Canada's international co-operation minister paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan mere days after Canadian funding of reconstruction work in that country came under criticism.

"I want to meet with Canadian workers, and officials here and support our troops," Josee Verner told reporters in Kandahar on Sunday.

"It's my responsibility as minister to visit, especially Afghanistan which is the largest recipient of Canadian aid money."

She had a photo opportunity in which she handed out bags to Afghan schoolchildren.

However, her two-day stay overlaps with Eid, the celebration that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. As such, the country has virtually shut down.

That's one reason why the minister won't be visiting any Canadian-funded projects. Security in Kandahar province is an ever-present concern.

In Kabul, Verner said the government is spending $14.5 million on a girls' education initiative.

The project will be established by the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and will involve the building of up to 4,000 community-based schools and the training of an equal number of female teachers, The Canadian Press reports.

Another $5 million will go towards micro-credit initiatives to help women establish their own businesses selling and growing fruits and vegetables.

Verner also announced $10 million for other ongoing construction projects in Afghanistan.

However, CP said the material handed out by the minister's staff had no specific information on the 300 schools or the "93 projects, completed or in progress" mentioned in those materials.

The news of Verner's visit and the new spending comes after the government took some tough criticism last week for the slow pace of reconstruction.

Brig.-Gen. Al Howard told a Senate committee that the military was ready to proceed with several projects in Kandahar province but could not because they were waiting for the Canadian International Development Agency -- which Verner oversees -- to fund the projects.

"There are a few funding glitches," Howard said. "There are a number of projects where we are just waiting to get additional money."

But Howard didn't lay all the blame on CIDA. He said officials have to work with Afghan officials in order to make sure the projects are put in place properly.

"It's not just about money. It's about trying to build capacity locally to do this themselves. We could race out the front gate and build a school. We could probably do it tomorrow without any difficulty," he said.

The Senate National Defence and Security committee recently criticized CIDA for not being able to show evidence of progress -- something that experts increasingly say is the key to winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

Mullah Mohamad Omar

Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban's elusive leader, claims there will be a surge in violence in the coming months.

"By the will of Allah, the fight will intensify in the coming few months," the statement attributed to Omar and posted to a website.
 
"Our predictions about the war have proved right in the past. I am confident that our fight will gain a strong foothold in the near future."

The statement was issued Saturday on the eve of Eid al-Fitr.

Omar attacked Pakistan for its support of "American propaganda."

He said Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai would have to face an Islamic court of justice and urged NATO forces to leave the country.

Omar was last seen in Kandahar in December 2001. He is believed to be near Quetta, Pakistan, southeast of Afghanistan.

However, al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite TV news station, reported that a Taliban spokesman has claimed Omar is in Afghanistan.

With a report from CTV's Paul Workman and files from The Canadian Press