KABUL - As part of its continuing goal to improve the ability of the government of Afghanistan to improve the delivery of vital social development programs, today the United Nations donated 51 vehicles to three government bodies. These included the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the National Environmental Protection Agency.

Altogether 62 vehicles have been donated to Afghan government agencies in the past month. These used vehicles were taken from stocks of UNAMA, the UNDP, UN Women, UNEP and UNICEF.

“This token gesture doesn’t mean our collaboration will be over. We will try to bring more and more donors to meet your needs,” said Special Representative for the Secretary General Jan Kubis. “I’m happy my predecessor started these transfers and I’m very happy to continue this process.”

The handover ceremony was held at the UN’s UNOCA compound. Along with the heads of several UN agencies, the event was attended by the Minister of Education Mr. Ghulam Farooq Wardak, the Minister of Women’s Affairs Dr. Husn Bau Ghazanfar, and the Director General of the National Environmental Protection Agency Prince Mostpha Zaher.

“This is a pleasure and a big honor, which I believe is a step forward, to make education accessible to all,” said Mr. Wardak. “Through this the UN is making another investment into the future of Afghanistan.”

Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez, the country director for the UNDP, said how pleased he was to be assisting the work of these government agencies.

“We spend so much time on big politics but sometimes our most happy work happens when we do these small gestures, because we work quite closely with our Afghan colleagues,” he said.