U.S. Embassy Kabul The opening of Bost Air Field in Helmand, the only completely civilian airstrip in southern Afghanistan, was inaugurated by Ambassador Eikenberry, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Farooqi, British Ambassador Phillip Sedwill, and Governor Mangal on June 3rd.
Ambassador Eikenberry noted in his remarks that this airfield was created in partnership between the U.S. and the Afghan Ministry of Transportation & Civil Aviation (MoTCA). The 2,000-meter paved runway with a 300-meter safety area will be the catalyst for re-establishing commercial air service in Helmand.
Venco Imtiaz Construction Company, an Afghan firm, built the runway under the supervision of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Passenger air service between Lashkar Gah and Kabul is expected to begin in July 2009.
USAID is constructing an agriculture center and upgrading airport facilities at Lashkar Gah Bost Airport (BST) in Helmand Province. Together these two activities will form the Lashkar Gah Bost Airport Agriculture Center (BAAC) Project. The overall aim of this project is to combine value adding agricultural processing with close logistical airfreight access to high value foreign markets within the secure perimeter of BST.
The development and establishment of the LBAAC is the highest USAID priority for ADP/S. The project is one of the highest profile US Government initiatives in Afghanistan and is at the nexus of international development and foreign policy.
U.S. Embassy - Grand Opening Ceremony at Bost Air Field in Southern Afghanistan (facebook)
USAID and U.S. Embassy - Grand Opening Ceremony at Bost Air Field in Southern Afghanistan
Bost Airfield - Afghanistan
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
U.S. Ambassador Ken Eikenberry & British Ambassador Phillip Sedwill
