The Asian Development Bank (ADB) handed over the completed Afghan GeoPortal to the Government of Afghanistan at a ceremony in Kabul on Saturday.

According to a statement by ADB, the portal, launched in March 2018, provides accurate and comprehensive geospatial data from a central information system hosted in the country.
The statement further added that the handover ceremony was attended by ADB Principal Country Specialist Mr. Renadi Budiman, Deputy Director General of the National Statistics Information Authority Mr. Noorullah Stanikzai, and around 35 participants from various line ministries.
“Access to updated, high quality, harmonized, and reliable geospatial information will help the government improve its development planning and make evidence-based decisions,” said Mr. Budiman. “The Afghan GeoPortal is a good platform for the government to improve its efficiency and overcome the available challenges to improving data access and sharing in the country.”
In 2017, ADB helped the government prepare two foundation Geographic Information System policies including the Afghanistan Geospatial Data Classification Policy and the Afghanistan Geospatial Data Standardization Policy.
The policies and the geoportal are aligned with Afghanistan’s National Peace and Development Framework and the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States. Capacity building programs were also conducted to help build the government’s capacity to utilize the Afghan GeoPortal, according to ADB statement.
“We are thankful to ADB for supporting this important project. The GeoPortal will resolve the government’s requirements for accurate geospatial data,” said Mr. Stanikzai.