The EU and Central Asia Discussed Issues on Afghanistan in Brussels, with Special Attention Paid to the Role of Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium Sapar Palvanov took part in the 7th meeting of the EU-Central Asia Dialogue on Afghanistan, which took place on November 12 in Brussels. The forum was attended by representatives of the countries of the region and institutions of the European Union, who discussed issues of sustainable development, regional connectivity, humanitarian support and practical formats of interaction with Afghanistan in the interests of stability and well-being of the peoples of the region.
During the meeting, the Turkmen diplomat presented a balanced position of Turkmenistan, which implements a policy of positive neutrality and good neighborliness. He stressed that the sustainable development of Afghanistan is an important condition for regional stability, and the best way to achieve this lies through economic integration, increased humanitarian cooperation and the implementation of specific infrastructure projects that improve the lives of people on the ground.
On November 11, Ambassador Sapar Palvanov held a working meeting with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Eduards Stipreis, and the EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Gilles Bertrand. The European side noted the exceptional importance of the regional platform and expressed interest in the practical steps being taken by the countries of the region. The discussion focused on issues of the water agenda, cross-border cooperation, and major energy and transport connectivity projects.
Special attention was paid to the flagship TAPI gas pipeline project (Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India). The project aims to connect suppliers and consumers of energy resources in the space from Central to South Asia. According to preliminary estimates, TAPI will create thousands of jobs and provide tangible transit revenues for Afghanistan, while strengthening the region's energy security.
Along with TAPI, other infrastructure areas were also discussed, in particular, electricity transmission projects, including increasing the export of Turkmen electricity to Afghanistan within the framework of the signed agreements. The Turkmen side stressed the practical importance of such steps for the socio-economic stabilization of the border provinces, increasing the availability of public services and creating new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.
In the humanitarian dimension, Turkmenistan continues to provide assistance to the Afghan people, from the supply of electricity and basic necessities to the expansion of educational opportunities.
The discussions held in Brussels confirmed the high level of trust and mutual understanding between the Central Asian countries and the European Union. It was noted that practice-oriented projects in the energy and transport sectors, support for the private sector, strengthening the humanitarian dimension and training young personnel are of particular importance.
The parties agreed on further contacts on sustainable development, cross-border cooperation and economic integration, including the integration of energy initiatives with the water agenda and border coordination. Following the results of the 7th meeting, the commitment to continue constructive cooperation was confirmed.
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