WASHINGTON, Sept 22: US President George W. Bush on Monday tapped his special envoy in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, to take over as ambassador to oversee an expanded reconstruction programme in the war-ravaged country.
The move is part of a broader overhaul of US operations in Afghanistan aimed at stemming mounting violence.
Last week Bush asked Congress for an additional $1.2 billion for Afghanistan’s reconstruction, of which $400 million would be available immediately and $800 million was requested from Congress for next year.
He also sought $11 billion for US military operations in Afghanistan.
Khalilzad, one of Bush’s top national security advisers and a former aide to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, will replace Robert Finn, who has served as ambassador to Kabul since March 2002.
The White House said Khalilzad will also remain in the role of special envoy which he has held since December 2001. As ambassador, a post that requires Senate confirmation, Khalilzad will have enhanced authority in the country.
“The president appreciates Zal (Khalilzad) taking on this important new role at such an important time as we continue to build upon the progress we are making in Afghanistan,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Administration officials said Khalilzad’s appointment and the new resources would help speed up reconstruction efforts and improve security in a country still reeling from violence since the Taliban fell to US forces in late 2001.
In his budget request for Afghanistan, Bush included $60 million to register 100,000 “militia combatants” and to help another 13,000 militia combatants find new jobs.
The budget includes $37 million to help Afghanistan’s government pay its civil servants and develop communications between Kabul and provincial capitals.
* $37 million will help the government complete voter registration and “successfully conduct free and fair elections.”
* $20 million would fund “technical experts” in Afghan ministries to help manage accelerated reconstruction efforts.
* $105 million would allow work to begin rebuilding the Kandahar-Herat road on an accelerated basis.
* $40 million would rehabilitate or construct an additional 275 schools, and provide training for 10,000 additional teachers.
* $28 million would build an additional 150 clinics, providing access to basic health care to 3 million additional people.
* $45 million would fund construction of 100 market centers throughout the provinces, reform property laws and create a land registry, complete a natural resources assessment to spur private sector investment, create a venture capital fund, and fund short-term power generation projects that will increase the reliability of electricity to Kabul.—Reuters