KABUL - The Japanese government on Tuesday pledged $30 million in aid for roads' maintenance in Afghanistan, officials said.

An agreement to the effect was signed between Ministry of Public Works officials and representatives of the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) in Kabul.

The assistance would be used to buy 106 vehicles and machines, including loaders, graders, dump trucks, excavators and snow-clearing equipment, Deputy Public Works Minister Ahmad Shah Waheed told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He said the equipment would be used for road maintenance in 60 areas, including the Salang Pass, which were prone to natural disasters

He said there were 7000 kilometres of roads that had been paved and concreted, in addition to 35,000 unpaved that needed maintenance. He said the Japanese aid would help Afghanistan overcome road maintenance related problems.

He praised Japan as the only country properly cooperating with Afghanistan with regard to improving its road networks over the past decade.

JICS country director in Afghanistan, Kenji Meada, said road maintenance was key to economic development in the war-torn country.

“We would purchase equipment through transparent contracts before training Public Works Ministry officials on how to use them,” he said. (Pajhwok)