Afghan, Turkmen officials inaugurate TAPI gas pipeline project

Kabul: The major projects under the cooperation of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan will strengthen bilateral relations between the two neighbors, Acting Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund told an inauguration ceremony for the projects on Wednesday. The construction work of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline on Afghan territory and other development projects were inaugurated on Wednesday on the Turkmen side of the two country's border. "These initiatives would strengthen the bilateral relationship between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, delivering substantial economic and social benefits to the populations of both countries," Akhund said. Spanning 1,814 km in total, with 816 km on Afghan territory, the pipeline would transport 33 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India via Afghanistan, the office of the deputy prime minister for economic affairs posted on X. The project is expected to generate 450 million U.S. dollars for Afghanistan. The impoverished country will get 500 million cubic meters of gas for the first decade, 1 billion in the second decade, and 1.5 billion in the third decade, the office added. According to the office, thousands of people will be employed directly and indirectly under the project. The TAPI project was initially commenced in 2018, but it had been suspended due to unknown reasons. Source: The Namibia News Agency