National Leader of the Turkmen People Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov symbolically launched welding work on the Afghan section of the TAPI gas pipeline, marking the beginning of a new phase of this strategic project, according to the Turkmenistan International Information Center.

The ceremony took place directly at the construction site of the 153-kilometer Serhetabat-Herat section, dubbed "Arkadagyň Ak ýoly”.

In his speech, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the project will bring significant economic benefits to the entire region.

According to Hero Arkadag, once the project is fully implemented, Afghanistan will receive over $1 billion annually in transit fees, and thousands of new jobs will be created for the local population. He also noted that more than 200 units of modern, powerful equipment were being used for construction.

Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, who attended the ceremony, called the TAPI project "a symbol of cooperation and a bridge for building trust." He thanked Turkmenistan for its support, noting the project's enormous significance for Afghanistan's energy security and stability.

The symbolic start of welding work on Afghan soil marked another practical step in the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India transnational energy pipeline.