Water Sector Strategy 2007/08-2012/13.

The Water Sector Strategy is a national Policy aimed to set strategies and provisions to better manage water resources in Afghanistan. The timeframe of the Policy is 5 years, between 2007 to 2012. The Policy is part of the Afghanistan National Development Goals which aims to reduce poverty, increase national security, improve the rule of law, respect human rights, and provide economic and social development. According to the Policy, reduction in poverty and improvement in people life’s quality is rooted in increases in public access to drinking water, enhancement of food security, improvement of safety against droughts and floods, sustainable development and sustainable management of water resources, protection of natural environment, and development of private sector.
The main objectives of the Water Sector Policy include: development of the water supply system and sanitation in rural and urban areas; improvement of the irrigation system; production of hydroelectric; promotion of industrial water supply and sewage disposal; preparedness against flood; reduction of drought and water shortage; provision of environmental protection for forests, biological varieties, and marine products. The comprehensive management of the water resources requires the sustainable and inclusive administrative structure, control of surface water, quality control of surface and groundwater, just and proper water allocation, recognition of public water as common property, and considering the key role of women in water management. The Policy recognizes all local water programs which are based on the principles of the Afghanistan constitution law and human rights. Development plans for water resources shall assist local water users, especially women, with necessary financial and technical facilities. There are a number of challenges in the water sector which should be tackled: lack of expertise and financial resources; lack of hydrological, meteorological, hydrogeological, and geotechnical knowledge; insufficient water infrastructure; lack of data and statistics on groundwater resources; insufficient economic mechanism and investment in irrigation, water supply, sanitation, and hydroelectric; lack of transparency in duties; weak coordination between ministries; illegal deep well drilling. The Policy sets out provisions for capacity building in water resources management, water infrastructure development, and water supply promotion.
The Ministry of Energy and Water is responsible for management of water surface and the Ministry of Mines is responsible for the regulation of groundwaters. The Water High Council is the authority responsible to approve and enact policies, laws, and regulation on water, coordinate the activities of relevant organs, monitor, and control the compliance of this Policy, make decisions on international cooperation about border waters and shared water, and provide necessary facilities and assistant to for water development and water resource exploitation plans. The Policy emphasizes the significant role of the private sector and non-official organizations in the development of water resources.