion have been registered with the Af- ghanistan In- (Picture: H.E. Ambassador Dr. Sayed M. Amin Fatimie is escorted by carriage to his official appointment vestment Sup- with H.E. the Emperor of Japan at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. 〉 port Agency (AISA). H.E. Dr. Sayed M. Amin Fatimie arrived in High Peace Council holds first meeting Tokyo on December 8th in order to serve as the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s Ambas- sador to Japan. On December 27th, H.E. met with H.M. the Emperor of Japan to present his Inside this issue: credentials.

H.E Ambassador Dr. Fatimie has had a very Latest News Pg.1-4 distinguished career, holding several key posi- Interview tions in government, including the position of with Minister of Public Health. His appointment as Pg.4-6 Mr. Khaled Ambassador to this nation, therefore, stresses Hosseini that the highest level of importance is placed The High Peace Council, formed through by Afghanistan on bilateral relations with Ja- June’s National Consultative Peace Jirga pan. and its unanimously-endorsed peace, recon- Recipe corner Pg. 7 ciliation, and reintegration plan, held its first public conference in Kandahar.

(Continued on page 2)

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Afghan News, DecemberNovember 20101010

investment in the next three to four basic medical services is set to increase The two-day conference was attended years. to 95% in five years (in 2003, there by Chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani, was only access available to 9% of the head of the Secretariat for the High Since 2003, a total of $5.6 billion has population). This will be made possi- Peace Council; presidential advisor been invested by the private sector in ble through the construction of 400 Massom Stanakzai; tribal elders; ulle- Afghanistan. Through 2009 to October health centers nationwide through the mas; and the governors of Zabul, Nim- of this year, a total of 4,976 companies Ministry of Public Health. roz, Uruzgan, Kandahar, and Helmand with an initial capital investment of provinces; along with members of civil US$1.2 billion have registered with The construction of these health facili- society and United Nations Assistance AISA. The total investment in 2010 is a ties is expected to also have the added Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) rep- 6% increase over the 2009 period. effect of helping to decrease the mor- resentatives. tality rate of mothers and children by Topics of focus were criteria, strategy, Afghanistan is rich in mineral resources up to 50%. and various aspects of the process. with more than 1,400 identified mineral deposits, including energy minerals such Chairman Rabbani declared that he as oil, gas, and coal as well as high- Japan to build new hospital in Ka- would like to use the conference as a quality iron and copper deposits. Great bul forum to invite those brothers currently opportunities for investment exist within not part of the peace process to give up the hydrocarbons industry and in explor- The Japanese government has pledged violence and join the process. ing precious and semi-precious stones. to help build a new 80-bed, hospital building in the Darul-Aman neighbor- The Afghan economy has been growing hood of . The hospital will pro- Investment conference attracts poten- in double digits in real terms for the last vide treatment for patients of TB, HIV tial investors eight years, peaking at 22% last year and malaria.

