KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban has acknowledged that Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to environmental issues and climate change.
Speaking at a gathering in Kabul to mark World Environment Day, Taliban deputy chief minister Abdul Salam Hanafi urged industrialized nations to assist Afghanistan in improving its environmental conditions.
Aziz Rahman, Taliban’s head of Environmental Protection Agency, highlighted the persistent droughts that have plagued Afghanistan for the past three decades. He noted that this year’s rainfall would not be sufficient to resolve these longstanding issues. Rahman called on international organizations to consider the environmental impacts in Afghanistan and provide necessary assistance.
Some Afghan citizens have accused the Taliban of neglecting environmental measures, citing problems such as air pollution and a lack of clean drinking water.
Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, reaffirmed the United Nations’ support for the Afghan people in addressing environmental challenges. In a message on World Environment Day, she warned that Afghanistan’s environment is under serious threat and pledged continued U.N. assistance to combat these issues.
