ASHGABAT, National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held high-level talks with Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar during a working visit to Afghanistan, focusing on the development of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline and broader economic, energy and transport cooperation.
On August 10, Berdimuhamedov made a working visit to Mary velayat and traveled to the Islim-Cheshme border zone in Serhetabat Etrap, from where he proceeded to Afghanistan.
At the border, representatives of the neighboring country’s younger generation requested a commemorative photograph with the Turkmen leader, who also presented them with gifts. Berdimuhamedov and Baradar subsequently welcomed members of the official delegations from both countries before beginning bilateral talks.
Welcoming the Turkmen leader, Baradar said relations between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan were rooted in the close historical ties between the two peoples as well as shared cultural and spiritual values. He also praised Turkmenistan’s peaceful foreign policy and expressed gratitude for the regular humanitarian assistance provided by Turkmenistan to the Afghan people. Baradar conveyed greetings and best wishes to Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
Berd Berdimuhamedov reciprocated the greetings and emphasized that the Turkmen and Afghan peoples were brothers and that the border between the two countries should remain a border of friendship.
The TAPI gas pipeline was a central issue during the discussions. The Serhetabat–Herat section of the pipeline, known as “Arkadagyň ak ýoly” (Arkadag’s White Path), was highlighted as an important symbol of Turkmen-Afghan good-neighborly relations and regional economic cooperation. Recent reporting has put the Afghan section from Serhetabat to Herat at approximately 153 kilometers, with the two sides seeking to accelerate its development.
The talks continued in an expanded format with the participation of official delegations from both countries. The sides noted that Afghanistan-Turkmenistan trade and economic relations were developing systematically on the basis of good-neighborliness, with joint infrastructure projects playing a central role.
Baradar stressed the need to establish a joint mechanism for regular cooperation between the relevant agencies of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to further advance implementation of the TAPI project. He also expressed Afghanistan’s strong interest in studying Turkmenistan’s experience in training specialists for the gas industry.
The discussions also covered other major energy and infrastructure initiatives, including the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (TAP) power transmission project and an optical-fibre communications line. The sides discussed the potential of these projects to strengthen energy supplies, infrastructure and economic development.
Berd Berdimuhamedov said the meeting covered cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, particularly TAPI, as well as transport and power infrastructure. The parties identified key tasks for advancing cooperation in these areas.
Transport and logistics cooperation was also discussed, with both sides stressing the importance of connectivity between Central and South Asia. Particular attention was given to the Lapis Lazuli international transport corridor.
The corridor is based on a five-party agreement signed in Ashgabat in 2017 between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. Berdimuhamedov has previously put forward proposals aimed at activating the corridor and improving its efficiency.
The two sides also discussed cultural, humanitarian, scientific and educational cooperation. They reviewed the possibility of increasing the number of Afghan students studying in Turkmenistan and expanding the training of qualified specialists in different fields, particularly professionals required for jobs expected to be created through the TAPI project.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening the legal and institutional framework for joint economic projects, Berdimuhamedov proposed establishing a Turkmen-Afghan commission on economic cooperation.
Following the negotiations, verses from the Holy Quran were recited and videos were shown documenting work completed on the Serhetabat–Herat section of the TAPI pipeline, “Arkadagyň ak ýoly.”
A signing ceremony was subsequently held for a Memorandum of Understanding between Turkmenistan’s State Concern “Türkmengaz” and Afghanistan’s State Corporation “Afghan Gas.” The agreement was signed as the two countries sought to further advance cooperation on gas supplies and the TAPI project.
The signing was followed by a festive sadaka held in honor of the occasion, attended by Berdimuhamedov and Baradar along with members of the two delegations.
After the conclusion of the visit, Berdimuhamedov bid farewell to the participants and departed for the administrative center of Mary velayat. Official representatives received him at Mary International Airport before he flew back to Ashgabat.
Upon arrival in the Turkmen capital, the National Leader of the Turkmen people was received by senior officials at Ashgabat International Airport.
The visit highlighted the expanding Afghanistan-Turkmenistan partnership in energy, transport, trade, education and infrastructure, while the TAPI pipeline remains one of the key projects intended to strengthen regional connectivity and energy cooperation among Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