At the conference, H.E. Foreign Minis- ter Zalmai Rassoul, in his key note Second mother and child survival speech focused on the link between se- committee meeting convened curity and development. Stating firstly that worries about security are not nec- The second mother and child survival essary as challenges are regional and not committee meeting was held at the nationwide, H.E. also noted that, Af- Serena Hotel in Kabul on November ghanistan’s growing security forces, “are 21st, with government officials being fully capable of providing security joined by delegations from the World across Afghanistan for private and pub- Health Organization (WHO) and the The Afghanistan International Invest- lic investments, projects and establish- United Nations Children’s Fund ment Conference (AIIC), an interna- ments," adding that the transferring of (UNICEF). The twenty committee tional conference on investment in Af- more, and eventually all, security re- members, composed of representatives ghanistan, was held in Dubai on No- sponsibilities from international forces from the WHO, UNICEF, government vember 30th. 500 participants, including to the Afghan national security is solid officials, and NGO representatives, investors and ministers from a number proof of the success of domestic security shared their views on how to improve of nations, took part. Prospects for de- forces. H.E. Dr. Rassoul pointed to the mother and child health and also ex- velopment were discussed for key impact that wealth creation and prosper- pressed their preparedness to cooper- growth sectors: infrastructure, construc- ity has on improving security: "Investors ate. tion and construction materials, agro- who chose to invest in Afghanistan will business and agro-processing, energy not only be rewarded with significant Acting Minister of Public Health Dr. and mining, transport and logistics, and returns on their investments, but they Suraya Dalil presented the Ministry of IT and telecommunication. will also play a vital role in the restora- Public Health’s six strategies: the de- tion of peace and security within the livery of quality healthcare to pregnant Through the conference, an ad hoc body region." women, obstetric services, health ser- called the Afghan International Invest- vices to infants, protection and treat- ment Friends was created to act as an For information on investing in Afghani- ment of children against fatal diseases, informal mechanism to maintain mo- stan, see the Afghanistan Invesment and improving nutrition and child- mentum on specific proposals at the Support Agency’s Web site: spacing. conference, with the potential to grow www.aisa.org.af into a more formal body later. The committee meets twice yearly and cooperates with the government and Noorullah Delawari, Advisor to H.E. Health service access to increase to development partners to adopt meas- President Hamid Karzai and CEO of 95% ures towards reduction of mother, chil- Afghanistan Investment Support dren, and infant mortality as part of the Agency (AISA) expects that Afghani- The amount of people with access to (Continued on page 3) stan will attract around $10 billion in 2

Afghan News, December 2010

Ministry of Public Health’s (MoPH’s) centered, participatory teaching tech- Local agriculture gaining more in- strategy to improve mother and child niques. ternational attention health. Its first meeting was held earlier this year, with a number of tasks carried As Afghan agriculture continues to out involving design and finalization of Budget transparency tripled expand in demand worldwide, from an operational plan for children and ado- December 3rd to December 6th, a lescent health, identification of key indi- Integrity Watch Afghanistan, an anti- delegation of Afghan farmers took part cators for measuring progress towards the corruption watchdog, has launched the in Agro Tech 2010 in India. The event implementation of related strategies, and Open Budget Index for Afghanistan