Ambassador Karl Eikenberry
Panjsher Interview
June 15, 2009
AMBASSADOR EIKENBERRY: I’m glad to be back in Panjsher Province. The last time I was here was a little under three years ago. I’m now Ambassador, back among my friends for my third assignment here.
This now within the past month represents the fifth trip I’ve made. I’ve had a chance to go to Kunar, to Farah, to Helmand, to Kandahar, and now to Panjsher.
When I was last here in 2006 the partnership between the United States and Panjsher had only just begun. At that point roads were just beginning to be built. Schools were just beginning to be built. Health clinics were just beginning to be built. But today I’m so happy to be back in Panjsher and see the extraordinary progress.
Look down there. Look down there to that valley and there’s a paved road going towards Badakhshan province. I’ve been told in two years it will connect Badakhshan province.
This morning I went to a school. I was told that now there are over 90 schools in Panjsher. When I was here several years ago, 14 schools.
We visited a health clinic and I’m told there are many health clinics now.
If you’d look behind you, there’s a solar tower up there that’s providing energy now to the people of Panjsher.
The people of the United States are proud of our partnership with Panjsher. We recently had three of our members of our Provincial Reconstruction Team who were killed by the enemy, an enemy that as we try to partner and build, they try to destroy.
I wanted to thank Governor Bahlul. He’s been a tremendous partner of the United States. While all of this work has been going on Panjsher province has remained secure. Panjsher province is a model. It’s an inspiration for what Afghanistan can look like when it has security, when its people are secure, they’re given some development assistance. The Afghanistan people can do anything.
Thank you for the support that you’ve given us, Governor. I’d like to thank Mr. Jilani Popal, my good friend, the Director of the Independent Directorate for Local Governance. You’ve been such an effective partner in our combined efforts to build justice and governance. Last of all, my good friend General Bismillah Khan. Old friends going back now over about seven years. A great general, a great commander of the Afghan National Army, and also a great son of Panjsher, as we say, and a good friend.
Your statement was that the security in Panjsher is better than most places in Afghanistan. That is absolutely correct. The security in Panjsher is absolutely superb. The community, the people of Panjsher, they give absolutely no space for the terrorists to come into their province. There’s been a lot of work done, as I talked about, there’s been a lot of road building, there’s been bridge building, there’s been work on schools and clinics. But we had [inaudible].
It was made very clear that the leaders and the people of Panjsher, they’re hoping for opportunities to develop their agricultural productivity. We’re committed to that with agricultural experts and programs.
The governors and the leaders also had some very interesting ideas about water management and about ways to have even more electrical power. We talked about further development of roads.
But there’s tremendous economic potential in Panjsher. Agriculture, gems, mining, and there may be an opportunity one day for tourism.
Nothing can be done overnight, but we’ll continue to partner with Panjsher, with the international community, with the government of Afghanistan. I see more growth and prosperity in the years ahead.
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