According to Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Turkmenistan has allocated more than $1.5 billion towards collaborative projects with Afghanistan.
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Turkmenistan’s former president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Afghanistan’s Acting Taliban Prime Minister Mohammed Hassan Akhund officially resumed construction of a key section of the 1,800-kilometer TAPI gas pipeline, on September 11.
The emphasis was placed on Turkmenistan’s intention to deepen these relations, inviting India, Pakistan, international banks, and the Asian Development Bank to invest in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.
Acting head of the Afghan Embassy in Turkmenistan, Fazal Mohammad Sabir, echoed this sentiment by stating, “The opening of TAPI, TAP, fiber optics, and railway lines, among others, truly symbolizes the genuine friendship and brotherhood between the people of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, who have coexisted in a positive neighboring environment for a long time.”
- Turkmenistan’s commitment to enhancing these relationships was underlined, as it extended invitations to India, Pakistan, international financial institutions, and the Asian Development Bank to participate in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline initiative.
Fazal Mohammad Sabir, the acting head of the Afghan Embassy in Turkmenistan, reiterated this perspective, stating, “The establishment of TAPI, TAP, fiber optics, and railway connections, among others, genuinely represents the authentic friendship and camaraderie between the peoples of Afghanistan. and Turkmenistan, who have long thrived together in a harmonious neighborhood.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, confirmed that economic ties and bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are growing.
On September 11, the former president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, alongside Afghanistan’s Acting Taliban Prime Minister, Mohammed Hassan Akhund, officially recommenced the construction of the Serhetabat-Herat segment of the 1,800-kilometer TAPI gas pipeline, which had been inactive since 2018. They also took part in the inauguration of a new railway bridge on the Serhetabat-Turgundi route at the Turkmen-Afghan border, the groundbreaking of the Satlyk-1 gas compressor station, the establishment of the Serhetabat-Herat fiber-optic communication line, and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission initiative.
Upon completion, the TAPI pipeline is projected to convey around 33 billion cubic meters of gas each year from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan to both Pakistan and India, traversing the Afghan provinces of Herat, Farah, Helmand, and Kandahar. Pakistan and India are set to acquire 42% of the gas shipments, while Afghanistan will receive 16%. The TAPI project, aimed at enabling Turkmenistan to diversify its energy exports, has encountered delays attributed to security issues, regional conflicts, and financial obstacles. Afghanistan is anticipated to gain from the pipeline, with estimated gas transit revenues reaching $500 million per year.
