Photos from Visit to Norway for Annual Meeting MRRD-NORAD, but also meetings with NGU, NIVA, NCA, NAC and University at Ås, UMB

Photos only

 

 

 

Visit to Norwegian Geological Investigations, NVU in Trondheim.
MEETING AT NGU, TRONDHEIM : 12th March 2014

Visiting, from left, National Adviser M. Afzal Sari, MRRD, Project team leader Dr. S. Stoveland, Norplan, Div. Dir. F. Haugan, NGU, Dir. G. Qader, MRRD, Researcher A. Dagestad, NGU,Eng. N. Abrar, deputy team leader, Norplan.
   
Also participating in the meeting was Divisional Director, Jan Cramer, and CEO for NGU Morten Smelror. Technical discussion about common interests and potential for future corporations. Researcher Atle Dagestad and Divisional director Frank Haugan from left. MRRD with Safi and Dir. Qader and Abrar.
Abrar, Safi and Qader sightseeing Nidaros Cathedral
Olav Trygvason place, a famous Viking King Some of the old town houses well maintained


MEETING AT NIVA, OSLO ..Date,

Visiting Norwegian Water Research in Oslo. A accredited research water testing laboratory, NIVA

Visiting team met at NIVA by Trine Olsen, and Tomas Adler Blakseth

From left, S.Stoveland, N. Abrar, (both Norplan), Trine Olsen NIVA, Tomas Adler Blakseth NIVA , Dir. Ghulam Qader and M.Afzal Safi, MRRD,

Trine.Olsen@niva.no, tomas.adler.blakseth@niva.no
Registration of samples, subsamples made Tomas Adler far left and Trine Olsen right explaining how robots are used to increase analytical outputs. At the back from left Inga Potter, Svein Stoveland, M;. Afzal Safi and Dir. Ghulam Qader.
Above is the form used for registration of samples arriving at the laboratory. This is filled in and form the order for analysis to be done.
General overview of lab.  
Quality control all important: All balances calibrated every day they are used. See form registration result of weighing known standard weight, report made and if acceptable result the balance can be used. each balance is checked annually by national accreditation office.
Section for auto analysis Cool room, 4 degrees, where samples are stored
Auto analyser capable of handling 100 samples ( alkalinity analysis)


MEETING AT NCA TO DISCUSS SOLAR STILLS RESEARCH PROJECT.
Very good meeting at NCA discussing solar stills project, status and action plans. From left, Arild Isaksen, Emergency Coord, NCA, Dir G. Qader, MRRD, M.A.Safi, MRRD, Margrethe Volden, NCA, top right, Inga Potter, Norplan/Asplan Viak, M.Sc Student and researcher Cecilie Kolstad, Eng N. Abrar, Norplan, Prof. Petter Jenssen, UMB, and closes, Liv Steimoeggen, Country representative, NCA, Kabul. ( Norplan Team leader S. Stoveland behind camera)
Very active discussions,. NCA potential user of stills, Cecilie provide research, and prof. Jenssen technical guidance to the academic work. Inga Potter, handles technical drawings and illustrations, Norplan and MRRD links the work from Norway to Kabul and the water sector in Afghanistan. Also NCA in Kabul will facilitate the local manufacture and testing of made units and models. ( above left, outside NCA)
 


ANNUAL MEEING MRRD - MFA - NORAD .:15th March 14
Meeting started between Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, MRRD from Afghanistan, representative from the Embassy of Afghanistan, and on the Norwegian side, representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and representatives from Norwegian Overseas Development Organization (NORAD). The persons present were:

From front left:

National Adviser. M. Afzal Safi, MRRD
Eng. N. Abrar, Norplan, Kabul
Deputy Minister Tariq Ismati, MRRD
Abdul Khalid, Rep. Afghan Embassy Oslo
Dir. G. Qader, RuWatSIP, MRRD

Also present, Dr. S. Stoveland, Norplan

From front right:

Senior Adviser Marit Marie Strand, NORAD
Senior Adviser Kim Kristmoen, NORAD
Dir. Tori Hoven, NORAD

Dir. Lisa Golden, MFA, ( South-Asia & Afghanistan)
Assistant Rafea Arif, MFA

Afghan delegation

Delegation from NORAD and MFA

MRRD Delegation left headed by

Deputy Minister M. Tariq Ismati
From left, Eng Abrar, Dep. Min. M. Tariq Ismati, Rep. Afghan Embassy , Dir, G. Qader

After general discussions with the presence of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting continued as the annual meeting for the NORAD funded Capacity building project for Hydrogeology in a different meeting room in NORAD head office.

