Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources, Shavkat Khamraev, says Afghanistan receives its share of water from the Amu River through the construction of the Qosh Tepa Canal, and that Tashkent has no problem with this.

Khamraev stated that Afghanistan has a legitimate right to access the water of the Amu River and urged his citizens not to be influenced by rumors or incorrect information.

“The Afghans are our relatives. They also have the right to take water from the Amu River. Should we pick up weapons and fight? No, we are building better relations,” said Khamraev.

Amu River is one of the most important water sources in the northern region of the country, and the countries of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have been utilizing it for many years.

However, Afghanistan has not used this water for many years, and now the Islamic Emirate wants to secure its share by completing the Qosh Tepa Canal.

Qosh Tepa Canal is over 280 kilometers long, and once completed, it will irrigate 1.2 million hectares of land in the provinces of Balkh, Jowzjan, and Faryab.

Experts have stated that with the completion of this canal and investment in it, Afghanistan will achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production.

The Ministry of Public Health has announced that Noor Jalal Jalali, the acting public health minister, met with Murdif Al-Qashouti, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Qatari Embassy in Kabul, to discuss the construction of a planned 400-bed hospital by Qatar, the provision of equipment for hospitals, and the enhancement of the capacity of health workers in Kandahar province.

According to a statement, the Acting Minister of Public Health emphasized the importance of improving the capacity of health workers and equipping hospitals with standard facilities to better address patients’ needs and provide essential health services. He considers Qatar’s cooperation to be crucial.

In this meeting, Al-Qashouti assured the IEA of Qatar’s commitment to supporting various health sectors in Afghanistan.

In November 2023, the Ministry of Public Health had announced that Qatar planned to build a 400-bed hospital in Kandahar. In September 2023, reports also emerged about Qatar Charity’s commitment to constructing this hospital.

However, Qatar has not yet started the actual construction of the hospital.

International organizations have repeatedly warned that attention must be given to Afghanistan’s health system, as the country cannot effectively manage patients and combat infectious diseases such as polio and tuberculosis without the support of global organizations.