US embassy cable - 05ROME3465

UNCLAS ROME 003465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, AF, IT, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: AFGHAN ROAD CONSTRUCTION, ITALY SAYS AFGHAN 
OFFICIALS SOURCE OF DELAYS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 184232 
 
1. (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel demarche to Giuseppe Cinti, 
Office Director for Afghanistan at the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Alessandro Modiano, Office Director for Asia and 
Latin America, at the MFA's Directorate for Development 
Cooperation (Italy's USAID equivalent). On October 12, Maia 
Pia Dradi, a expert on Afghanistan reconstruction in 
Modiano's office, responded with an update on the 
Kabul-Bamiyan road project. 
 
2. (SBU) Dradi said the delays in the start of construction 
were the result of a lack of capacity at the Afghan Ministry 
of Public Works.  Contracts are being tendered and awarded at 
a very slow pace.  Though the GOI committed to assist in 
building the road in January 2003, the Ministry of Public 
Works, even with Italian experts assisting, only succeeded in 
awarding the contract for the design work in October 2004. 
She said the Ministry will hopefully award the contract for 
construction in March or April 2006, so that work can begin 
in early summer.  Assuming an 18-24 month construction 
schedule, the road will not be completed until early-to-mid 
2008. 
 
3. (SBU) Dradi said the GOI has already allocated euro 36 
million ($43 million) for the project and has disbursed euro 
12 million to the GOA for the design phase.  The other euro 
24 million for the construction will likely be disbursed to 
the GOA this year. 
BORG 
 
 
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	2005ROME03465 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED