Kabul:(IANS) Under an agreement signed here on Saturday, the World Bank agreed to provide $250 million as grant to Afghanistan to improve its roads across the Hindukush mountains, a statement released by the Afghanistan finance ministry here said.

The agreement was inked by Afghan Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi and Bob Saum, the bank’s country director for Afghanistan, Xinhua reported.

The grant, according to the statement, will be used to improve road transport links across the Hindukush mountain range, including the rehabilitation of the essential Salang pass connecting capital city Kabul to the northern provinces and upgrading of the Baghlan to Bamiyan road to a paved road.

As a major lending agency, the World Bank has contributed more than $3 billion to the rebuilding process of Afghanistan over the past 14 years.