Today, His Excellency Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, accompanied by a high-level delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, welcomed Honorable Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the friendly country of Turkmenistan, and his accompanying delegation for a visit to the TAPI project site on Afghan soil.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the National Leader of Turkmenistan for visiting Afghanistan to review the practical progress of the TAPI project and to further enhance coordination in this regard. He emphasized that TAPI is a key initiative for advancing regional cooperation, economic integration, and shared prosperity, noting that practical work on the project within Afghanistan has currently reached a progress of 14 kilometers.
The Deputy Prime Minister further stated that the vision of the Islamic Emirate is not limited to the TAPI project; rather, it aims to expand the economic corridor between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. This corridor includes the TAP-500 electricity transmission project, railway construction, roads, logistics centers, and other economic initiatives for which the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to ensuring implementation, security, and sustainability.
The Deputy Prime Minister also called on Turkmenistan and all international partners to take advantage of the existing investment opportunities in Afghanistan and to invest in the country.
Subsequently, Turkmenistan’s National Leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, delivered remarks, describing relations between Kabul and Ashgabat as strong and developing. He expressed gratitude to the Islamic Emirate for its full cooperation in implementing this significant regional project.
He stated that the TAPI project is among the Turkmen government’s top priorities and will play a constructive role in the region’s economic stability. He added that the current conditions are the most favorable for the implementation of the TAPI project, which remains the only regional project enjoying broad international support.
He further stated that Turkmenistan is committed to completing its portion of the TAPI project within the designated timeframe, through which Afghanistan is expected to generate approximately one billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue.
In conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister urged neighboring countries to abandon confrontational and unprincipled approaches, and instead cultivate relations based on mutual respect, while refraining from actions that undermine the national sovereignty, dignity, or people of any nation.
