Afghan minister receives award in Colombia
Lalit K Jha - Nov 2, 2009 - 13:54
Pajhwok Afghan News
WASHINGTON (PAN): The Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Mohammed Ehsan Zia, is being awarded for showing exemplary leadership in successful implementation of National Solidarity Programme.
The recognition of Zia for the prestigious award was made at the first Joint Meeting of Communities of Practice on Managing for Development Results being held in Medellin, a city in Columbia.
The award would be received by the Afghan Ambassador to the US, Said Jawad, who also holds the same position for Columbia, on behalf of Zia, who could not attend the function because of his pressing engagement back home due to elections.
This is for the first time, possibly in the post-Taliban era, that an Afghan minister is being recognized for successfully implementing a ground breaking project; particularly at a time of widespread allegations of corruption and inefficiency in the government.
Noting that the National Solidarity Program (NSP) is the largest national program for development and governance, Ambassador Jawad told Pajhwok Afghan News in a telephone interview from Medellin that the third edition of the Source-Book also features the success of NSP. I
Established in 2003, NSP with continued assistance of the World Bank and the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund has established development-focused governance structures at the community level through democratic elections with the full participation of women.
Through NSP, we have embarked on a genuine process of empowering men and women and uniting communities around a common, nationally oriented development and governance agenda, Jawad said.
During his stay in Colombia, the Ambassador is also scheduled to meet the President, Defense Minister and other top leaders of the country. During the meetings, the Ambassador is expected to discuss strengthening of the Afghanistan-Columbia relationship; besides having a firsthand knowledge of the Columbia experience in anti-narcotics drive.
Jawad said Minister Zia has dedicated the award it to the Community Development Councils and the rural population of Afghanistan.
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