1. Kabul River Basin – Challenges & Opportunities
By: Idrees Malyar
November, 2017

2. Overview Introduction Methods Challenges Opportunities Recommendations
Scope (Research Question & Study Area)
Transboundary Water Institutions
Methods
Challenges
Opportunities
Recommendations

3. Introduction – Research Scope
Research Questions
What is the nature of political, legal, social, environmental and economic dynamics of Kabul River Basin that have a role in conflict (generation and prevention) between Afghanistan and Pakistan?
What are some of the existing systemic, institutional, legal and policy challenges in the Kabul River Basin? In order to respond to these challenges, which key priorities must be considered and in what order?

4. Introduction – Study Area
Transboundary Rivers
Kabul/Indus River Basin
The Amu River Basin
Harirrud & Murghab Rivers Basin
Helmand River Basin
Outflow: BCM/year
Inflow: 10 BCM/year
Land Area: 84 percent (Watson, 2014)
People: 87 percent (Watson, 2014)
River Basin Map of Afghanistan (Watershed Atlas, 2007)

5. Introduction – Study Area
Proportion (%) of Total River Flow by River Basin (Watershed Atlas, 2007)
River Basin Map of Afghanistan (Watershed Atlas, 2007)

6. Introduction – Study Area (Kabul River Basin)
Facts & Figures:
Length: 700 Km
Out Flow: 21.5 BCM (608 m3/sec)
In Flow: 10 BCM
Represents; 26% of Afghanistan’s available Water
Land Cover: 12% of Afghanistan Land
Population: 11.6 million Afghans, or 37%
Length: 560 Km inside Afghanistan
Outflow: The Kabul river in Dakah station close to Pakistan border is m3/sec. In other words, 19.2 km3 (or about 20%) of the annual discharge of the Indus. Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority, Afghanistan, provides 16 to 17% of Pakistan’s water supply.
Land Cover: Which is third river basin in terms of area after Helmand and Amu Darya.
8 Cities including Kabul exist in this basin
We talked about Climate, Groundwater Resources in KRB, general water use in KRB, Infrastructure on the KRB (both AFg and Pak sides), and Planned Projects
Indus Basin – Pakistan, 2015

7. Introduction – Study Area (Kabul River Basin)
Agreements:
The 1921 Treaty between Afghanistan – Great Britain
The Indus Treaty 1960 between India – Pakistan
Kabul River and City – 1960s

8. Water Institutions
President
MoUD
Policy making on urban water & sanitation
Afghanistan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation
Management of urban water supply & sanitation
MAIL
Development of irrigation, on farm water management
MEW
Water resources development, conveyance, hydropower
MRRD
Rural water supply & sanitation, micro hydropower, small irrigation
NEPA
Environmental aspects, water quality, environmental health
MoBTA
Security dimensions of water resources
MFA
Treaty and diplomatic affairs
Supreme Council on Land and Water (SCoLW)
Water – Cross-cutting issue used by different sectors.

9. Introduction - Water Institutions
Transboundary Water Committee
Under the 2009 Afghan Water Law:
“[m]anagement and planning for the transboundary waters between Afghanistan and its neighboring countries and changes of watercourses are the responsibility of the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) with agreements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Ministry of Border and Tribal Affairs (MoBTA)” (Article 8 (9))
President
MoF
MEW
MoFA
Associate Members: Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock; Parliamentarians, Ministry of Justice, National Security Council, National Environmental Protection Agency, DABS, and Ministry of Economy

10. Methods Secondary Sources/Literature Review:
Interviews (Semi-structured)
The substantive input into this report comes from two main sources. The first being a literature review of reports, publications and documents that relate to Afghanistan’s transboundary rivers. The second, and more important source, is from interviews conducted with key experts working on the issues who have insight and knowledge that extend far beyond anything that can be found in documents and publications. In total, some 20 experts were interviewed from a variety of ministries, academia, NGOs, and intergovernmental organisations. They were chosen to represent the breadth of views associated with transboundary waters.

