Taliban Deputy Minister Assures No Harm to Neighbors from Qoshtepa Canal Water Share

Taliban Deputy Minister of Water and Energy Mujib al-Rahman Umar stated that Afghanistan aims to obtain only its legal water share from the Qoshtepa Canal without harming any neighboring countries.

Umar made the remarks at Uzbekistan's Water Week in response to concerns expressed by Uzbekistan's Minister of Water Resources Shukrat Hamraev. Hamraev warned that excessive withdrawals from the canal, exceeding two billion cubic meters and potentially reaching up to four billion cubic meters, could damage Uzbekistan's agriculture. He indicated that two billion cubic meters would be acceptable.

The Taliban official emphasized the importance of sustainable development practices, adoption of water-saving technologies, regional cooperation, exchange of hydrological data, and coordination on water-related projects.

The Qoshtepa Canal is a major water infrastructure project in northern Afghanistan intended to support agricultural development in the region. The initiative has sparked concerns among neighboring countries, particularly Uzbekistan, over potential impacts on downstream water availability.