KABUL, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — Under an agreement signed here Saturday, the World Bank agreed to provide 250 million U.S. dollars as grant to Afghanistan to improve its roads across the Hindukush mountains, a statement released by Afghan Finance Ministry here said.

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

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 U.S. dollars to the rebuilding process of Afghanistan over the past 14 years.