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Viewing cable 10KABUL705, Assistance for Afghanistan's Provincial Airports

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10KABUL705 2010-02-28 06:30 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Kabul
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #0705/01 0590630
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280630Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5899
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS KABUL 000705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AID, EEB/TRA, S/SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: EAIR EAID PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: Assistance for Afghanistan's Provincial Airports 
 
1. (U) Summary: Antiquated and overcrowded, Afghanistan's provincial 
airports are struggling to handle existing passenger traffic and 
unable to handle increasing demand for international and domestic 
flights.  Embassy Kabul is upgrading three provincial runways in 
cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Afghan 
Ministry of Finance. The FAA is seeking an additional $448 million 
in USAID funding to improve four domestic airports and modernize the 
air traffic system to better connect provincial and international 
facilities.  With just two airports suitable for international 
flights and crowding at the country's main airport in Kabul, 
Afghanistan needs increased donor support to enhance its air 
terminal infrastructure.  We will continue to consult with other 
donors on this issue and believe airports, along with other key 
infrastructure projects such as the East West Highway, could be a 
worthwhile agenda item for Washington's discussions with other donor 
capitals.  End Summary. 
 
SOME UPGRADES ALREADY UNDERWAY... 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) Most domestic air traffic in Afghanistan is private or 
government/military, and the majority of airports and air fields are 
adjacent to or part of coalition military facilities.  However, the 
domestic civil market is growing, with two privately-owned 
commercial carriers, Pamir and KamAir, and government-owned Ariana, 
plying domestic routes with both turboprop and jet aircraft.  Road 
conditions have dramatically improved since 2001 with billions of 
dollars in donor funding, but security along roads prevents many 
Afghans from driving long distances, making air travel an attractive 
and affordable option. 
 
3. (U) ADB allocated $30 million for a four-year improvement project 
at four airports, Chaghcharan, Qalai-Naw, Faizabad and Maimana, 
focused on non-runway projects.  The project also includes capacity 
building at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MOTCA). 
In addition to ADB's renovations, USAID committed $6 million to 
concurrently upgrade runways at three of the four airports, exluding 
Qalai-Naw (Faizabad currently has a corrugated iron runway).  The 
runway upgrades will allow C-130 and comparable aircraft to land, 
creating more opportunities for civil and military flights.  USAID's 
funding covers half the cost of the upgrades and was provided on the 
condition the Afghan Government would match it. Minister of Finance 
Zakhilwal has said the Government would match the funding. 
 
...WHILE MORE NEED FUNDING 
-------------------------- 
 
4. (U) The country's largest provincial airports - Herat, 
Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz, Jalalabad and Kandahar - were built with 
U.S. assistance in 1956.  While adequate for their time and fairly 
well-maintained, passenger traffic has outstripped the facilities. 
Herat airport was designed for 50 to 60 passengers per day, but now 
handles 600 to 700.  Three hundred commercial passengers per day 
arrive and depart at Kandahar, whose combined military/civilian 
single runway is one of the busiest in the world. 
 
5. (U) Herat has a single runway and no taxiway.  A NATO-funded 
expansion of the existing runway is underway.  While MOTCA officials 
said they would like a new runway constructed, a Drug Enforcement 
Administration compound has been built nearby, possibly blocking its 
construction.  Herat likely has passenger numbers to justify direct 
flights to Dubai.  However, the runway is not long enough to 
accommodate aircraft capable of the trip, and Dubai only accepts 
Afghan flights from airports with contracted screeners employed by 
Global, a UK firm.  At present, Global, whose contract is funded by 
the government of the United Arab Emirates, only operates in Kabul 
and Kandahar. 
 
6. (U) During a visit to Herat and Kandahar airports in early 
February, FAA Acting Deputy Administrator David Grizzle evaluated 
staff capacity at the existing airports.  Beyond general cleaning, 
very little preventative maintenance takes place at either facility. 
 Kandahar has an unfixed hole in its roof, and when a screening 
machine at Herat broke, airport staff relied on the adjacent Italian 
military facility to fix it.  Specialized staff, such as 
firefighters, must be trained in Kabul.  Grizzle emphasized that any 
renovation project at either airport should focus on capacity 
building and sustainable infrastructure that airport staff could 
maintain.  The FAA has requested USAID funding to renovate 
facilities and train airport staff at Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad and 
Kabul airports.  USAID is presently seeking additional 
infrastructure funds for ongoing projects, including urban 
infrastructure, natural gas-fueled power plants and multi-purpose 
dams, and will carefully consider this request along with other 
competing priorities. 
 
7. (U) Comment: Civil aviation is one of Afghanistan's healthier 
industries, and as incomes continue to increase, more Afghans will 
fly domestically and internationally.  Kabul International Airport 
(KIA), the country's largest, is nearing its structural air traffic 
limits unless it is significantly expanded.  Japan funded a new 
international terminal at KIA but has no immediate plans for further 
aviation support.  Germany spent $12 million to repair and lengthen 
the runway at Mazar-i-Sharif to enhance logistical support for its 
troops.  Civil operations at provincial airports attract fewer 
donors.  Afghanistan's provincial airports need upgrading to help 
expand the nascent domestic and international markets.  End 
comment. 
 
EIKENBERRY