A regular meeting of the Intergovernmental Council was held at the National Library of Tajikistan to promote the regional electricity transmission project CASA-1000. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan Daler Jumaa, the Minister of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic Taalaibek Ibraev, as well as, in a remote format, the Federal Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and the General Director of the Afghan energy company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat Dr. Abdul Bari Omar, along with development partners.
Daler Jumaa, in his welcoming speech, expressed satisfaction that construction work within the framework of the CASA-1000 project has been completed in the territories of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. He also expressed hope that Pakistan will complete its part of the work this year, and Afghanistan – in the near future. The minister especially emphasized that the 500 kV power transmission line «Datka-Sugd» was put under voltage on March 31, and, according to him, today this line can be used in the interests of the peoples of the participating countries. Mr. Jumaa noted that such significant progress achieved in all four countries was made possible not only thanks to the efforts of the states themselves, but also through the constant support and constructive cooperation of international financial institutions and development partners in the implementation of this, as he put it, «strategic and regional project».
It was mentioned at the meeting that the joint working group had prepared a Technical Code, which was subsequently submitted to the Intergovernmental Council for approval. The significance of this document for the parallel integration of energy systems in the countries of Central and South Asia was emphasized.
Representatives of the project participating countries, international financial institutions and development partners also spoke during the meeting, and a presentation was given on the progress of construction work in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The event ended with the signing of the Protocol of the meeting of joint working groups, the Joint Statement of the participating countries of the Intergovernmental Council and the Resolution of the meeting. These documents formalize further steps towards the implementation of the project.
Let us recall that the CASA-1000 project provides for the export of surplus summer hydroelectric power from Central Asian countries to South Asia.
