Press Release

Kunar Construction Center Launches to Rebuild Afghanistan

Region's construction industry gains access to skills and management training.

Asadabad, Kunar, Afghanistan  | Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Kunar Construction Center, launched on March 13, 2008, is a testimony to the determination and vision of local, provincial, and international communities committed to working together to rebuild Afghanistan.

The Kunar Construction Center provides the construction industry with a multi-purpose facility that provides skills and management training, serves as an information marketplace linking local companies to construction projects across the country, and offers a retail center for construction-related businesses.  It supports the local construction labor market by matching skilled workers with construction companies and trains companies on bidding on construction contracts and marketing their businesses.

Kunar is a strategically significant province of Afghanistan that has known more turmoil than stability in the past decade.  This new facility offers a real promise of economic growth through investment in the local construction industry. By working in partnership with local and provincial governments and international agencies, the construction industry is strengthening one of Afghanistan’s growth sectors. 

An informal study by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shows that the construction market in Afghanistan will grow significantly over the next 3-5 years.  This industry boom will affect provincial and urban communities through private sector growth and job creation.  Nationwide, jobs in basic-level construction are on the rise and the need for semi-professional skills in facilities management, maintenance, inspections, and information technologies continues to grow.

The development of this center is a result of consolidated efforts between the local community, local and provincial governments, the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), and USAID.  The government and local community donated the land for the center, the PRT provided the buildings and testing laboratory, and USAID funded $1 million in operating costs including trainers, equipment, Internet connectivity, and other infrastructure costs.  The local construction community advised the PRT and USAID in a number of strategic mattters, including teacher and student selection methods, and local construction workers volunteered countless hours of labor to clean the site.

USAID also supports the development of construction industry associations to drive reform in the sector.  According to Barbara Krell, USAID Acting Mission Director, “Strengthening the construction industry and the private sector is critical for the future of Afghanistan.  It will show immediate benefits in providing job opportunities for Afghans and will help the people of Afghanistan to rebuild their country.”