Atif Javed
Despite a heavy flow of international aid into Afghanistan since the US-led coalition overthrew the Taliban’s government in late 2001, the successive Afghan governments have failed not only to bring peace and prosperity in the country. They have even failed to establish an efficient water management system for the storage and utilization of water. It is roughly estimated that a total of eight million hectares of Afghanistan’s land is fertile, but only two million are cultivated. Additionally, due to chronic droughts, land fertility has dropped by 30 percent as compared to land fertility during 1970. Inadequate water infrastructure has thwarted economic growth of Afghanistan. Experts believe that due to lack of a better water management system, no government in Afghanistan could pursue the intended economic revitalization. However, deteriorating security, especially in the southern portion of the country, as well as reduced international aid in recent years, are major impediments to achieving this goal. Afghan President Ghani had once announced that his government plans to build up to twenty-one additional dams across the country during the current year, but so far no major progress has been witnessed .
Water plays an important role in defining the relationship between the countries in this region. Iran and Afghanistan have a festering disagreement over allocation of water from the Helmand River in Afghanistan ,which could sour their relationship as each side suffers from droughts, climate change, and the lack of proper water management. Both countries have continued to build dams and dig wells without environmental surveys, diverted the flow of water, and planted crops not suitable for the changing climate. Without better management and international help situation could be escalating crises. Improving and clarifying existing agreements is also vital. Water is a regional issue with international implications. It can directly impact the regional security. Experts believe that the water problem is fundamentally of a technical nature, but the adverse politicization of the problem has made the situation complex. The main focus ,while addressing the water related problems should be on combining efforts towards a balanced and practical solution. Regional cooperation with international support has indeed the most important role to play in resolving it on permanent basis. Experts are of the opinion that Iranians, who have also rushed to build dams in the last few decades, have learned the hard way that these projects often, only make their water problems worse. Ranked third globally in terms of the number of dams it constructs, Iran has found that without doing prior feasibility and impact analyses, dams can cause reduced land productivity and leave whole communities without access to water. Continuation of dam construction could turn Earth into a desert, according to an expert on sustainable development. The United Nations has labeled water scarcity the most severe “human security” challenge in the world today.
Iran and Afghanistan need to deal with this serious problem amicably for the overall peace in the region as it could produce a chain reaction of other territorial and resource disputes in the region. Investment in infrastructure and implementation of a science-based management system for water resources is of utmost importance. Technical subject matter experts on both sides, aided by international institutions, should study the problem and come up with practical solutions. Few visionary politicians from both the countries need to come together and identify the convergence of interest in each country. It is vital that both sides communicate at the level of political leaders, as well as scientific, academic, and civil societies Leaders of both the countries should understand that the problems of the Helmand River and Hamoun lakes are not purely domestic issues, but a regional challenge that can only be resolved collectively.
Protecting the environment and natural resources is a relatively a low priority in this region but public awareness is a vital requirement for a successful environmental policy, and therefore the governments of Iran and Afghanistan are expected to work together for not only addressing their diplomatic and political matters but they also need to cater for the environmental issues as environmental impact of any economic project would not be limited to one country. Afghanistan also needs to adopt an independent policy based on national interests. Irrespective of the aid or trade between any regional or extra regional country, Afghan government has a sole responsibility of looking after the National interests of the country which can lead towards establishment of a stable and prosperous country. The lack of economic consideration and uncontrolled usage of water, especially trans boundary waters, can also intensify tensions between the two countries. Iran needs to adapt its irrigation and agricultural crops to its share of water. Joint projects are very important for both countries as this would ease competition. It is very important that both sides express their expectations openly and communicate effectively. To this end, it is essential to expand communications channels at the Deputy Ministerial level. Progress cannot be made without properly managed joint projects between Iran and Afghanistan, as well as investment in improving the water management systems of both the countries. Rehabilitation programs to retrieve wetlands also require international financial assistance, partnerships with institutions such as United Nations Development Program and the Global Environment Facility can bring critical scientific expertise to these projects. Most experts say that writing a completely new water treaty between Iran and Afghanistan is not feasible and that it would be better to revise the earlier; 1973 agreement on the subject. Many Afghans reject the idea, arguing that Iran and Afghanistan can cooperate to develop sustainable development, which is directly linked to efficient water management. One of Afghanistan’s missed opportunities during the peak of international aid was to pass an effective water law, and Afghan management institutions remain highly ineffective. The lack of a database of natural resources is another major challenge. Decisions regarding the construction of new wells for domestic water use or irrigation are often made quickly and without a comprehensive plan. Without proper water management, the impact of climate change will be even more severe. However, by managing existing water resources better, Afghanistan could irrigate more agricultural land.
