The Center for the National Interest is pleased to announce the publication of our latest report, Afghanistan’s Qoshtepa Canal and Water Security
New Report | Afghanistan’s Qoshtepa Canal and Water Security in Central Asia
The Center for the National Interest is pleased to announce the publication of our latest report, Afghanistan’s Qoshtepa Canal and Water Security in Central Asia, authored by Center Senior Fellow Andrew Kuchins and colleagues. This report examines the Taliban's massive canal project designed to stimulate agricultural production and economic growth in northern Afghanistan. Despite these opportunities, the canal's construction also poses significant risks: escalating tensions with downstream states along the strained Amu Darya River and exacerbating environmental challenges in a region scarred by decades of irrigation-related degradation.
Published as part of the Center’s Central Asia Connectivity Project, this timely analysis underscores the importance of continued U.S. attention to Afghanistan and its neighborhood, even after America's withdrawal. Kuchins et al. argue that efforts by the incoming Trump administration to provide technical assistance and facilitate regional diplomacy could help reduce the risks of conflict, mitigate environmental harm, and strengthen American influence in this geopolitically critical region.
