February 18, Commander of Military Contingent of the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan PRT Col. Gediminas Macijauskas and Head of the PRT's Civilian Component, Deputy Head of the Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan, Ambassador Linas Linkevičius visited Sangow Bar village of Ghowr were Lithuania had opened small hydroelectric power plant.
Representatives of PRT met with villagers' council, took interest in security situation in surroundings of the village, asked locals about their spending winter, participation in provincial development processes, cooperation between locals and institutions of provincial administration.
„We find it important to know whether assets for provincial development are used properly therefore we follow the situation not only in the provinces were Lithuanian-financed projects are underway but also were they have already been completed", said Commander PRT-10 Col. G. Macijauskas.
Peacekeepers also brought support for the most impoverished families of Sangow Bar village - warm clothes, wraps, school means for children.
Head of PRT Civilian Component L. Linkevičius familiarized representatives of the villagers' council with results of recent meetings with Provincial Governor. L. Linkevičius stressed that provincial authorities foresee devoting more attention for development of regions of the province. L. Linkevičius invited council of the village to cooperate more actively with institutions of the province and to take part in the development programmes initiated by Central Government.
Small hydroelectric power plant was built in Sangow Bar in 2007 under financing from Lithuania. The plant provides electricity for around 300 families of the village, directly to each household.
Lithuanian-led PRT headquartered in Chaghcharan, the capital city of Ghowr, took up responsibility for security in the province in June 2005. PRT is a joint military-civilian mission operating under International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Civilian component of PRT is in charge of coordination and fulfillment of long-term development cooperation projects in the province, while the main task of the military is to help Afghan Central Government extend its authority in the province, and to ensure security and environment for civilian activities. Military-civilian mission in Ghowr is simultaneously led by Commander PRT-10 and Deputy Head of Lithuanian Special Mission in Afghanistan as head of civilian element of PRT.
Together with around 150 of Lithuanian military and civilian personnel representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, the USA, Croatia, Romania, and Ukraine, including Lithuanian Special Mission, United States Department of Defence, and USAID, work in Ghowr. PRT-10 currently providing security in Ghowr is formed on the basis of the 1st Territorial Unit of the NDVF Dainava Military District.
PIO for PRT-10 1st Lt. Skomantas Povilionis.
