Letter to UNESCO World Heritage Committee Member States

The following letter was sent to the 21 foreign ministers of member

states belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

Dear Mr.

I am writing this letter for the upcoming meeting of the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee in Berlin, 2020.

The members of the community will be voting on how the countries would
receive the $38 billion budget that will be spent on their economic welfare.
It is a very welcoming opportunity for all the developing countries to
present themselves at this respectable forum.

Afghanistan has been at a crisis of economic development since its

emergence on world map. It has never thrived on international platform, be
it trade, peace or relations. The economic conditions of the country have
suffered a lot since very beginning: no industrialization, poor agricultural
performance, non-acting health and educational reforms and innate
problem of terrorism and religious extremism.

Already being suffering a lot from all these difficulties, getting an aid from
UNESCO will not only support the country financially but also help to
improve country’s image and relations globally.

We thank you on considering Afghanistan as a candidate for this honorable

purpose and respectfully urge your member countries to vote for
Afghanistan for this aid.

Yours Sincerely,

Nyle

Minister of Afghani Finance and Resource Management,

Date: Monday, 18th May 2020.

Physical Features

Afghanistan is a mountainous
land-locked country located in
South-Central Asia.  Afghanistan is
divided into 34 provinces. The
largest city and capital is Kabul.

THE LAND
Afghanistan is known for its
mountainous terrain. The huge
Hindu Kush Mountains form a
barrier between the Northern
provinces and the rest of the
country. This mountain range has
also divided Afghanistan into three
very different geographic regions
known as: The Central Highlands,
The Northern Plains, and the
Southwestern Plateau. The
altitude, climate, and soil
conditions in Afghanistan vary
greatly on where in the country you are:

Central Highlands Southern Plateaus Northern Plains

High mountains and deep High plateaus and sandy Fertile foothills and plains
narrow valleys deserts

Covers 160000 sq. miles Covers 50000 sq. miles Covers 40000 sq. miles

Connects the country with Crossed by large rivers like Amu River (Oxus River)
subcontinent. Khyber Pass is Helmand flows over here
located in this region.

Dry and cold temperature is Dry and mild temperature is Favorable temperature for
observed. experienced agricultural purposes.

Soil in this land varies from Sandstorms are very usual Vast amount of fertile land,
desert steppe to meadow in these regions mineral deposits and natural
steppe gas is found here.
Afghanistan's climate
The climate is typical of an arid or semiarid
steppe, with cold winters and dry summers.
The mountain regions of the northeast are
subarctic with dry and cold winters. In the
mountains bordering Pakistan, a divergent
fringe effect of the monsoon, generally coming
from the southeast, brings tropical air masses
that determine the climate between July and
September. At times, these air masses advance
into central and southern Afghanistan, bringing
increased humidity and some rain.

Temperature and Precipitaion

Temperature and precipitation are controlled by the exchange of air masses. The highest
temperatures and the lowest precipitation prevail in the drought-ridden, poorly watered southern
plateau region, which extends over the boundaries with Iran and Pakistan.

The Central Mountains, with higher peaks ascending toward the Pamir Knot, represent another
distinct climatic region. From the Koh-e Baba Range to the Pamir Knot, January temperatures
may drop to -15 C or lower in the highest mountain areas; July temperatures vary between 0 and
26 C depending on altitude. In the mountains the annual mean precipitation, much of which is
snowfall, increases eastward and is highest in the Koh-e Baba Range, the western part of the
Pamir Knot, and the Eastern Hindukush. Precipitation in these regions and the eastern monsoon
area is about forty centimeters per year. The eastern monsoon area encompasses patches in the
eastern border area with Pakistan, in irregular areas in eastern Afghanistan from north of Asmar
to just north of Darkh-e Yahya, and occasionally as far west as the Kabul Valley. The Wakhan
Corridor, however, which has temperatures ranging from 9 C in the summer to below -21 C in
the winter, receives fewer than ten centimeters of rainfall annually. Permanent snow covers the
highest mountain peaks. In the mountainous region adjacent to northern Pakistan, the snow is
often more than two meters deep during the winter months. Valleys often become snow traps as
the high winds sweep much of the snow from mountain peaks and ridges.

