Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for development aid, has launched  the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed City Housing Complex, which encompasses 3,330 residential units, in Afghanistan.

The ADFD, which provided funding worth Dh708 million ($192 million) for the project, said the move was aimed at increasing the supply of affordable accommodation options in the country.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed City Housing Complex located in the Qasaba district of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the 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.

Addressing the gathering, 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 HH 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," he stated.

Al Suwaidi lauded the Afghan government's decision to name the new residential city after Sheikh Khalifa. 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, said Al Suwaidi.

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 MW of energy with minimal downtime, he added.-TradeArabia News Service