Hydropower in Afghanistan: opportunities, challenges, and the legal framework

Following nearly three decades of political instability and civil war, during which time the vast majority of hydropower infrastructure was either destroyed or suffered significant decay, Afghanistan once again finds itself in a period of nation-building. Afghan policymakers are largely in agreement that large-scale hydro development represents a key ingredient for long-term economic development and sustainability. While Afghanistan certainly has the geographic resources for such large-scale hydropower development, it is less clear whether it has the legal or technical infrastructure to attract the private capital necessary for such development.