TASHKENT, Uzbekistan: The President of Uzbekistan has expressed concern about the impact of the construction of Qo’shtepa water transfer canal in northern Afghanistan by the Taliban, saying this canal disrupts the “water regime and balance” of Central Asia.
Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his speech at the meeting of the Council of Founding States of the Aral Sea Rescue Fund on Friday, said, “You are well aware that Afghan authorities are actively involved in building this canal, and its creation fundamentally alters the water regime and balance in Central Asia.”
The President considers it “essential” to propose the formation of a joint working group to examine all aspects of the construction of the Qo’shtepa canal and its impact on the water regime of the Amu Darya River. He also endorsed the participation of research institutions from Central Asian countries and the Taliban.
The Taliban government is swiftly advancing the construction of the Amu Darya water transfer canal, which spans 285 kilometres and serves three Northern provinces: Jowzjan, Balkh, and Faryab.
The Uzbek president emphasized that “the issue of Afghan representatives’ participation in regional discussions regarding shared water resources should be considered.”
Feasibility studies for the largest water transfer project in the northern part of the country began in 2018. The project has a capacity to transfer 10 billion cubic meters of water from the bordering Amu Darya River.
The canal is around 285 kilometres long and 152 meters wide with a depth ranging from 8.5 to 12.5 meters. According to the office of the acting Deputy Economic Minister of the Taliban, 550,000 hectares of land in Balkh, Jowzjan, and Faryab will be irrigated once the canal is completed.
