Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Deputy Prime Minister for EconomicAffairs, met today, Sunday in Herat with Rashid Meredov, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan.
The meeting also included Mullah Hidayatullah Badri Ministers of Mines and Petroleum and Mullah Mohammad Yunus Akhundzada Minister of Energy and Water, along with the Minister of Transport and Railways and senior officials from both countries, including the head of the state-owned company Turkmengaz.
According to the Bakhtar News Agency, both sides discussed the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) and TAP (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan) projects, along with various railway and electricity initiatives.
Deputy PM Mullah Baradar emphasized that the TAPI project’s launch has opened new avenues for enhancing relationships among Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and regional nations. He noted that Delta International of Saudi Arabia has shown interest in investing in this project, specifically in aspects such as gas procurement, enhancing Turkmenistan’s gas capacity, and constructing pipelines from Herat’s Guzara District to Kandahar’s Spin Boldak and onward to the Indian border. He also mentioned plans for establishing a modern gas hub at Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
Afghanistan Deputy PM requested that Turkmenistan clarify its position on the Turghundi–Herat railway project, highlighting Kazakhstan’s interest in its implementation. He reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to finalizing the TAP project roadmap and assured readiness to facilitate electricity transmission to the districts of Bala Murghab, Khomab, and Qarqin, as well as other regional connectivity projects. He stressed the importance of generating job opportunities for Afghans in projects shared by both nations.
In response, Rashid Meredov thanked the Islamic Emirate for fostering favorable conditions for the TAPI project, indicating that work would advance toward Herat by the end of the year. He welcomed foreign investment in the project and emphasized the need for continued cooperation.
Meredov revealed Turkmenistan’s readiness to invest in the Turghundi–Herat railway project, stating that practical work has already commenced in Turghundi. He also mentioned Turkmenistan’s capability to transmit electricity to Afghanistan through five routes while increasing overall capacity.
The discussions further included strategies to enhance trade, banking cooperation, job creation, and collaborative work on managing economic projects across various sectors.
At the conclusion of the meeting, technical teams from both countries exchanged detailed insights regarding the progress of ongoing projects with all participants.
