Afghanistan’s Rural Development Ministry Prioritizes Water Supply to Refugee Camps

The Taliban-led Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development emphasized focusing water supply projects on needy areas, especially refugee camps, during a meeting with representatives of partner organizations. The meeting, chaired by Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour, primarily aimed to prevent the implementation of duplicate projects and strengthen coordination among collaborating agencies.

According to the ministry’s newsletter, providing safe drinking water is one of the fundamental needs of the country’s residents, and project implementation should be based on the level of need in each area. The meeting also stressed that under current circumstances, water supply and sanitation programs must prioritize refugee camps, as the lack of safe water particularly affects children.

Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour introduced the principle of “balanced development” and called for the equitable distribution of development projects based on the true needs of the people. He also emphasized closer coordination among partner organizations to avoid the repetition of similar programs in the same locations and to make effective use of available resources.

Several ministry central directors, UNICEF representatives, and other organizations attended the meeting to discuss improving coordination in executing water supply and sanitation programs. Although the Taliban administration stresses better project management, some residents have complained in recent years about delays in infrastructure projects and limited access to safe drinking water in some provinces. This issue calls for practical follow-up and transparent oversight to ensure the fulfillment of announced commitments.

At the end of the meeting, partner representatives shared their views, and the minister emphasized ongoing cooperation. The program concluded with prayers for the country’s welfare.