The state of telecommunication and internet in Afghanistan and its impact on the country’s socio-economic and digital development

Rahimullah Samandar — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This research examines the state of telecommunications, particularly Internet services, in Afghanistan and their impact on the country’s socio-economic and digital development. Despite notable progress over the past two decades in expanding Internet access, Afghanistan faces challenges due to its geographic, political, and economic circumstances. Using a mixed-method approach, this study analyzes telecommunications data and incorporates insights from expert interviews to assess the state of the Internet and identify the factors affecting Internet cost and quality, including geographical constraints, lack of direct access to the sea, infrastructure issues, sparse population compared to land area, electrical power and Internet dependencies, regulatory challenges, and complex market dynamics. The study further reveals that over 90% of users are dissatisfied with the current state of Internet services, highlighting the interconnected challenges that hinder affordability and accessibility, particularly in rural areas. These barriers impede the country’s digital growth and socio-economic progress. The study concludes with strategies and recommendations, including investment in infrastructure and electrical power, access to radio spectrum, capacity building, policy reforms, fostering market competition, and leveraging international partnerships. These strategies aim to reduce Internet costs, enhance service quality, and promote Afghanistan’s broader socio-economic and digital development.

Hidden treasure of biodiversity in Afghanistan: Ichthyofauna

Mohammed Hamid Hamdard; Erdoğan Çiçek; Sevil Sungur, Soheil Eagderi — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We have been preparing, via deskwork, an updated checklist of Afghan fish species. Therefore, except for Coad (1981), all studies, including our updated checklist study, are desk-based studies. Based on our literature review, according to tentative figures, a total of 123 fish species live in six river basins in Afghanistan. The confirmed ichthyofauna of Afghanistan comprises 123 species belonging to 12 orders, 23 families, and 70 genera (Kelzang et al., 2021; Çiçek et al., 2023; Majidi & Mansoor, 2023). Among these, 23 species (18.7%) are alien and 7 species (5.7%) are considered endemic to Afghanistan, excluding the 48 species from the checklist. In particular, it should be clarified whether species known to be distributed in neighboring countries within the same basin are also found in Afghanistan. Some of these species are likely to be present. However, even if there is a connected basin, it is a fact that it will not be possible to find some species in high-altitude rivers originating from Afghanistan due to the bioecological differences of fish. This literature review provides a discussion of the diversity of known species and some controversial issues that need to be clarified.

Afghan Journal of Science

The state of telecommunication and internet in Afghanistan and its impact on the country’s socio-economic and digital development

Hidden treasure of biodiversity in Afghanistan: Ichthyofauna