KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-run Ministry of Water and Energy signed an agreement with the Chinese contractor working on the Mes Aynak copper mine to conduct feasibility studies for the Baghdara Dam in Kapisa province in the north of Kabul.
The agreement, signed by Abdul Latif Mansoor, the Taliban’s minister of water and energy, and Sun Wenbing, president of the Chinese contracting firm, covers geophysical and geotechnical studies for the dam.
According to the Taliban-run national television, Mansoor described the project as a “significant achievement” in Afghanistan-China collaboration.
“This project will mark an important milestone in the partnership between Afghanistan and China,” he said at the signing ceremony.
Under the agreement, the Chinese company has committed to completing feasibility and technical assessments within eight months in cooperation with the Taliban ministry.
The Taliban have not disclosed the financial value of the Baghdara Dam project, and overall funding details for development initiatives in Afghanistan under their administration remain opaque.
In 2016, officials from Afghanistan’s previous government estimated the cost of constructing the dam at $560 million, to be financed by the World Bank. However, the project never progressed beyond the planning stages.
According to the previous Ministry of Mines, the dam, to be built on the Panjshir and Ghorband rivers, was designed to generate between 250 and 300 megawatts of electricity.
Development stalls under Taliban rule
Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, many development projects across Afghanistan have been suspended. The international community, particularly Western nations, has frozen financial aid to the country in response to the Taliban’s human rights violations, particularly against women and girls.
In contrast, the Taliban have increasingly turned to partnerships with Chinese companies to attract foreign investment and economic support. The agreement with the Mes Aynak contractor reflects these efforts, as the Taliban seek to position Afghanistan as a destination for Chinese-led infrastructure projects.
While the Baghdara Dam project represents a potential step forward in economic development, questions remain about the feasibility of its completion and the transparency of its funding and implementation.
