Turkmenistan has invested over $1.5 billion in joint infrastructure projects with Afghanistan, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov announced, according to local media reports on Thursday.
The investments are part of Turkmenistan’s broader strategy to strengthen political, economic, and transportation ties with its neighbor, the minister said.
“We aim to enhance our commercial, transportation, and transit relations with Afghanistan,” Meredov said at a meeting that focused on bilateral infrastructure development.
Meredov also called on regional partners, including India, Pakistan, international banks, and the Asian Development Bank, to invest in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, a major project designed to boost regional energy cooperation.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, quoted by Turkmen media, welcomed the growing economic ties between the two countries, stating, “Economic relations and bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are currently expanding.”
The meeting was attended by ambassadors from China and India, along with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations, who expressed support for the continued implementation of these joint projects.
The TAPI pipeline project, a key initiative in Central Asia, is expected to help stabilize Afghanistan’s economy by creating jobs and improving energy access, while also strengthening Turkmenistan’s role as a regional energy hub.
