Mullah Hassan Akhund, the Taliban’s prime minister, has emphasized the need to protect Afghanistan’s natural resources, manage them properly, and ensure their equitable use.
According to information released by the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Academy of Sciences, Akhund made the remarks in a message to a scientific and research conference on the sustainable management of natural resources.
He said that water, fertile land, forests, pastures, and mineral deposits are among the country’s most important natural resources, adding that their protection, sound management, and equitable utilization are a shared responsibility of all citizens.
Akhund stressed that the scientific and sustainable management of natural resources is essential to Afghanistan’s economic growth and self-reliance. He also called on scientific and research institutions to develop scientific and practical solutions to challenges related to the country’s natural resources.
Afghanistan is considered rich in natural resources, including water, fertile land, forests, pastures, and extensive mineral deposits. However, decades of conflict, weak management, climate change, and inadequate enforcement of laws have left serious challenges to the protection of natural resources and their equitable use.
The Taliban have also faced criticism over a lack of transparency in the extraction of minerals and the awarding of mining contracts. According to a study by Afghan Witness, the Taliban signed at least 205 mining contracts with more than 150 companies between August 2021 and February 2024.
Meanwhile, there have been reports of disputes and clashes between the Taliban and some local groups and communities over control of mines, contracts, and revenues. A dispute between the Taliban and a former local commander over land associated with gold mines in Badakhshan also escalated into violence, resulting in casualties.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
