Construction of Road from Kabul to Kandahar in Afghanistan

The once-torturous but now reconstructed road between Kabul and the southern city of Kandahar was formally completed December 16, 2003 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by Afghan President Hamid Karzai. President Bush promised Karzai that the road would be completed on time. As promised, the road was opened on time and the ceremony coincided with Afghanistan opening its constitutional Assembly, the Loya Jerga, The resurfacing reduced travel time on its 300-mile distance from as much as 30 hours to 6 or less and is the most visible sign of America’s post-war reconstruction. The USAID provided more than $190 million to complete the highway, the first phase of an effort to rebuild the ring road that circumnavigates Afghanistan.

See also:

• USAID in Afghanistan
• Statement by President Bush on Afghanistan
• Statement by Spokesman Boucher on Reconstruction of the Kabul-Kandahar Highway
• Video: Kabul to Kandahar Road Dedication (2:00): [DSL/Cable; dial-up; audio; transcript]