11. Afghanistan Government
Methods
Interviews (Semi-structured)
Interview Questionnaire
Interview Participants
Number
Category
Affiliation 1
Afghanistan Government
Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)
National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA)
Ministry of Finance (MoF) 2
International Organizations
Funding Agencies e.g. World Bank 3
Academia
 Kabul University and others

12. Research Design Transboundary Water Institutions in Afghanistan
Challenges & Opportunities in the Kabul River Basin

13. Results – Challenges Internal or National Challenges
Poor Capacity Lack of technical expertise (human capital) in the water sector in general and transboundary waters in particular.
Inadequate Institutional Capacity
Afghanistan water sector has enough institutional capacity on paper, but those need to be activated and become functional.
Transparency Issue
Price et al., (2014) study, that 87.8% of the interviewees responded negatively to the current water management in Afghanistan
Challenges range from Political to Technical challenges.
The most repeated theme while discussing the existing challenges in the Kabul River Basin.
On the other hand Pakistan has a strong support of well experienced and educated people
There have been only 604 citable works done by Afghans from 1996 till 2014 – the lowest in the region compared to 78,219 by Pakistan, and 278,388 by Iran (ScImago Journal & Country Rank website, 2016; Malyar, 2016).
Inter-Ministerial Transboundary Water Commission is a good example
stakeholder institutions acting separately

14. Results – Challenges Internal or National Challenges Data Availability
Limited data available in Afghanistan both on surface and groundwater resources.
Around 180 stations were installed
Public Awareness
Majority of people do not have enough information or knowledge of transboundary waters or international water law.
“Every drop of water flowing from Afghanistan is our water”
Crucial for TBW negotiations
transboundary groundwaters, there is even no single observation or monitoring well.
127 hydrological stations, 30 snow survey, and 26 automatic weather stations were installed by an American company,
This is particularly important as Pakistan has a fairly well developed water resources monitoring and forecasting institution with Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
In addition, Pakistan does share the data on Kabul River Basin
Public Awareness
For any national level decision, government needs its public or domestic support
More focus on public awareness should be given that

15. Results – Challenges Internal or National Challenges
Monetary Limitations
Afghanistan lacks monetary support to develop the required infrastructure for regulating and utilizing its water, and mitigate climate change impacts.
Security Challenges
Overall bad security conditions; and neighbors’ interventions - using armed groups to halt any work on transboundary waters of Afghanistan (e.g. Salma Dam, Kunar River Dam (Price et al., 2014), Bakhshabad on Farah Rod, etc.)

16. Results – Challenges II. External or Transboundary Challenges
Lack of Trust between Afghanistan and Pakistan
A serious hurdle on the way to cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Unilateral developments
Climate Change
Increasing temperatures
Lack of Trust
1. Afghanistan’s relationship with India
2. The issue of Durand Line
3. Pashtun Nationalism and Pakistan’s fear of separation
4. Pakistan’s support to the Afghan Taliban
You better work on another basin
Climate Change
Increasing temperatures cause more precipitation in the form of rain instead of snow, and this results in shrinking glaciers, and more water when it is not needed.
(30% shrunk in Pamir and H Kush glaciers)
20% decrease in precipitation over the Kabul River Basin
“Climate change is another problem – natural reservoirs in form of glaciers are melting and after this Afghanistan definitely needs reservoirs or dams to regulate water and release whenever water is needed for agriculture or any other use.”

17. Results – Challenges II. External or Transboundary Challenges
Population Growth
Groundwater contamination and overexploitation in the Kabul city as well as in Pakistan
The population in this region is projected to rise by 32% in thirty years - from 1.68 billion in 2010 to 2.22 billion in 2040
Afghanistan a Later-Developing State
Slower-developing country asserts the right to its fair share of the river
Ethiopia in the Nile River Basin, and Turkey on the Euphrates River
These pressures will increase the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has warned that the country may run dry by 2025 if the authorities did not take an immediate action.

