On 27 February 2024, the Afghanistan delegation headed by Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Mammetkhan Chakiyev, Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, as part of a working visit to Turkmenistan, the Afghan Foreign Ministry reports.
The meeting explored the prospects of expanding export-import cargo flows between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, projects to increase the capacity of the railway in the dry port of Torghundi, as well as issues of facilitation to Afghan traders in the port of Turkmenbashi.
Muttaqi noted that the port of Torghundi occupies a strategic position between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, since both countries are connected through this point by road and rail.
He stated that Afghanistan is ready to increase the capacity of the Torghundi port with the participation of Turkmen investments for enhancing trade and transit between the two countries.
In turn, Chakiyev said that an agreement will be signed between the railway authorities of the two countries in the near future, following which the Turkmen side will start work on increasing the capacity of the railway station in the port of Torghundi.
He also expressed gratitude to the Afghan side for allocating the necessary land in Torghundi. At the same time, the readiness of the Turkmen side to invest in this project was indicated.
The agenda of the meeting also included issues related to the revitalization of the Lapis Lazuli transport and transit corridor (transit project between Türkiye, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan).
Muttaqi called on both countries to actively work on the route in cooperation with other partner countries in order to achieve the strategic goal by reviving the Lapis Lazuli route.
“With establishment of overall security condition in Afghanistan, IEA as a responsible government seeks to revive Lapis Lazuli corridor for the connectivity of the region, which is the key element of our economic-centric foreign policy,” the acting Afghan Foreign Minister stressed.
According to Chakiyev, the Lapis Lazuli route is a very important matter, adding that it is necessary to hold a meeting of the five countries of the Lapis lazuli route including Afghanistan.
In addition, Chakiyev drew attention to the possibility of continuing the personnel training of Afghan railway workers and transport specialists.
The head of the Agency for Transport and Communications said that he will visit the port of Turkmenbashi next week as part of the visit of the Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan to Turkmenistan, accompanied by Afghan businessmen. ///nCa, 28 February 2024