INTERVIEW / GENERAL GAWN <<


(above) A teacher in a Bamyan school welcomes a New Zealand soldier to the classroom (left) A medical officer of the NZDF measures the height and weight of a child in the Bamyan province


We provide the facilitation for a number of aid projects and development projects on an ongoing basis. From New Zealand’s perspective, the key aid projects this year include agricultural support and irrigation schemes, flood protection initiatives, the construction of a number of solar power plants for the town of Bamyan and its environs, health clinics, a courthouse and a school extension programme. The funding for development projects has not only come from New Zealand, but also the United States, Japan, Korea and a number of other countries. Malaysia has based a medical contingent in Bamyan and has partnered with us to provide dental and health services in the province. We liaise with the Hungarian PRT responsible for Baghlan Province. The Koreans are developing the roads and the Japanese are redeveloping the runway in Bamyan. The overall impact of development projects since 2003 is now substantial.


ets: What is the current security situation in Bamyan? General Gawn: Bamyan remains the safest province in Afghanistan, despite our recent losses. Around 90 per cent of the province is safe to the degree where you would have aid workers, even female aid workers going out camping by themselves with no security. At times we even have tourists who come for cross-country ski tours during the winter period. For us, the first


winter 2012_13 | globaldefencemedia.com


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