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Govt signs MoU with UAE firm to build solar power plant
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a solar power plant has been signed between the government of Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates-based PAL 4 Solar Energy LLC.
The office of the presidency said Tuesday in a statement that the project would be implemented across the country.
The MoU was signed by Mohammad Zafar, managing director of the solar power company, Ataullah Nasib, head of the Investment Facilitation Unit of the Office of the President, and Ahmad Daud Noorzai the CEO of Afghanistan’s power company, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), in the presence of Kabir Isakhel, Chief Legal Advisor for President Ashraf Ghani.
Once complete, the project will provide the opportunity for Afghanistan to generate up to 3,000 MW of electricity across the country.
The agreement was signed at the Afghan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE.
According to the agreement, the UAE company will invest in the installation of solar panel plants which will produce electricity.
Currently, Afghanistan has three solar power plants – in Bamiyan, Herat, and Kandahar provinces.
The Kandahar Solar Power plant worth $39 million generates 30 megawatts of electricity. The solar power plant installed in Bamiyan provides electricity to thousands of Bamiyan families.
The renewable energy resource potential of Afghanistan is estimated at over 300,000 MW, the Ministry of Energy and Water has stated in the past.
This includes natural gas, biomass, hydropower, solar, and wind power.
Major progress has however been made in the past decade by Afghanistan, along with private investors, to turn the land-locked nation into a self-sustainable energy-producing country as a significant amount of electricity is still imported from neighboring countries.
In 2017, a report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) stated that Afghanistan has the potential to produce 67,000 megawatts of electricity from wind energy, 220,000 megawatts electricity from solar energy, 4,000 megawatts of clean energy from biomass and 23,000 megawatts of electricity from water resources annually.
During the meeting, Minister Haqqani described Ambassador Zhao Xing’s tenure in Afghanistan as effective and praised his positive contribution to strengthening relations between Afghanistan and China.
Ambassador Zhao Xing, in turn, expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the Ministry of Interior Affairs for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure in Afghanistan.
The Chinese ambassador underscored the importance of the historic relations between Afghanistan and China and expressed hope that bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries would continue to expand in the future.
Several Afghan doctors and medical staff have been stopped from working at Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre (NWGH) in Peshawar due to visa-related issues, according to Pakistani freelance journalist Tahir Khan.
Khan reported on Monday that the affected Afghan medical workers had applied for visa extensions, but their applications have yet to be approved.
A September 2 circular issued by the Human Resource Department of Alliance Healthcare (Pvt.) Ltd. directed Afghan nationals without valid visas to discontinue their duties with immediate effect.
According to the circular, the employees can resume work after submitting valid visa documentation and completing the required verification process.
An NWGH doctor told Khan that several Afghan doctors and other medical staff had previously been working at the hospital with valid visas but have now been suspended while their visa-extension applications remain pending.
The development comes a week after the Lahore High Court suspended the operation of directives issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council ordering Afghan medical students to return to Afghanistan.
The reported suspension of Afghan medical staff at the Peshawar hospital has raised concerns among affected doctors, who say they remain unable to work while awaiting decisions on their visa applications.
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Mujahid: Afghanistan’s reconstruction must rely on domestic investment
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says Afghanistan’s reconstruction should be driven by the country’s own resources, domestic investment and Afghan businesses rather than dependence on foreign aid and projects.
Mujahid said several countries, including the former Soviet Union and the United States, had implemented reconstruction and development projects in Afghanistan over the past decades while pursuing their own objectives and interests.
He said although some projects were completed, they were not sufficient to meet Afghanistan’s needs, while the country also suffered significant losses during periods of foreign involvement.
Mujahid stressed that Afghan traders and investors should play a central role in rebuilding the country and advancing economic growth.
According to him, the Islamic Emirate is working to encourage Afghan businesspeople to invest inside Afghanistan and contribute to reconstruction and development.
He said domestic investment is essential for strengthening Afghanistan’s economy and achieving greater self-reliance.
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
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