18. Results – Opportunities
Political will, and openness from the Afghan government
Political will and commitment from all Governments, at all levels, are prerequisites for successful transboundary water management (UN Waters, 2008)
Existence of International Community & Donors
Donors have a wide range of instruments that can be used in transboundary water management
Window of Opportunity
e.g. exchange of expertise and capacity building, provision of capital; conditional grants and loans and debt relief; financial support for specific activities, and direct intervention; convening, facilitation, and mediation
Investment Plan for Kabul River Basin (2013), and Scoping Strategic Options for Development of the Kabul River Basin (2010)
UNDP in Mekong, and World Bank in Indus Basin

19. Results – Opportunities
Less impact of Afghan development in Upper Kabul Basin on Pakistan
World Bank report, 2013
Informal Researches and Joint Studies
Joint studies conducted by Afghan and Pakistani experts funded by Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung (HBS)
Media dialogue event on the Indus River basin by International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

20. Results – Opportunities
Kunar Cascade Project
Four new potential dams: Mirkhani on the Pakistan side, Shal, Sagi and Kama in Afghanistan and one existing dam – Warsak Dam in Pakistan (Hearns, 2017; WB report, 2013).
Considered financially viable and could provide a good cooperative deal for both countries.
Matching both countries needs (Summer and Winter)
(which most of our interviews talked about) (Find more details of it)
non-consumptive use
Good expamples:
Senegal river between Mali, Mauritania and Senegal
Orange River between the Lesotho Kingdom and South Africa
Other projects like CASA 1000, TAPI

21. Recommendations Strategic Plan for future developments in each basin.
An assessment of data collection agencies/institutions and prioritization of collection stations.
Strengthen the relations between transboundary water institutions:
Regular meetings of the Transboundary Water Commission (TWC)
Improving data sharing mechanisms to make data available for key policy/decision making ministries, institutions and even academia.
Add title

22. Recommendations Public Awareness Strategically Engage Donors;
Involving media, social networks, and civil societies from Afghanistan, Pakistan by conducting regional programs such as workshops and press conferences.
Strategically Engage Donors;
To assist with enhancing technical capacity and assessments, provide facilitation for dialogue, and eventually assist in supporting infrastructure development.
Work on public awareness on the international practices and regulations of shared water resources. It is important that the public is made aware of the significance of water for driving economic development and thus positively influencing their lives by:

23. Recommendations Water as Source of Cooperation
Promote and invigorate studies on the Kunar Cascade Project.
Solicit donor assistance to facilitate/mediate dialogue on technical issues.
Joint Studies & Researches
Identify joint studies and areas of research between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (E.g. Water use efficiency, and erosion control/prevention, etc.)
Issue 10: Huge political unrest between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which threatens any cooperative activity between these two countries.
Use water as a source of cooperation to develop overall better relations:
Issue 11: Lack of studies or effort from both the governments for joint studies. will help to build a knowledge base in Afghanistan on the Kabul River and could show how cooperation can benefit both countries.

24. References
Hearns, G. (2017). Dammed If You Do and Damned If You Don't: Afghanistan's Water Woes. In D. Reed (Ed.), Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy (pp ). New York and London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group
Price, G., Alam, R., Hasan, S., Humayun, F., Kabir, M. H., Karki, C. S., ... & Shakya, P. R. (2014). Attitudes to water in South Asia. Chatham House Report.
Watershed Atlas (2007). Aizon plc environmental conservation project in Bahir Dar - aizon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved June 08, 2016, from
Watson (2014). Afghan Shared Waters Post A synthesis of opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan’s Transboundary water resources.
World Bank. Landell Mills (2013). Investment Plan for Kabul River Basin OR
Mills, L. (2013). INVESTMENT PLAN FOR THE KABUL RIVER BASIN . Kabul: MEW.

25. Questions?
Thank You