Government delegation from Uzbekistan to help construct Kushtepa canal in Afghanistan
Uzbek Government Forms Delegation for Negotiations on Kushtepa Canal with Taliban Government
A delegation from the Uzbek government is being formed to engage in negotiations regarding the construction of the Kushtepa canal by the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The visit is scheduled to take place by the end of this year, according to the governor of Surkhandarya region, Ulugbek Kosimov.
While discussing the impact of the canal construction on the region, Governor Kosimov emphasized that although the canal is being built on the border of Tajikistan, it will have equal effects on everyone. He clarified that the canal has not yet been opened by the Afghan side and that the recent display of water was actually groundwater. The construction work on the river has not been completed, and it will take several years to develop the land plots for the canal. Governor Kosimov also highlighted the importance of professional expertise and significant financial investments in the canal’s construction and usage. He acknowledged that the issue will be considered at the intergovernmental level.
The governor announced that the Uzbek government has ordered the formation of a delegation, including himself, to study the situation and address the concerns related to water distribution. He mentioned that letters have been sent to the Afghan authorities, and the visit is expected to happen within the next 1-2 months.
The Kushtepa canal originates from the Kaldar district of Balkh province, passes through Jauzjan province, and reaches the Andkhoy district of Faryab province in Afghanistan. It spans a length of 280 kilometers and has a width of 100 meters.
Back in June 2023, Uzbekistan’s Water Minister, Shavkat Khamroyev, revealed that Afghanistan aims to irrigate 300,000 hectares of land through the Kushtepa canal. This would require 4-5 billion cubic meters of water, and Uzbekistan intends to ensure the preservation of this quantity. President Shavkat Mirziyoev also discussed the canal’s significance during a meeting of the Council of the Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Dushanbe on September 15. He expressed concerns about a new participant, Afghanistan, entering the water usage process without any prior obligations. Mirziyoev called for the establishment of a joint working group to thoroughly analyze the construction of the canal and its impact on the water regime of the Amudarya River.
On October 12, the second stage of the Kushtepa canal construction commenced. During the opening ceremony, Taliban officials reassured regional countries, particularly Uzbekistan, not to worry about the canal’s construction. They conveyed Afghanistan’s willingness to address regional issues through diplomatic means.
As negotiations and discussions take place, it remains to be seen how the construction and operation of the Kushtepa canal will unfold and its overall implications for the region.