in was organized by the Confederation of the formulation of terms of reference for which the national score increased Indian Industry (CII). provincial based committees, among from 8 to 21 points. Great efforts have other tasks. been made to increase budget transpar- India has been a large purchaser of ency to provide citizens the opportu- Afghan agricultural products. nity to hold the government account- Hedayatullah Omerkhail, the president First national heart clinic opened able for its management of public of Afghanistan-based Abdul Wakil funds. Afghanistan leads other nations Omerkhail Farmer's Association, said, The first national heart clinic has opened in the same category by at least 15 “Currently, we are exporting walnuts, near Kabul University’s medical faculty points. raisins, apricot, cherries and fruits to and sees between 30 and 40 patients a many Asian countries.” day. TAPI Gas Pipeline contract signed Kabul will host 'International Agfair Six doctors (male and female), three sur- 2011' next year, which will attract geons, and four nurses staff the facility, interested parties from around the working with state-of-the-art stress ma- world, ready to purchase low-cost pro- chines and echocardiograms, the acquisi- duce that is found only in Afghanistan, tion of which was supported by hospitals including seedless Pomegranates. in Toronto, Windsor, and Winnipeg, Can- ada. The clinic also has also a rehabilita- For information on the availability of tion room with stationary bikes, tread- Afghan pomegranates in Japan, go to mills and yoga classes. the Friends of Afghanistan page: The clinic looks to start angioplasty www.afghanblogjapan.blogspot.com/2 within four or five years and hopes to be 010/12/afghan-pomegranates-in- able to do heart transplants within 10 H.E. President Hamid Karzai, H.E. japan.html years. President Qurban Quli Mohammadov www.ameblo.jp/entry- of Tukmenistan, H.E. President Asif 10744199178.html Ali Zardari of , and H.E. Min- Japanese supported project to con- ister Murli Dayra, the Indian Oil and struct 1000 new classrooms in Kabul; Gas Minister, signed the TAPI Third international airport to be inaugurates latest school (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan- completed in January 2012 India) gas pipeline contract into effect On December 11th, in a rural area of Ka- in Turkmenistan on December 11th. bul, Minister of Education, Farooq War- dak and Japanese Ambassador Shigeyuki Through the TAPI gas pipeline project, Hiroki inaugurated the newly-constructed 33 billion cubic meters of gas will an- Mohamed Mussa Shafiq high school. nually flow through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India. The construction of the school, which has 30 classrooms and will accommodate a Once started, Afghanistan will earn up- total of 2,400 students, was sponsored by to US $400 million dollars through the Government of Japan and constructed transit, as well as 1.8 million cubic The third of a planned five interna- by the Ministry of Education in coopera- meters of gas for a two-year period, tional airports, Mazar-e Sharif Interna- tion with UNICEF. before increasing to 5.1 billion cubic tional Airport, is scheduled to be com- meters afterwards. Hundreds of fami- pleted in January 2012, expecting to The school is part of a major project lies residing near the pipeline will serve more than 400,000 people a called the ‘One Thousand Classrooms benefit from the project. The gas pro- year. The new airport will work in Project’ under which, with support from vided holds the potential to allow Af- conjunction with a new rail system Japan and UNICEF, 1000 new class- ghanistan to fulfill its gas needs. located nearby to enhance trade and rooms will be built in 58 schools in the transportation capabilities. Kabul area; in the process, over 3,000 teachers will have been trained in child- The airport project provides hundreds of jobs in such roles as laying founda- (Continued on page 4)

