Advertisement Once an abstract concern, water stress in Asia is now an undeniable reality exacerbated by rapid population growth, urbanization, and climate change. The region is largely failing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water, with almost 500 million people still lacking access to at least basic water supply services and more than … Read more
Advertisement On March 30, 2022, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar launched the construction of the Qosh Tepa canal, which will divert significant amount of water from the Amu Darya – a transboundary river that Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan heavily depend on. One third of the 285-kilometer project is already completed. With over … Read more
Advertisement Iran and Afghanistan exchanged heavy gunfire on May 27, killing two Iranian border guards as well as one Taliban solider, and wounding several others. Qassem Rezaei, the deputy commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), accused the Taliban forces of starting the conflict by shooting at the Iranian side. In an interview with Islamic … Read more
Advertisement Facing acute drought conditions, the Taliban government is undertaking an ambitious program to upgrade its water infrastructure. However, the program has elevated tensions with the countries surrounding Afghanistan. Kabul lacks the technical ability to harness its water resources fully, but it can make life more miserable for its water-challenged neighbors. Two years of drought … Read more