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Wakhan Corridor Fiber Optic Project from Faizabad to Kashgar [BRI] (link to Record ID#54450)
| Funder | Unspecified Chinese Government Institution |
|---|---|
| Recipient Organization | Afghanistan |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Start Date | Apr 20, 2017 |
| End Date | Dec 22, 2030 |
| Duration | 4,994 days |
| Number of Grantees | 1 |
| Roles | Recipient |
| Data Source | AidData Chinese Aid |
| Grant ID | 54396 |
Grant Description
On April 20, 2017, China and Afghanistan signed an agreement for implementation of the Wakhan Corridor Fiber Optic Project (in Pashto: د واخان دهلیز نوري فايبر پروژې), which entails the installment of a 480 km fiber optic line connecting the Chinese city of Kashgar with the Afghan city of Faizabad via the Wakhan corridor.
In August 2018, the Government of Afghanistan approved a survey for 170km of this fiber optic line. Afghanistan requested 50 million USD of funding from China, and China is covering the costs of implementation. It appears that Afghanistan's Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology will oversee the project.
The project is under the plan of "Digital Silk Plan". 2017 saw the signing of two MOUs for expansion of the Optical Fiber Cable connecting Afghanistan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan, and a new MOU is expected to be signed at RECCA-VII by Turkmenistan , Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Staff Comments
The funding secured from an IDA Grant via the World Bank for the Afghanistan Digital CASA Project is USD 51 million. Documents related to the Digital CASA Project indicate that the scope of the project may include fiber optic links with China through the Wakhan Border. It is unclear if the financing is being channeled through the World Bank. While a September 2018 article from the Afghanistan Ministry of Communications and Information Technology reports that the Government of China would wholly fund the implementation of the project at a cost of USD 70 million, the more conservative transaction is recorded.
Sources & References
- COMBINED PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENTS / INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET (PID/ISDS)
- China to fund Wahkhan fiber optic project: MoCIT
- Afghanistan and China sign Optic Fiber Agreement, د واخان دهلیز نوري فايبر پروژې د سروې چارې پېل شوې, چین هیواد د بدخشان واخان سيمه له نوري فایبر سره نښلوي, د ملي تدارکاتو کمېسيون له لخوا د واخان دهليز د نوري فايبر د تمديد د سروې پروژه منظور شوه
- China Government Pledges Cooperation In The Implementation Of The Wakhan Corridor Project
- Minister Of Communications And Information Technology Meets With Chinese Ambassador
- Afghanistan Digital CASA Project
- Environmental and Social Management Framework for Digital CASA Afghanistan Project
- Afghanistan
- China to connect through fiber optic network, د مخابراتو وزارت، د واخان دهليز نوري فایبر پروژې لپاره، چين ته د۵۰ ميليونو ډالرو همکارۍ رسمي پروپوزل وسپاره, د واخان دهلېز نوری فایبر پروژې لپاره پروپوزل چین ته وسپاره, د حکومت د رسنيو په مرکز کې د سرپرست وزير انجينر سيد احمد شاه سادات د وينا متن
- Afghanistan Fiber Project Nears Completion
- Forging a Shared Vision for Digital Transformation in Central and South Asia
- Afghanistan Digital CASA Project (P156894), چین د بدخشان واخان له نوري فایبر سره وصلوي
- Deepening Connectivity & Expanding Trade: Through Investment in Infrastructure & Improving Synergy Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.
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Afghanistan
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