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Afghan News, December 2010 Afghan News, November 2010 tion, constructing the more-than-five Afghanistan fast bowler Hamid Has- buildings, and maintaining those struc- The Sharana center provides workshops san, who ended as the top -taker tures already serving the existing do- for such skills as carpentry, masonry, of the tournament with 43 scalps from mestic terminal. and plumbing. six games at an average of 19.8, was named the Man of the Match for his Already the growth in transport capa- This was the fourth education excellence match haul of 8-84. bilities is enticing growth in the area graduation in Paktika this year. with trade centers being built up around , the highest run- the airport. Each student received a graduation cer- getter of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, tificate, with the provincial government scored an unbeaten 56 off 62 balls with Currently Kabul and Kandahar already pledging to support them in finding jobs seven boundaries. Shahzad ended with host international airports. There are if necessary. 802 runs from seven games. also a number of domestic airports around the country. In other news: Faryab benefits from 148 develop- ment projects The Afghanistan Cricket Board also New school buildings opening nation- has plans to send a national women's wide A number of projects have been com- team to the Asian Elite Cup tourna- pleted by the Ministry of Rural Rehabili- ment in February 2011. A number of new school buildings tation and Development (MRRD) and opened this month across the nation. handed over to local administrations in Work began on the first domestic- These schools include a 4-classroom Faryab Province. Included in these pro- based international cricket stadium on building for Tajekhaa Primary School in jects are the construction of 52 kilome- November 23rd with cooperation from the Muqur district of Badghis province, ters of road, 111 culverts, 123 wells, 19 by United States Agency for Interna- with the assistance of the Spanish gov- water reservoirs, 3,680 meters of retain- tional Development (USAID). The ernment; a 10-classroom building ing walls, 13 community centers, 3 hy- stadium will serve as the main hub for equipped with basketball and volleyball dropower mills and 6 microhydro powe hosting both domestic and interna- courts for Bandabad Middle School in plants, four eight-classroom school tional events and will accommodate the Pashtun Zarghun district of Herat buildings, the cleaning of 27,688 meters more than 6,000 fans. It is estimated to province, with the support of the Italian of fountain network, the extension of be completion in July of 2011. government; a 5-classroom building for 25,145 meters of urban electricity, the Rasalat Shahedan Girl’s Middle School digging of 572 meters of irrigation ca- A film entitled Out of the Ashes , which in Bamyan province, supported by the nals, instillation of 25 solar panels, and tells the story of the national cricket Arghosha Association; and an 8- the establishment of tailoring, literacy, team's efforts to qualify for the World classroom building equipped with a embroidery, and carpet weaving courses Cup, has been awarded the special jury football field, and a volleyball court for for women, along with various other prize by the Peace and Sport Organisa- Shaharak Mahajareen Primary School in projects. tion, a Monaco-based organization Ghazni, with support from the Polish working towards sustainable peace government. All schools are equipped The implementation of these projects throughout the world through the pro- with administrative facilities and fur- benefits 28,377 rural families in the vil- motion of the practice of structured nishings as well. lages of Qaisar, Pashtonkot, Khwaja sport and sporting values. Sabz Posh, Sherin Tagab, Balcharagh, (pictured: Nawroz Mangal In Takhar province, an agreement has Garziwan, Khan Chahar Bagh and receives the ICC Intercontinental Cup been signed to construct a new 8- Qaramqol districts. trophy from Richard Done, ICC High classroom building for Bibi Hajira Performance Manager. ) Girl’s High School, with the support of Germany’s GTZ organization. Cricket team wins first I Cup title

