Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, emphasized the dam’s importance in agricultural development and providing drinking water to parts of Kabul.
The Shah wa Arous Dam in Kabul was inaugurated today (Tuesday) by the Ministry of Energy and Water during a ceremony attended by the deputy prime ministers.
The deputy prime ministers described the completion of the Shah wa Arous Dam as a significant step toward water management in Afghanistan and reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to managing the country’s water resources.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, said that in some countries, water is more valuable than oil and minerals. He said that due to Afghanistan’s prolonged wars, little attention was paid to water management, leading to losses for the people and farmers from climate changes and devastating floods.
“Work on this dam began in 2010. The remaining tasks were completed professionally with the efforts of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Mullah Baradar said.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, said: “Kabul faces water shortages, and strategic plans, including building dams, are needed to address this challenge.”
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, emphasized the dam’s importance in agricultural development and providing drinking water to parts of Kabul. He stated that the Islamic Emirate is taking practical steps to implement major water management projects in the country.
“The Islamic Emirate is working to eliminate inherited poverty and unemployment, create jobs for youth, and reduce poverty levels,” he said.
Representatives from Iran’s Embassy in Kabul also attended the ceremony.
Abdul Latif Mansoor, Acting Minister of Energy and Water, stated that the Shah wa Arous Dam was completed at a cost of $52 million by an Iranian company. He highlighted that all major dam construction projects in Afghanistan are now funded by domestic resources.
He further continued: “In the past, nearly 80% of Afghanistan’s budget was funded by foreign countries, leaving 20% for the government to cover from its own revenues. Now, the Islamic Emirate funds 100% of project budgets.”
Saifullah Najafi, head of the contracting company, said: “Over 90% of the engineering and contractors for this project were from Afghanistan.”
According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, the Shah wa Arous Dam stands 77 meters tall and can regulate 30 million cubic meters of water annually. It is capable of producing 1.2 megawatts of electricity, irrigating 3,500 hectares of farmland, and providing 5 million cubic meters of drinking water.