The fourth 'D' is for 'Dam'

Defence, Diplomacy, and Development - all three D's in one project.

I wonder, though, what to make of this:

The dam has three small turbine-operated power generating stations right now that are barely functional, but the project will not be aimed at restoring them.

Providing reliable electrical power is a big deal - it offers safety, comfort, and economic opportunity, which are all quite useful to a hearts-and-minds campaign. And there's very little reliable electrical power in Afghanistan right now. Why wouldn't you fix the generating stations as part of the refurbishing?

I know CIDA and DFAIT people read this blog, so if anyone wants to drop me a confidential line to explain the rationale, be my guest. The link is in the sidebar.

Still, assuming Brewster has his facts straight (and he normally does), this is good news.

Update: Looks like the electrical generation will indeed be taken care of by the Canadian project. From the GofC website:

Canada will invest up to $50 million* over the next three years to implement the following activities related to the initiative:

• Repairs to the Dahla Dam, including replacing generators and repairing water valves to improve the control of water flow;


• Fixing gates to control the flow of water from the Arghandab River into the canal system;


• Repairs to the canals, including desilting;


• Support to establish the Arghandab Sub-basin Agency, which will take the lead in managing the area’s water system in consultation with local stakeholders; and


• Training farmers on water management and new crop production techniques. [Babbler's emphasis]

Laurels all around for this effort.