ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 2. The commencement of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline (TAPI) project has created opportunities for expanding regional cooperation, said Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, TurkicWorld reports via the prime minister’s X account.
He made the statement during the meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov in Herat, Afghanistan, on February 1. The participants list also included the Minister of Transport and Railways of Turkmenistan, the head of the Turkmengaz State Concern, the Minister of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan, and the Minister of Water and Energy of Afghanistan.
Earlier, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), in its recent report, stated that Turkmenistan is the largest investor from the Eurasian region in Afghanistan, accounting for 52% of accumulated foreign direct investments (FDI), or about $99 million.
According to the bank, Turkmenistan’s investment presence in Afghanistan is concentrated in infrastructure and energy projects. The largest active project is the TAPI gas pipeline. Turkmenistan intends to finance the main part of the project, with investments in the Afghan section starting in 2024 and estimated at $69 million by mid-2025.
