Muttaqi: Efforts Ongoing to Connect Afghanistan to Türkiye, Europe

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting with ambassadors of several countries in Kabul and representatives of regional and international organizations, stated that with the commencement of the practical work on the TAPI project and other infrastructure projects, Afghanistan and the regional countries will achieve economic growth.

In his speech, Muttaqi said that the Islamic Emirate is also ready to activate the Lapis Lazuli route to connect Afghanistan with Central Asian and European countries.

The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to the start of the TAPI project in Afghanistan and mentioned that the commencement of this project is one of the significant economic developments. 

He highlighted that the TAPI project, fiber optics, and the construction of railways play an essential role not only for Afghanistan but also for the countries involved in TAPI, including Pakistan and India.

Amir Khan Muttaqi further said: “Last week, we and our Turkmen friends inaugurated not only the TAPI project but also the TAP project, the important fiber optic project, part of the Torghundi railway project aimed at increasing loading and unloading capacity, and continued work on the Torghundi-Herat railway.”

Muttaqi reiterated that the Islamic Emirate is ready to connect through the Lapis Lazuli route to Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and European countries. He added that the construction of the Wakhan corridor would also directly connect Afghanistan and Iran with China.

Regarding the significance of this route, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs said: “We are prepared to connect Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan to Türkiye via the Lapis Lazuli route, and eventually to have a path to Europe. The decisive measures of the Islamic Emirate, good planning, and the presence of strong security forces have brought comprehensive security in Afghanistan, enabling us to play a positive role in regional stability.”

The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs also mentioned that the relations of the Islamic Emirate with Arab countries are expanding.

This comes as last week the first phase of the TAPI project in Afghanistan, which is 153 kilometers long, was inaugurated and is expected to be completed within the next two years.