Kazakhstan expresses concern over construction of Qosh Tepa canal in Afghanistan

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Aslan Abdraimov, has warned that the Qosh Tepa canal in Afghanistan could significantly reduce the flow of the Syr Darya River, with direct consequences for the already depleted Aral Sea.

He made the remarks at the recent international conference, Water Security and Transboundary Water Use: Challenges and Solutions, held in Astana.

“No sharp fluctuations in water resources are expected in the near term, but in the long term, a reduction in the Syr Darya’s flow is inevitable,” Abdraimov stated. He emphasized that this would further strain the fragile water balance in the Aral Sea basin.

Azamatkhan Amirtayev, chairman of Kazakhstan’s Baytak Party, expressed concern that the Qosh Tepa canal could divert 25-30% of the Amu Darya’s flow. “This means that Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will receive less water. Consequently, Uzbekistan may draw more from the Syr Darya, leading to reduced water availability for Kazakhstan, potentially by 30-40%,” Amirtayev said. He urged for regional cooperation and scientifically informed policymaking to mitigate water losses.

The Qosh Tepa canal is a canal being built in northern Afghanistan to divert water from the Amu Darya River. The main canal is expected to be 285 km long and the overall initiative seeks to convert 550,000 hectares of desert into farmland.

Earlier, Uzbek authorities had also expressed concern about the construction of the Qosh Tepe canal in Afghanistan.

However, the Islamic Emirate has assured Uzbekistan that it will not be harmed by the canal.