KABUL: (MEP) The $10 billion TAPI gas pipeline has been formally launched by leaders Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India, the largest gas pipeline project in the region.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Vice President Muhammad Hamid Ansari attended the ground breaking ceremony in Mary in the southeastern part of the central Asian country.
The four leaders inaugurated the work on the 1,814-kilometer pipeline by pushing the button as well as putting their signatures on the pipeline to record the historical moment.
Turkmenistan has said it expects the gas link with an annual capacity of 33bn cubic metres to be completed by the end of 2018.
Afghanistan, India and Pakistan have all repeatedly stated their commitment to the natural gas project despite the bilateral tensions Delhi and Kabul have with Islamabad.
President Ghani meanwhile said TAPI will change the economic landscape of the region and that it reflects immense potential of the region to move forward.
The trans-regional energy project, which will carry gas from Turkmenistan, through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India is being hailed as a major initiative for bringing peace and enhancing connectivity in the region.
On Sunday, the leaders praised the pipeline as a political project that will help bring about better relations in the volatile region.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the TAPI was of great significance for Pakistan’s energy outlook, besides being a vital component of his government’s efforts to mitigate the country’s energy crisis through import of natural gas and electricity. “Regional connectivity subject is close to my heart. It is through the projects like TAPI we can join hands for pursuing a common goal of strengthening of peace and prosperity in our region,” he added.
TAPI’s construction is led by state gas firm Turkmen-gas but none of the global energy majors have so far committed to the project that will cost as much as a third of Turkmenistan’s total 2016 budget.
President Ghani thanked Turkmenistan for its support and cooperation with Afghanistan and said: “Turkmenistan is and continues to be a good and benevolent neighboring country of Afghanistan.”
The project will produce job opportunities for tens of thousands of Afghans and will receive millions of dollars every year as the transit.
