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KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 6, 2004 – The coalition-led provincial reconstruction team at Konduz transferred authority to NATO today in a ceremony at the PRT headquarters.
The German-led PRT in Konduz is the first in Afghanistan to operate under NATO control, marking another milestone in planned expansion of the PRT program over the next several months. The teams are a critical element of the coalition's strategy of accelerating development and reconstruction, fostering long-term stability in Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command officials said. Ceremony attendees included German Army Lt. Gen. Gotz Gliemeroth, commander of the NATO mission to Afghanistan; U.S. Army Lt. Gen. David Barno, commander of coalition military forces in Afghanistan; and Afghanistan Interior Minister Ali Ahmed Jalali. PRTs serve as a catalyst for stabilization, building relationships and enabling the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. Beginning with its involvement at Konduz, NATO will be a key partner in the PRT program and the reconstruction effort, officials said. Coalition forces operate six other such teams in Afghanistan, with five more scheduled to open within the next several months. The United States and South Korea operate the PRT in Parwan. New Zealand runs the Bamian PRT, and the British run the PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif. The United States operates PRTs in Kandahar, Gardez and Herat. (Based on a U.S. Central Command release.)
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