The ministry said that the ceremony was attended by Afghan President Hamed Karzai, government officials, the heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations, as well as financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

"During his speech, the Afghan president expressed his deep gratitude to all participants in the project. He also stressed the role of Uzbekistan and its leadership in the implementation of the project. Addressing an Uzbek delegation, which was attending the event, Karzai asked to convey to President Islom Karimov his sincere gratitude for helping and providing assistance to the Afghan people during hard times. The Afghan president also wished Karimov sound health and success, as well as happiness and further prosperity to the people of the brotherly country," the ministry said.

The ministry also said that the UN secretary-general’s special representative in Afghanistan, Kai Eide, stressed the importance of Uzbekistan’s assistance for the future of all Afghan people and the entire country.

"Afghan Minister of Economy and Labour Mohammad Jalil Shams said that Afghan-Uzbek cooperation had huge prospects for future cooperation. The fact that Uzbekistan has already provided Afghanistan with 150 megawatts of electricity and intends to double it by autumn 2009 clearly shows this. Afghan Minister of Water and Energy Muhammad Esmail Khan noted the importance of Uzbek-Afghan-Indian cooperation in implementing this project, as well as Uzbekistan’s role in issues relating to electricity supplies to Afghanistan," the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.