Abdul Latif Mansoor, acting minister of energy and water, has responded to objections from some countries regarding the construction of dams in Afghanistan, stating that water is Afghanistan’s right, and if resources are available, a dam will also be built on the Kunar River.

In an interview with TOLOnews, Mansoor said: “Studies show that if we build dams capable of producing 1,000 megawatts of electricity on the Kunar River, it would require between $2 to $3 billion in funding.”

He emphasized that with proper management of Afghanistan’s waters, no country would be harmed, and added that if any country has objections, the door to diplomatic dialogue remains open.

“If we find the resources, we will use our waters to serve our people. Whether someone is pleased or unhappy, we will proceed. If anyone claims their rights are being violated, diplomatic channels are available — they can come and talk,” Mansoor said.

Referring to recent remarks by Iranian officials regarding their water rights from the Helmand River, Mansoor noted that some parts of Afghanistan are currently facing drought, and this issue has been shared with technical teams from Iran.

The acting minister also highlighted that Afghanistan has vast resources for energy production, but the main challenge is lack of funding. He explained that in previous governments, most project costs were covered by foreign donors, whereas now, all project expenses are funded from domestic sources.

Mansoor said: “There are several obstacles. As you know, during the 35 years of foreign occupation, 80% of the national budget was funded by foreign countries, and only 20% came from domestic revenues.”

Regarding Afghanistan’s water shortage challenges, especially in the capital Kabul, he said that the Islamic Emirate is working on various projects to address and overcome these issues.