Turkmenistan and Afghanistan marked the commencement of construction on seven key energy and transport infrastructure projects on September 11 at a ceremony held along their shared border. Turkmenistan’s President, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, attended the event via videoconference, while Afghanistan’s Acting Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, was present in person.
Overview of launched projects
The projects include the start of construction for the Serkhetabad–Herat gas pipeline, part of the larger Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, referred to as “Arkadagyň Ak ýoly.” This project will play a significant role in facilitating gas transportation across the region. Additionally, a 177-meter railway bridge was inaugurated on the Serkhetabad–Torghundi line, enabling the transport of humanitarian aid from Turkmenistan into Afghanistan.
Other developments include the construction of the Shutlkyk-1 gas compressor station in the Shatlyk field, located in Turkmenistan’s Mary province, as well as a fibre-optic communication line on the Serkhetabad-Herat route. The projects also include constructing a warehouse complex and a loading-unloading yard at the dry port in Torghundi railway station.
The Torghundi-Sanobar railway line was initiated as the first segment of the planned Torghundi-Herat railway, further enhancing regional connectivity. Moreover, the first phase of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line project began with the supply of electricity from the Serkhetabad station to the Nur ul-Jihad station in Afghanistan’s Herat province.
TAPI pipeline project developments
A crucial part of the TAPI project is the Serkhetabad-Herat section. This transnational pipeline, when completed, will transport gas from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh fields, the country’s largest gas reserve, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and eventually India. Turkmenistan has committed to financing the 150-kilometre pipeline from Serkhetabat to Herat. The full TAPI pipeline, once operational, is expected to deliver up to 33bn cubic meters of gas annually and span approximately 800 kilometres each in Afghanistan and Pakistan before reaching India.
Diplomatic and economic implications
At the ceremony in Herat, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund highlighted that the launch of these infrastructure projects, particularly the TAPI gas pipeline, would further enhance relations between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. President Berdimuhamedov, speaking via videoconference, affirmed that the commencement of these projects is mutually beneficial not only for Afghanistan but for the entire region, noting Turkmenistan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation with its neighbour.
Turkmenistan remains actively engaged in diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, maintaining its embassy in Kabul and accepting the Afghan ambassador to Ashgabat. This continued collaboration underscores the significance of these projects in fostering economic growth and regional integration.
