Doctors in northern Afghanistan are struggling to cope with more frequent power cuts this winter that have highlighted the country’s dependence on electricity supply from Central Asian states.
The electricity board, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (Dabs), says it gives priority to hospitals at times of reduced power supply, but doctors in two northern provinces said extended power cuts last week severely affected services despite having backup generators.
“On Wednesday, we didn’t have power the whole day. Then on Thursday, we had about 10 hours of power. But today again we haven’t had power all day,” a doctor at a private hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, told The National.
“We are managing the problem by using the hospital generator. However, we can’t use a lot of equipment on generator at the same time, so we have to decide which emergency is more important.
“Also, fuel has been getting expensive and it is not an affordable method of running a hospital. Unless the power issue is resolved soon, we will not be able to continue like this. And I am aware other hospitals are suffering similarly.”
The doctor, who has not been identified for his safety, said there were more power cuts than usual this year.
“We hardly faced any power cuts in Mazar. Yes, in wintertime there were shortages, but not like this. The most we would lose power in previous winters was for 30 minutes to an hour a day.”
Afghanistan relies on power from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran for nearly 80 per cent of the 1,600 megawatts it requires. The remainder comes from domestic sources such as hydroelectric dams, fossil-fuel power plants and solar energy, says Mohsin Amin, an Afghan policy analyst and energy expert.
Dabs spokesman Hekmatullah Maiwandi said the power cuts last week were the result of technical problems in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan’s biggest power supplier.
“We were able to cover some of the shortages from the newly connected line from Turkmenistan. But provinces along the northern region were affected,” Mr Maiwandi told The National.
He said Afghanistan receives about 460MW of electricity from Uzbekistan, of which 280MW are for the capital Kabul.
About 15 provinces including Balkh are supplied from power lines running south from Uzbekistan to Kabul.
A doctor in another northern province, who asked for his identity to be withheld, agreed that the problem had become worse this year.
“We are witnessing a higher number of power outages than usual. We rely on a steady power supply to do our jobs to save lives,” he said.
“Without power we can’t use ECG machines, or oxygen ventilators, or conduct minor surgeries or even warm the room for the patients.
“This winter was particularly bad and we had many patients who were shivering because of the cold.”
An increase in power disruptions since the Taliban insurgent group seized power last year has raised speculation among Afghans that they are the result of tension between the Central Asian states and Afghanistan’s new rulers.
The Taliban’s Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob this month publicly demanded that Uzbekistan and Tajikistan return the planes and helicopters that Afghan Air Force pilots used to flee the country as the insurgents seized power last August.
Two days later, Uzbekistan’s electricity supply to Afghanistan suddenly dropped by 60 per cent, raising concerns that the move was retributive.
Uzbekistan blamed technical problems for the cut, which lasted for three days. Dabs said it caused blackouts in 16 provinces.
Mr Amin dismissed concerns about power supply being used to pressure the Taliban government.
“The problem was technical and not political,” he told The National, explaining that issues within the synchronised power grids of the former Soviet nations can have a cascading effect on the entire region.
“Just a week before the blackout, officials from Dabs and the Ministry of Energy and Water went to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and extended the power agreement with Afghanistan for 2022,” Mr Amin said.
“According to my sources, the Taliban have even made a payment of about $25 million, of the total liability of $120m, to the four major countries that supply electricity.”
Mr Amin said it was not clear how the government managed to arrange the payment, given the international sanctions imposed on Afghanistan's banking system and a freeze of its overseas reserves after the Taliban takeover in August.
The sanctions have affected many foreign-funded projects that could have eased the country’s dependence on imported electricity, he said.
"Lack of capital makes it impossible to finish energy projects that were under way when the situation deteriorated last year," he said.
These include small-scale hydroelectric and solar projects for rural areas that were to be provided through the World Bank’s Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Programme in collaboration with the Afghan government.
Lack of capital makes it impossible to finish energy projects that were under way when the situation deteriorated last year
Mohsin Amin,
Afghan policy analyst and energy expert
Among the larger projects to be affected is the 500 kilovolt transmission line to supply 2,000MW from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"This was funded by Asian Development Bank but with recent sanctions on Afghanistan, investors have halted their funds fearing strong reactions from the US and European countries. It is tragic because the project was about 80 per cent completed, there is just the last bit of physical effort required to finish it,” Mr Amin said.
“Even the equipment had arrived in Afghanistan, but unfortunately the project is now in limbo.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
