ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have discussed steps to accelerate work on the TAPI pipeline, with senior officials focusing on energy cooperation, transport links and the training of specialists for the gas sector.

Turkmenistan’s National Leader and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, visited the Mary velayat and travelled to the Islim-Cheshme border area before crossing into Afghanistan. During the visit, he held talks with Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The two sides highlighted their longstanding ties and described the border between the neighbouring countries as a symbol of friendship. Baradar thanked Turkmenistan for its continued humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and praised Ashgabat’s peaceful foreign policy.

During the discussions, both sides placed particular emphasis on the TAPI pipeline, a major regional energy project designed to transport Turkmen gas through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.

Officials also discussed the Serhetabat-Herat section of the pipeline, known as “Arkadagyň ak ýoly”, or “Arkadag’s White Path”. They described the project as an important symbol of Turkmen-Afghan cooperation.

Baradar called for a joint mechanism involving relevant agencies from both countries to maintain regular coordination and speed up work on the pipeline.

He also expressed Afghanistan’s interest in learning from Turkmenistan’s experience in training specialists for the gas industry. The two sides discussed plans to prepare skilled workers for jobs expected to emerge through TAPI-related projects.

Berd Berdimuhamedov and Afghan officials also reviewed cooperation in transport, logistics and power infrastructure. They stressed the importance of improving links between Central and South Asia.

The talks included the Lapis Lazuli transport corridor, which connects Afghanistan with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye. The five countries signed an agreement establishing the corridor in Ashgabat in 2017.

Turkmen officials said stronger transport links could improve regional trade and increase the efficiency of existing economic routes.

The two sides also explored cooperation in education, science and culture. Discussions included increasing the number of Afghan students studying in Turkmenistan and expanding specialist training in fields linked to the gas sector.

Berd Berdimuhamedov proposed establishing a Turkmen-Afghan commission on economic cooperation to strengthen the legal framework for joint projects.

The talks concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Turkmenistan’s state gas concern Türkmengaz and Afghanistan’s Afghan Gas state corporation.

The agreement is expected to support further coordination between the two sides as they work to advance energy cooperation and the wider TAPI project.

The visit ended with a ceremony in honour of the delegation before Berdimuhamedov returned to Ashgabat.