Projects such as these continue to in- Interview with Khaled crease the amount of children receiving Hosseini, author of “The education (approaching 8 million) as well as the ratio of girls in those classes Kite Runner” and “A Thou- (around 40%). sand Splendid Suns”

What type of message do you want to Education excellence graduates hon- tell of Afghanistan in your works? ored I am first and foremost a novelist, and Paktika provincial government leaders purely as a writer, I hope that readers honored 15 graduates of the Sharana The national cricket team earlier this discover in my novels the same things Center for Education Excellence in Pak- month beat Scotland by seven to tika province this month. win its first ICC Intercontinental Cup 4

Afghan News, December 2010 Afghan News, November 2010 story that transports, characters who engage, and hopefully a sense of illumi- nation, of having been transformed somehow by the experiences of the characters. I hope that readers respond to the emotions of these stories, that despite vast cultural differences, they identify with the characters and their dreams and ordinary hopes and day to day struggle to survive.

As an Afghan, I hope that readers walk away with a sense of empathy for Af- ghans and a fresh perspective on Af- ghanistan. Too often stories about Af- ghanistan center around the various photo wars, the opium trade, the war on terror- © Khaled Hosseini Foundation ism. Precious little is said about the Afghan people themselves, their culture, I am currently working on a new book their traditions, how they lived in their Ultimately, I think there are more simi- of fiction partially set in Afghanistan. country and how they manage abroad as larities between the books than differ- I have no more updates on that at the exiles. I hope my books give readers ences. In both novels, characters are present time. some insight into and a sense of the caught in a crossfire and overwhelmed identity of Afghan people that they may by external forces. Their inner lives are There seems to be in you a call to help not get from mainstream news media. impacted by an often brutal and unfor- people. First through your work as a Fiction is a powerful medium to convey giving outside world, and the decisions doctor, now through your involve- such things. they make about their own lives are im- ment in the Khaled Hosseini Founda- pacted by things over which they have tion in Afghanistan – can you tell us Are there any different points that you no control: revolutions, wars, extrem- about what you hope to accomplish? wanted to convey from the outset be- ism, oppression. tween The Kite Runner and A Thou- I’ve been a very lucky guy. I lived a sand Splendid Suns? Both novels are multi-generational, and happy and productive life. I grew up so the relationship between parent and in semi-privileged surroundings in Obviously the biggest difference is that child, with all of its manifest complexi- Kabul, I had a charmed childhood. I The Kite Runner focused on men and A ties and contradictions, is a prominent was fortunate enough to be in Paris, Thousand Splendid Suns is a story theme. In fact, in one way, the two nov- France when the Soviets invaded Af- about women in Afghanistan. So much els are corollaries, in that The Kite Run- ghanistan, so I was at a safe remove has happened to Afghan women in the ner was a father-son story, and A Thou- from the displacement and massive last thirty years, particularly after the sand Splendid Suns can be seen as a human suffering that came with the Soviets withdrew and factional fighting mother-daughter story. war and in the aftermath of it. In the broke out. The wars in Afghanistan US, I was fortunate enough to get an have taken a severe toll on women. Ultimately, I think, both novels are love education and go to medical school Besides being the victims of landmines, stories. In both books, characters are in and have a fulfilling and productive shellings, and arbitrary killings, women the end redeemed by love and human career as a physician. All this, before in Afghanistan have also subjected to connection. In the first novel, it was my books were published, and before gender based human rights abuses, such mainly the love between men. In A they found success well beyond my as rape and forced marriage. When the Thousand Splendid Suns, love manifests wildest hopes. Taliban came, they imposed inhumane itself in even more various shapes, be it restrictions on women, limiting their romantic love between a man and a But there came a point, especially once freedom of movement, expression, bar- woman, woman, parental love, love for the extent of my unexpected literary ring them from work and education, family, home, country, God, or love success became evident to me, that I harassing them, humiliating them, beat- between women. I think in both novels, began to grow restless and became ing them. it is ultimately love that draws charac- anxious for a way to parlay my per- ters out of their isolation, that gives sonal good fortunes into something When I began writing A Thousand them the strength to transcend their own that was hopefully more enduring and Splendid Suns, I found myself thinking limitations, to expose their vulnerabili- meaningful –especially given where I about those resilient women over and ties, and to perform acts of heroism and had come from. I dabbled in a small over, and their incredible stories of sur- self-sacrifice. project or two, until 2006 when vival were always with me, and a good UNHCR invited me to speak at World part of my inspiration for A Thousand Are you working on or planning any Refugee Day and then asked me to Splendid Suns came from their collec- new projects? serve as a goodwill envoy. It was a tive spirit. perfect match for me. I would never

