Chinese should invest in New Kabul City project: Minister

KABUL (Pajhwok): Acting Housing and Urban Development Minister Sheikh Hamdullah Nomani has asked the Chinese ambassador in Kabul to encourage Chinese investors to invest in the ‘New Kabul City’ project.

The ‘New Kabul City’ project spreads over entire Deh Sabz district of Kabul province and also includes some areas in Shakar Dara, Istalif, Qarabagh, Kalkan and Bagram districts.

Construction work on the first phase of the residential scheme, bigger than the existing city, has been started at a cost of one billion US dollars. The first phase is being built on 370 acres of land and it will have 2,300 residential houses.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in a statement said Sheikh Hamdullah Nomani met with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xing and his accompanying delegation in Kabul.

It said the two sides discussed promotion of good neighborly relations between Afghanistan and China and further strengthening these ties.

Nomani thanked China for resuming practical work on a housing project ‘Neela Bagh’ in Kabul and said that work on the project should be expedited.

He also urged cooperation of the Chinese ambassador in increasing the capacity of his ministry’s staff.

He also asked the Chinese delegation to invest in the New Kabul City project and encourage other Chinese investors to invest in the mega project.

Nomani assured security of Chinese workers in Afghanistan and said that security was a priority for the Islamic Emirate.

Zhao Xing said work on the Neela Bagh project would be speeded up in March and the project would be completed and put into use in a few months.

He said he will discuss with his government the capacity-building of the Afghanistan Housing and Urban Development Ministry’s employees and solving problems regarding housing in Afghanistan.

The Chinese ambassador also said all construction works would be carried out together with the leadership of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

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