Canada's Role in The Afghanistan War - "Signature" Projects

"Signature" Projects

Following the recommendations of the Manley report, the Canadian government has sought to highlight several so-called "signature" projects in Kandahar Province. The government of Canada's communications on Afghanistan website highlights:

• Dahla Dam and irrigation system: Canada will put $50 million over three years toward this project to assist with irrigation and basic services across the region. It is believed that it will create 10,000 seasonal jobs.
• Education: Canada will put $12 million over three years into improving the education system across Kandahar.
• Polio eradication: Canada will put up to $60 million over three years toward this project to see the immunization of an estimated seven million children across Afghanistan, including 350,000 in the province of Kandahar.

As a result of these signature projects, “Within five years, more than six thousand schools have been rebuilt and six of thirteen million children are now in school. Roads and bridges have been repaired, new roads have been built, and new wells have been dug. Access to health clinics is vastly better than it was five years ago and the infant mortality rate is beginning to drop. Programs in rural transportation, safe drinking water, irrigation, and schools are among the twenty thousand projects that are now underway.” The work of the NSP has also seen tremendous progression in the Afghan government. For example, “More than sixteen thousand locally elected community development councils now dot Afghanistan, and elected leaders choose projects that meet their priorities.”