The President of Afghanistan thanked Turkmenistan for its assistance in creating development corridors
Taking part in large-scale events dedicated to the commissioning of a number of new border infrastructure facilities, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani noted for his country the importance of resuming partnership relations with the Central Asian countries. Mr. Ghani spoke about the centuries-old friendship of the Turkmen and Afghan peoples and expressed gratitude to Turkmenistan for establishing strong relations and invaluable assistance in the implementation of major programs and projects. Today’s discoveries, according to the President, facilitate the even greater involvement of Afghanistan in the energy, transport and economic ties of the region and the world. Joint work in the field of railway service and communications, such major projects as the transmission of electricity to Pakistan – TAP and the transportation of gas to India and Pakistan – TAPI, the creation of a fiber-optic network connecting South Asia with Europe – all of this will improve the living conditions of the Afghan people, creating development corridors that will allow Afghanistan to grow rapidly, said Mr. Ghani. The implementation of these projects proves that our vision of interconnectedness and integration is not a regional dream, but an indisputable reality, noted he. The leader of the neighboring state underlined that the strengthening of customs cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan is an urgent need, and the exchange of customs information and the creation of additional benefits, including the simplification of the visa regime, are important for Afghan businessmen. In the final part of the address, the President of Afghanistan expressed his hope that the “twin cities” format between Mary and Herat will further strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