Precipitation generally fluctuates greatly during the course of the year in all parts of the country.
Surprise rainstorms often transform the episodically flowing rivers and streams from puddles to
torrents; unwary invading armies have been trapped in such flooding more than once in
Afghanistan's history. Nomadic and seminomadic Afghans have also succumbed to the sudden
flooding of their camps.
Vegetation

Vegetaion is sparse in
the southern part of
the country,
particularly toward the
west, where dry
regions and sandy
deserts predominate.
Trees are rare, and
only in the rainy
season of early spring
is the soil covered with
flowering grasses and
herbs. The plant cover
becomes denser
toward the north,
where precipitation is
more abundant, and at
higher elevations the
vegetation is almost luxuriant, particularly in the mountainous region north of Jalālābād,
where the climate is influenced by the monsoons. The high mountains abound with large
forest trees, among which conifers, such as pine and fir, predominate. Some of these trees
are 180 feet (55 metres) high. The average elevation for the fir line is over 10,000 feet
(3,000 metres). At lower elevations, somewhere between 5,500 and 7,200 feet (1,700 and
2,200 metres), cedar is abundant; below the fir and cedar lines, oak, walnut, alder, ash, and
juniper trees can be found. There are also shrubs, several varieties of roses, honeysuckle,
hawthorn, and currant and gooseberry bushes.

Animals and Wild-Life

Most of the wild animals of the subtropical temperate zone inhabit Afghanistan. Large
mammals, formerly abundant, are now greatly reduced in numbers, and the tiger has
disappeared. There is still a great variety of wild animals roaming the mountains and
foothills, including wolves, foxes, striped hyenas, and jackals. Gazelles, wild dogs, and wild
cats, such as snow leopards, are widespread. Wild goats, including the markhor (Cabra
falconeri; prized for its long, twisted horns) and the ibex (with long, backward-curving
horns), can be found in the Pamirs, and wild sheep, including the urial and argali (or Marco
Polo sheep), inhabit the Pamirs and the Hindu Kush. Brown bears are found in the
mountains and forests. Smaller animals, such as mongooses, moles, shrews, hedgehogs,
bats, and several species of kangaroo rats (jerboas), may be found in the many isolated,
sparsely populated areas.

Birds of prey include vultures, which occur in great numbers, and eagles. Migratory birds
abound during the spring and fall seasons. There are also many pheasant, quail, cranes,
pelicans, snipe, partridge, and crows.
There are many varieties of freshwater fish in the rivers, streams, and lakes, but their
numbers are not great except on the northern slopes of the Hindu Kush, where the rivers
are well stocked with brown trout.

Soils

The country possesses extremes in the quality of its soils. The central highlands have
desert-steppe or meadow-steppe types of soil. The northern plains have extremely rich,
fertile, loesslike soils, while the southwestern plateau has infertile desert soils except along
the rivers, where alluvial deposits can be found. Erosion is much in evidence in the central
highlands, especially in the regions affected by seasonal monsoons and heavy precipitation.

Economy - overview:
Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001,
Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign
aid. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing,
clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Corruption, insecurity, weak
governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government's difficulty in
extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future
economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the
world. Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the
withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the
country’s economic growth.

Afghanistan’s economy is estimated to have grown by 2.9 percent in 2019

driven by easing of drought conditions and rapid agricultural growth. Inflation
remained modest at 2.3 percent. The trade deficit remains extremely large, at
around 31 percent of GDP, financed mostly by grant inflows. Fiscal
performance continued to improve in 2019 despite the elections withdomestic
revenues reaching 14.1 percent of GDP. Political uncertainties, however,
dampened private sector confidence and non-agriculture growth. The basic
needs poverty rate was 55 percent at the time of the last household survey
(2016/17) and is expected to have worsened since due to declining per capita
incomes.

The economy is expected to contract by up to four percent in 2020 with the

negative impacts of the COVID-19 virus overshadowing improvements in
weather conditions. Additional substantial downside risks remain, including
political instability, deterioration of security conditions, premature reduction in
aid flows, and further adverse regional economic or political developments.
Poverty is expected to remain high, driven by weak labor demand and
security-related constraints on service delivery.
Trade

Total annual imports have customarily exceeded exports. Prior to the

fall of Afghanistan’s communist regime, roughly two-thirds of exports
went to the former Soviet republics to the north. The Soviet state was
also the leading source of imports. The principal export, natural gas,
flowed mostly to the Soviet Union until pipelines were closed.
Traditional exports are dried fruits, nuts, carpets, wool, and karakul
pelts, and imports include vehicles, petroleum products, sugar,
textiles, processed animal and vegetable oils, and tea. Since the mid-
1990s Pakistan and Iran have served as the major suppliers of
consumer goods. Other major trade partners include India, China, and
the United Arab Emirates.

Refe rence:

 https://www.afghan-web.com/geography/
 https://swedishcommittee.org/afghanistan/climate
 http://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/35.htm
 https://www.britannica.com/place/Afghanistan/Plant-and-animal-life
 https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/afghanistan/overview
 https://theodora.com/wfbcurrent/afghanistan/afghanistan_economy.html