Herat Governor Noor Ahmad Islamjar met with Begenj Abdullayev, head of the TAPI project in Afghanistan and deputy consul of Turkmenistan in Herat, to discuss the progress of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and ways to expand economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
The meeting, attended by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ representative office in Herat, focused on accelerating the implementation of the TAPI project and strengthening bilateral economic ties.
During the talks, Islamjar proposed holding a joint Afghan-Turkmen trade exhibition in Afghanistan’s Torghundi border area and Turkmenistan’s Serhetabat. He said the exhibition could help boost trade relations, showcase domestic products, and enhance economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
Abdullayev thanked Herat’s local authorities for their continued support in advancing the TAPI project, describing their cooperation as instrumental in speeding up work on the key regional energy project.
He also welcomed the proposal for a joint trade exhibition, saying it would be shared with the relevant authorities in Turkmenistan for review before a decision is made on its implementation.
At the end of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing joint cooperation, expanding economic relations, and facilitating the effective implementation of shared development projects between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
The 1,814-kilometer TAPI gas pipeline, including 816 kilometers passing through Afghanistan to Pakistan, is designed to transport 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually. Over 90 kilometers of pipeline have already been installed in Herat.