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Afghan News, December 2010 Afghan News, November 2010 dare compare my situation with that of Hosseini Foundation, was the outcome industrialized nations like Japan and the millions of Afghan refugees, but I of those discussions. My aim with this the help that Japan has provided has had come to the States as a political foundation is to fund projects that help made great differences in the lives of refugee seeking asylum, and so I had refugees, that provide opportunity, re- many Afghans. For that we, speaking always felt connected to the plight of lief, shelter and education for Afghan for Afghans, are deeply grateful. Afghan refugees. And I felt a personal women and children. kinship with the mission of the organi- Next I would offer an alternate way of zation, which is to safeguard the rights You come from a long history of liter- looking at the conflict in Afghanistan. and well being of the world’s most be- ary mastership in Afghanistan – from I would frame the war in Afghanistan leaguered people. such figures as Rumi and the court of not only as a war against the insurgents Mahmud of Ghazni. However, with the but also against poverty. After all, the So it has been my honor and privilege coming of the Taliban regime, the arts number one killer in Afghanistan isn’t the last three years to work with were devastated. Now, only a fraction airstrikes or suicide bombs, or IEDs. UNHCR, an organization that has pro- of the population is even literate. Do It’s poverty. 25,000 plus women die tected and assisted over 50 million refu- you see signs of hope for a reemer- yearly during child birth. Average life gees since its formation in 1951, an gence of literature’s place and artistry expectancy of 42 years. 1/5 chance for organization that is, as we speak, pro- within Afghanistan? a child to die prior to the age of 5. viding food, shelter, medical aid, educa- Nearly half the country without access tion and repatriation assistance to over The Taliban’s acts of cultural vandalism to potable water, and living in extreme 25 million people: refugees, displaced -the most infamous being the destruction poverty, on less than $10 a month. I people, and asylum seekers. of the giant Buddhas- had a devastating believe that a very big slice of the solu- effect on Afghan culture and its artistic tion pie in In September of 2007, I had the oppor- scene. The Taliban burned countless tunity to travel with UNHCR to north- films, VCRs, music tapes, books, and Afghanistan is to fight poverty. When ern Afghanistan to visit with some of paintings. They jailed filmmakers, mu- people have a roof over their head, the nearly 5 million refugees who have sicians, painters, and sculptors. The when they have jobs, when they see come home since 2002 with assistance Taliban’s puritanical stance on virtually their living conditions improving, from UNHCR. We went to settlements any art form stifled artists and amounted when they see their kids going off to and villages around Mazar Sharif, Kun- to, I believe, a sick and twisted social school, when they have access to a duz, etc, and sat down with returnees experiment. These restrictions forced doctor if they get sick, they are much and learned through their own words the some artists to abandon their craft, and less likely to be influenced or per- challenges they are facing since return- many to continue practicing in covert suaded by extremists. Historically ing home. And those challenges are fashion. Some built cellars where they Afghanistan has never had a tradition enormous and a part of their daily strug- painted or played musical instruments. of extremism. This is out of character gle to make ends meet. These returnees Others gathered to write fiction in the for the country. What has brought this came home in the hopes that interna- guise of a sewing circle -as depicted in about is the huge tragedy of war and tional re-engagement in Afghanistan Christina Lamb’s The Sewing Circles of the brutalization of a society by suc- will allow for restoration of peace and Herat. And still others found ingenious cessive civil conflict. At the end of the justice and economic opportunity. What ways to trick the Taliban -one famous day, Afghans are the same as any other they found upon returning is a country example being a painter who, at the or- people. Their expectations for them- still reeling from a three decade catas- der of the Taliban, painted over all hu- selves, their children, are the same as trophe that saw political, social and eco- man faces on his oil paintings, except he anyone else’s. They’ve had the mis- nomic structures collapse, where liveli- did with it watercolor, which he washed fortune of suffering through one of the hood is precarious, resources few … off after the Taliban were ousted. These worst and longest conflicts that we The returnees I met face lack of food, were the desperate ways in which artists have seen in the last , now on- lack of clean water, lack of access to tried to escape the Taliban’s firm grip on going into this century. Any society is health and educational facilities, lack of virtually every form of artistic expres- going to be bruised by that. jobs, and for many that I spoke to, most sion. Afghans have a deep and rich ar- importantly, lack of shelter and home. tistic history and I have little doubt that So what I understand, what is a trend Their attempt at reintegrating has been we will see –we are seeing already- and a realization among western capi- very difficult for most. It’s an overused works of art in all forms, film, books, tals and prominent people, is that this phrase, but for me, this trip really was a music, produced in Afghanistan by Af- is not a war that we can win via mili- life altering experience. ghans. tary means only. We have to offer opportunity and better alternatives than When I came home, I worried that the Do you have a message for the Japa- the gun to Afghanistan’s young people. memory of the trip would recede and nese people? They deserve better options in life. that with the passage of time, the sense And it is up to us, the international of urgency I had felt in Afghanistan First and foremost, I thank the Japanese community, in partnership with the would begin to fade. So I sat down with people and the Japanese government for Afghan government to provide better my wife and had long discussions about the assistance that they have provided to options. We have done it for some, but how to capitalize on the experience and Afghanistan. Afghanistan is still de- clearly we need to do more. my newly formed 501c3, The Khaled pendent on the help and the goodwill of 6

Afghan News, December 2010

Omar’s Kitchen For each of our newsletters, Omar offers an authentic Afghan recipe from his kitchen to yours. This month, we fea- ture a food inspired by the great menu of PAO Afghan restaurant in Higashi Nakano (near Shinjuku, Tokyo). Chicken Karahi

Ingredients • 1 kg. chicken cut into bite sized pieces • 1 tbsp. chopped ginger • 2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into small sticks • 4-5 green chilies cut in half • 2 green chilies, chopped • 3 tomatoes, finely chopped • 2 tsp. black pepper, ground • Salt, garam masala, and coriander leaves to taste, water as needed

Preparation 1. Heat oil in a shallow frying pan.

2. Add the chopped ginger and green chili, stir ring frequently. Fry for 2 minutes.

3. Add the chicken and salt. Stirring frequently, fry until the meat is well-browned

4. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stirring the mix frequently, fry the meat mixture for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp. Add a little water if necessary to pre vent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep frying until the oil begins to separate.

5. Add the ginger sticks, chopped green chili, black pepper, the garam masala, and a little water. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with finely chopped coriander leaves.

6. Serve hot with Nan or Chapati.

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