NZ deaths in Afghanistan to be commemorated during visit

Corporal Luke Tamatea, Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker and Private Richard Harris were killed when their Humvee struck an improvised explosive device. Photo / supplied

New Zealand military deaths in Afghanistan will be commemorated during a visit by the Afghan foreign minister tomorrow.

Dr Zalmai Rassoul has praised the New Zealand Defence Force's 10-year deployment in Bamiyan Province, which will end next month.

He is in New Zealand for two days to speak to Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully about the two countries' bilateral relationship.

A joint statement said Dr Rassoul had expressed ``profound gratitude'' for New Zealand's support for Afghanistan over the last decade.

Mr McCully said New Zealand troops would continue to support the country after the Provincial Reconstruction Team's withdrawal by training Afghan forces and helping with intelligence.

New Zealand was committing NZ$24.2 million to a renewable energy project and $4.5m on an agricultural project in Bamiyan.

Government had also agreed in principle to provide $2.4m a year from 2015 for the Afghan National Security Forces in the region.

A ceremony would be held tomorrow morning at the National War Memorial in Wellington to mark New Zealand and Afghan deaths in Afghanistan.

New Zealand has lost 10 soldiers in Bamiyan during its deployment, six of them last year.