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Drought conditions deepen across Afghanistan amid continued low rainfall and rising temperatures
Afghanistan is grappling with intensifying drought conditions as the country continues to record below-average precipitation levels, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said on Thursday.
Only a few isolated areas are nearing normal rainfall, while nationwide cumulative precipitation remains significantly lower than the seasonal average, UNOCHA said in a report.
The snow water equivalent — a critical measure of snowpack and future water availability — is also trending below average and declining across most of the country’s river basins. This pattern is contributing to an escalating water scarcity crisis.
Surface temperatures have been consistently above average across Afghanistan, excluding some northeastern areas.
Forecasts for the coming months predict continued above-average temperatures combined with below-average precipitation — conditions that are expected to intensify water shortages, reduce crop productivity, and degrade pasturelands vital to livestock.
As of March 2025, the northern provinces of Faryab and Jawzjan are the most severely impacted by drought.
Additional regions facing warning-level conditions include Helmand in the south, Herat in the west, Kunduz in the northeast, and Nangarhar in the east.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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