PROVINCE REPORT
ISLAMABAD: National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, held talks with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, during his working visit to Afghanistan, focusing on the development of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.
The two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation in energy, transport, power infrastructure, trade and economic relations, with particular emphasis on accelerating the TAPI project and its Serhetabat-Herat section, known as “Arkadagyň ak ýoly” (Arkadag’s White Path).
Abdul Ghani Baradar stressed the need for a joint mechanism between the relevant agencies of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to ensure regular cooperation and advance work on the TAPI project. He also expressed Afghanistan’s interest in benefiting from Turkmenistan’s experience in training specialists for the gas sector.
The talks also covered transport and logistics cooperation, including the Lapis Lazuli international transport corridor, as well as cooperation in science, education and culture. The two sides discussed increasing the number of Afghan students studying in Turkmenistan and training specialists for sectors linked to the TAPI project.
Berd Berdimuhamedov proposed establishing a Turkmen-Afghan commission on economic cooperation to strengthen the legal framework for joint projects.
During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Turkmenistan’s State Concern “Türkmengaz” and Afghanistan’s State Corporation “Afghan Gas”, marking another step toward strengthening cooperation in the gas sector.
The meeting underscored the importance of TAPI and other regional connectivity projects in promoting economic cooperation and strengthening links between Central and South Asia.
