The country's urbanization is growing rapidly; Afghanistan is not ready for such a speed

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: The programme wrote in X today (Wednesday, August 13) that in 1950, only five percent of the Afghan population lived in cities; this figure has reached 25 percent by 2022 and is expected to increase to 50 percent by 2060.

 

However, according to the UNHCR, Afghanistan's cities are not yet ready for such a rapid growth. The programme said: "We must act now to use urbanization as a positive driver for change."

 

According to the UNHCR, more than 40 percent of Afghanistan's urban population lives in Kabul; The city is currently facing its most serious environmental and water crisis.

 

Experts have warned about the depletion of Kabul's groundwater, saying that the Afghan capital could become the first city to run out of water altogether.

 

According to a recent report by the non-governmental organization Mercy Corps, the water level in Kabul's groundwater resources has dropped by up to 30 meters in the past decade due to rapid urbanization and the climate crisis.

 

According to the report, water extraction is currently 44 million cubic meters more than the natural recharge of groundwater annually.

 

It has been warned that if this trend continues, all of Kabul's groundwater resources will dry up by early 2030, threatening the city's seven million residents.