The current Afghan conditions have created an appropriate opportunity for the implementation of the TAPI pipeline project.  This was stated by Second Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar at a meeting with Director General of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited Muhammetmyrat Amanov and Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Afghanistan Khoja Ovezov, Orient reports.

 Mullah Baradar's office said in a statement that «the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is fully prepared to launch the TAPI project and is committed to any form of cooperation in this area».

 The Ministry of Mining and Oil announced that the construction of the TAPI project will begin in October 2022.  “The meetings took place.  We can start work in mid or late October,” ministry spokesman Esmatulla Burkhan said.

 According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, a technical group will travel to Turkmenistan next month to discuss the TAPI project.  Including issues related to the distribution of Turkmen gas between industry and the population, the production of electricity from it.

 “The TAPI gas pipeline project is one of the vital projects that will spark political and security cooperation between the countries involved, as well as boost the regional economy,” Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Ministry of Economy, said.

 In turn, the Chamber of Industry and Mines of Afghanistan (ACIM) believes that the implementation of the TAPI project will help Afghanistan become self-sufficient.  “This will help industries dependent on gas, we also have a serious need for gas for the Afghan economy,” Sahi Ahmad Payman, deputy head of ACIM, said.

 The construction of a gas pipeline with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year started in December 2015 on the territory of Turkmenistan.  The implementation of this large-scale project will provide great benefits to all its participants.  It will allow Ashgabat to expand the diversification of gas exports, provide Kabul with funds to solve acute social problems, and help Islamabad and Delhi to reduce the shortage of energy resources.

 Previously, the project has already received approval from Russia, the United States, the European Union and other states, as well as major financial institutions, including the Asian Development Bank.  The Taliban also expressed their interest in implementing TAPI after coming to power in Afghanistan.