Afghanistan Assures Full Protection to TAPI Gas Pipeline
Afghanistan has assured it will take all necessary measures to ensure safety of the TAPI gas pipeline.
The assurance was given by senior Afghan officials during a conference ‘The importance of TAPI gas pipeline’ held in Herat in Afghanistan on April 25, 2016. The conference was attended by heads of state institutions and representatives of international organizations working in Herat, as well as more than 200 representatives of the people of Herat province, Turkmenistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The conference was attended by Turkmenistan’s deputy minister of foreign minister V.Hadzhiev, Afghan deputy minister of foreign affairs Ahmad Nasir Andishe, deputy minister of mining and oil resources, Abdul Quddus Hamidi, the governor of Herat province Mohammad Asef Rahimi, the governor of Farah province, Mohammad Asef Nang, head of the Herat Provincial Council Kamran Alizai and research director of TurkmenGaz M.Halylov.
All the speakers noted that the implementation of the gas pipeline project will have a positive impact on the stabilization of the internal situation and the restoration of peace in Afghanistan. It was said that the project is essential to strengthen the political and social stability in Afghanistan and the region.
The multi-billion dollar project has recently seen some progress after years of delay. Earlier this month, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, the four TAPI countries, agreed to invest $200 million in the next stage of the project. The agreement was signed during 24th meeting of the steering committee of the TAPI pipeline project which was held in Ashgabat.
The much delayed transnational pipeline was formally inaugurated on December 13. TurkmenGaz is the leader of the consortium and has 85 percent equity. Along with GAIL India, ISGS of Pakistan and Afghan Gas Enterprise (AGE) have 5 percent stake each. The TAPI pipeline will have a capacity to carry 90 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) gas for 30 years and is planned to become operational in 2018.