Under a memorandum of understanding signed by Iranian and Afghan officials, Iran is set to contribute to the reconstruction of Afghan power and water installations. Deputy Energy Minister Reza Amrollahi and the first deputy minister of power and water affairs in the Afghan interim government, Mohammad Amin Monasef, were signatories to the contract.
Under the agreement, Iranian companies will contribute to the reconstruction of power installations in Afghanistan and implementation of the water, electricity and new energy sources in Afghanistan. Iran would also export electrical equipment, as well as technical and engineering services under the protocol.
Iran's energy ministry will modernize the water and electricity systems of Afghanistan and renovate the country's technical, research and educational institutions and centers.
Iran also will transfer its expertise in construction and operation of the hydro-gas power plants to Afghanistan.
Afghan power and water ministry personnel would take part in refresher, as well as short- and long-term courses in the Energy Ministry's Water and Power Industry Faculty.
Iran and Afghanistan reached agreement to implement a project gradually to supply Herat regions with gas. The protocol will be inked at a later date. They agreed on establishment of a joint consultant engineering office in Kabul to examine ways and means of cooperation in the water and power studies sector.
Iran's Energy Ministry and Afghan Power and Water Ministry will within three months after the conclusion of the accord arrange implementation of the agreement. Afghan would source power required by the provinces of Nemroz and Farah from Iran's nationwide power grid. The two sides are to survey and investigate financing the projects.
The Afghan delegation visited the Energy Ministry's Water and Power Industries Faculty and certain consultancy and contractor companies.
Meanwhile, Monasef told IRNA after signing the agreement that Iran had attained self-sufficiency in water and power industries and that Afghanistan was keen on cooperation with Iran's Energy Ministry. His country would be willing to use Iran's scientific, technical and engineering experiences in reconstruction of the damaged power and water installations, including power plants. He added that the Afghan interim government plans to meet power shortages in the provinces of Farah, Nemroz and Herat from Iran.
Source: Asia Pulse Pte Ltd.