Kabul – As Afghanistan marks the fourth anniversary of Taliban rule, officials say the government has begun building dams funded by its national budget; so far, 400 small dams have been constructed, with plans for larger ones underway. Afghanistan, like other regional countries, suffers from drought and asserts its right to utilize its national water resources without harming neighboring countries, especially Iran.

Afghan Minister of Energy and Water, Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour, told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview that they have not received any investment or encouragement from countries like China or Turkey, but have invited Afghan businessmen to invest. Born in 1968 in Zormat district, Paktia province, Mansour completed his primary education there before fleeing to Pakistan after the 1978 communist coup, continuing his studies in prominent religious schools.

After the assassination of Mawlawi Nasrullah Mansour, he was chosen as his successor and joined the Taliban movement after its emergence in 1994 in Kandahar, holding several positions including Minister of Agriculture in the first Taliban government. Post the 2001 US invasion, Mansour served as a military official in Paktia and was a member of the negotiation committee with the US in Qatar. After the US withdrawal, he became Minister of Energy and Water.

He explained that despite drought impacts on water quantities and river flows, Afghanistan has good water resources and a gradual management plan to better utilize them. Since the Islamic Emirate took power, job opportunities and security have improved, completing four large dams such as Kamal Khan, Shah Aroos, Amri, and Bashdan, which stores about 54 million cubic meters of water, a significant achievement.

Work is ongoing on other large dams in Paktika, Laghman, Helmand, and Uruzgan provinces. Foreign investors or Afghan engineers can visit any site to assess construction. While economic challenges exist and large budgets are needed, the government allocates an annual development budget and has recently granted sufficient funds, inviting businessmen to invest in dam projects.

Over 400 small dams have been built, focusing on large dams vital for the economy, reconstruction, and agriculture, with budgets allocated for dams in Herat, Takhar, Baghlan, and Paktia, with construction starting soon.

Afghanistan has only one water agreement with Iran regarding the Helmand River. During severe drought, not only Iran but also residents of Nimroz and Helmand provinces demand water rights, which is justified. The Helmand River extends 260 km to the Kamal Khan Dam in Nimroz, after which the riverbed dries up. When water is available, it evaporates or is absorbed by sand before reaching Iran, so priority is given to Nimroz residents.

When floods occur, Afghanistan tries to provide Iran its share per agreement. This year, Iran received sufficient water. When Iran raised concerns, negotiations clarified that drought affects Afghanistan too. An Iranian delegation visited drought-affected areas and acknowledged the land’s barrenness and displacement of people.

The Afghan government does not want to harm relations with neighbors, especially Islamic countries, over such issues. During the reign of the late King Mohammed Zahir Shah, water was abundant, and Iran requested Afghanistan to regulate it at Iranian expense. Iran also offered $2 billion to build dams to control floods, knowing Kamal Khan Dam was built for flood control. Nimroz residents complain alongside Iranians, highlighting the difficult situation in the south.

All projects have been implemented with national budget funds without foreign aid. Afghan businessman Meroz Azizi pledged $10 billion investment. By 2032, Afghanistan aims to produce 10,000 megawatts of electricity from various sources including hydro, wind, gas, solar, and coal, and plans to electrify the entire country.

Drought worsens daily, and groundwater in Kabul decreases, but the government takes the issue seriously with plans to resolve water crises in the capital. The water shortage in Kabul is not severe enough to cause total drying.

Regarding the Kunar River, Afghanistan has not received any objections from neighboring countries and will utilize its resources. Claims of objections to dam construction on the Kunar River are unfounded; such projects benefit neighbors by controlling floods and restoring river flow. Pakistan did not object during the previous government, stating no harm or concerns.

Work has started on a canal in Laghman, with plans to provide irrigation water to the Gambir desert in eastern Afghanistan. If dams are built on the Kunar River, up to 1,200 megawatts of electricity could be produced, requiring a large budget. Progress has been made with a Chinese company. The Afghan government will proceed with dam construction when funds are available and will not relinquish water rights, which belong to the Afghan people.

Rumors about external encouragement from China or Turkey are false; the government follows its economic policy and builds where possible. It is incorrect to say water regulation focuses only on rivers flowing towards Iran; a dam is planned on the Bala Murghab River flowing to Turkmenistan. No objections have been raised by these countries. All projects are funded nationally, and Iranian statements are often for domestic appeasement, with Iran aware of the suffering in southern and western provinces.