ADFD finances Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed City in Afghanistan

ABU DHABI- President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan has inaugurated the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed City Housing Complex in Afghanistan. Financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD, the city is located in the Qasaba district of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul. ADFD contributed an estimated AED708 million to the social housing development project.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, led the delegation that represented the Fund at the opening ceremony. Also, present at the event were Saif Al Shamsi, Charge d'Affaires at the UAE Embassy in Afghanistan, Sadat Mansoor Nader, Afghan Minister of Urban Development and Housing, and several high-ranking Afghan officials. Speaking at the ceremony, Al Suwaidi said, "We are witnessing the opening of an important and strategic project that supports the social housing sector in Afghanistan.

In line with the directive of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to support the Afghan government’s housing development goals, the construction was funded by the ADFD-managed Abu Dhabi government grant earmarked for Afghanistan. Not only will this crucial project provide adequate housing for thousands of Afghan citizens, it also will go a long way in bolstering the country's social housing sector." Al Suwaidi praised the Afghan government's decision to name the new residential city after His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also commended the cooperation of the Afghan side in enabling the timely completion of the project. Aimed at increasing the supply of affordable accommodation options in the country, the crucial project encompasses 3,330 residential units. Including extensive infrastructure works such as roads, water, and electricity networks and support services, the project seeks to elevate living standards for its residents through its power stations that generate 22 megawatts of energy with minimal downtime.

The Afghan Minister of Urban Development praised the efforts of the UAE in implementing humanitarian and development programmes in Afghanistan that help improve the quality of life of its people. He noted that the 53.8-hectare project will go a long way in driving stability and social security in the capital through providing adequate housing to suit the family lifestyle of thousands of Afghan families.

Since it first commenced supporting development projects in Afghanistan in 1977, ADFD has allocated AED1.2 billion towards the development of 14 projects that contributed to the economic and social development of the country most notably in sectors including housing, social services, health, education, transport and industry.