Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Ashraf Ghani discussed the progress on construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, according to a message released by Turkmen government March 21.
During the discussions, the Afghan president said the TAPI project will be an invaluable contribution to peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan and to the sustainable social and economic development in the entire Central Asia.
It was especially emphasized that the start of the TAPI gas pipeline’s construction has great economic importance not only for Turkmenistan as an energy supplier, but also for transit countries and consumers.
“Its implementation will give a strong momentum to economic development in the region, as well as in Afghanistan, and will contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability there,” read the message.
Nearly 12,000 new jobs will be created thanks to TAPI’s infrastructure facilities.
TAPI’s construction began in mid-December 2015. Its estimated length is 1,735 kilometers.
The pipeline is expected to run from Galkynysh – the largest gas field in Turkmenistan – and go through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandagar to Fazilka settlement on the Pakistani-Indian border.