The negotiations over technical affairs of the TAPI Pipeline project are underway with the Turkmen officials, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said on Thursday, adding that work on the project will be resumed after acquisition of land.
“Our technical team is working with the technical team of Turkmenistan. We are trying to finish work on the acquisition of land and to resume the project,” said Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the MoF.
He also said that the financial problems of the project have been resolved.
The deputy Minister of Economy, Abdul Latif Nazari, said that the TAPI pipeline project will help the country’s economy.
“The TAPI pipeline project is important for the trade and transit of Afghanistan and the region. The Ministry of Economy is attempting to attract investment for this project,” he said.
Economists believe that the Islamic Emirate should attempt to start work on the TAPI project.
“Lack of implementation of TAPI project or a delay in its implementation will affect Afghanistan’s economic development,” said Siar Qureshi, an economist.
On the sidelines of the third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Raşit Meredow, where they also discussed the TAPI and TAP projects.
A high-ranking delegation from Turkmenistan has come to Kabul and discussed issues related to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, officials said on Saturday.
The Turkmen delegates included deputy Foreign Minister Wafa Khadzhieve and Mohammad Murad Amanov, the chief of the TAPI company, as well as other officials.
Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said they agreed with the Turkmen delegates to resume the TAPI project construction in Afghanistan in the near future.
“We will try to start it soon and its implementation phase will start by the second half of this year,” said Shahabuddin Dilawar, acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum.
Meanwhile, the Turkmen delegates met with Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and talked about bilateral relations, the implementation of regional projects, and the resumption of the TAPI project in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan considers TAPI an important national project. We are ready to take practical steps for its implementation,” Hanafi said.
