Private company backs Panjshir water conduit project amid Kabul’s growing water crisis

A private company has expressed readiness to invest in a critical project to transfer water from the Panjshir River to Kabul, aiming to tackle the city’s alarming water shortage.

During a meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, company representatives pledged to send technical teams for surveying and designing the project once they receive the necessary documentation from the Ministry of Energy and Water. The company expects to complete this phase within two weeks.

Baradar assured full government cooperation and instructed the ministry to provide all relevant information to the company. He emphasized that resolving Kabul’s water scarcity is a top government priority.

This initiative comes amid growing concerns highlighted in a recent Mercy Corps report warning that Kabul could become the first modern city to completely run out of water by 2030. Over the past decade, the city’s groundwater levels have plummeted by up to 30 meters due to rapid urbanization and climate change, underscoring the urgency for sustainable water solutions.