From left Safi, MRRD, Deputy Minister M. Tariq Ismati, MRRD, Akbar Khalid, rep. fromEembassy of Afghanistan, . From front right, Eng D. Heywood, COWI Consult and consultant conducting mid-term review, Dr. S. Stoveland, team leader NORPLAN, and at the rear Kim Kristmoen, NORAD.
Presentation or status reports:  
At the end of the annual meeting, the Deputy Minister presented a nice gift for Kim. A nice cloak from Afghanistan.

DINNER AT EKEBERG IN HONOR OF AFGHAN VISITORS : 14TH March 14
Picture taken from view from the Ekeberg the evening of the dinner. A very nice evening indeed.
The Ekeberg Restaurant The guest had been seated from MRRD, NORPLAN and Asplan Viak, Embassy of Afghanistan, NCA, NAC and others
From left, Inga Potter, and Pål Føyn Jespersen, both Asplan Viak and Norplan, Cecilie Kolstad, M.Sc. student, UMB, CEO, Ø. Mork Asplan Viak, Liv Steimoeggen, NCA, M.A. Safi, MRRD, D. Heywood, COWI consult, Researcher UMB,

Dir. Ghulam Qader addressing the dinner. From right, Liv Kjølset, NAC, Margrethe Volden, NCA, Dir G. Qader, Dir, R. Blekkan, Norplan and Asplan Viak, Kim Kristmoen, NORAD, Elisabet Eikaas, Norplan resource person and board member NAC.

(people outside the photos included N. Abrar and S. Stoveland from Norplan, and Councellor form the Embassy of Afghanistan.

It was indeed a pleasant evening at Ekeberg Restaurant with good company, good service and an excellent view.


SIGHTSEEING IN OSLO
In from of the University Hall where the Nobel Peace Price is presented to the laureates walking the Oslo streets
Deputy Minister Tariq Ismati, Dir, Qader and Svein Stoveland, At the roof of the Opera in Oslo
Posing of the picture.... The opera house in Oslo
   


MEETING NAC IN OSLO .16th March 14
Meeting Gry Synnevåg from Norwegian Afghanistan Committee, (NAC) at the Plaza Hotel Oslo meeting visitors from Kabul Also meeting the delegation was Terje Skaufjor, board member of NAC and earlier country representative for NAC in Pakistan/Afghanistan.


MEETING AT UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES, (UMB) AT ÅS. 17th March 2014

Main building at UMB. The team from Afghanistan visited UMB to discuss training issues, possibly development of new proposal for support like the NORHED application which was submitted previous year to cover Afghanistan, but unfortunately did not succeed. UMB organize different M. Sc courses which would be of interest for Afghanistan and MRRD covering water supply and sanitation. UMB is already supervising and M.Sc. student for development of Solar Stills to be manufactured and tested in Afghanistan
Main iconic building at UMB.  
Delegation from Afghanistan arriving at UMB . From left, Hanan, Dir Qader, Eng Abrar with the back to the camera and Eng Safi in front right. Two Ph.D. students from Pakistan and Nepal being introduced to the Afghan delegation by Prof. Jenssen
UMB has much focus on overseas students and corporation with universities abroad. Prof. Petter Jenssen presents overview of courses and focus by UMB on waster and sanitation.
Discussions at UMB. In addition to Prof. Jenssen, Prof. Gry Synnevåg ( NORAGRIC) also attended the meeting and presented the training by her department. Seen from left , Prof. G. Synnevåg, ; Eng Hanan,, MRRD, Dir, G. Qader, MRRD, Eng. N Abrar, Norplan/Kabul, Eng M.A. Safi ( Adviser, MRRD, and in front right, Manoj Pandey, Ph.D student from Nepal.

 

After the meeting, the delegation left with many ideas how to be pursued for possible institutional corporation in the future.