KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Kazakhstan has expressed concern over the Qosh Tepa Canal, a major project under construction in northern Afghanistan, warning it could disrupt water flow and threaten water security across Central Asia.
Aslan Abdraimov, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, raised these concerns at an international water security conference in Astana, according to The Times of Central Asia.
He said the canal could significantly reduce the flow of the Syr Darya River, one of the region’s main waterways. A drop in flow, he warned, would directly affect the Aral Sea, which is already severely depleted.
Although Kazakhstan and Afghanistan do not share a border, Abdraimov said the impact of the canal could be felt across the region.
The 285-kilometre canal is designed to divert water from the Amu Darya River to irrigate around 550,000 hectares of farmland in Afghanistan. Once completed, it is expected to divert up to 10 cubic kilometers of water annually — nearly a quarter of the Amu Darya’s average flow.
The project is planned in three phases, costing an estimated $684 million. The first phase was completed in 2023, and the second phase is over 80% finished as of early 2025. The entire canal is expected to be operational by 2028.
Azamatkhan Amirtayev, chairman of Kazakhstan’s Baytak Party, shared similar concerns. He warned the canal could divert 25 to 30% of the Amu Darya’s water, reducing supply to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. He said this could prompt Uzbekistan to draw more water from the Syr Darya, potentially cutting Kazakhstan’s share by up to 40%.
Amirtayev called for stronger regional cooperation and science-based policies to reduce water losses and prevent future conflicts.
Concerns over the Qosh Tepa Canal are not new. Uzbekistan has repeatedly warned that the project could worsen water shortages, particularly for its cotton plantations. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has called on Central Asian countries to work together to address the risks posed by the canal.
Experts believe the canal could increase cross-border tensions, as it diverts a significant portion of the Amu Darya, which flows along the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan border.
The Taliban, who are overseeing the canal’s construction, have previously said Afghanistan is only using its fair share of the river and urged neighboring countries not to be concerned.
