Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey Hold Meeting to Launch TAP-500 Project

The first trilateral meeting between representatives of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Türkiye’s Çalık Holding Group was held today in Kabul, hosted by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting aimed to initiate the implementation of the TAP-500 electricity transmission project, The Caspian Post reports citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. The discussions focused on developing a joint roadmap and action plan for the project. The Afghan delegation included officials from the Ministry of Water and Energy and the national electricity company, while Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Energy and representatives from Çalık Holding participated as key stakeholders.

The TAP-500 project is designed to transmit high-voltage electricity from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan’s provinces of Herat, Farah, Helmand, and Kandahar. Following domestic consumption, the electricity will be further exported to Pakistan, generating a huge annual transit revenue for Afghanistan.

To facilitate the implementation of the project, the Afghan side announced the establishment of a joint secretariat to coordinate efforts among various ministries and expedite the project’s execution.

The Representatives from Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Energy and Turkey’s Çalık Holding Group expressed satisfaction with the security and cooperation environment in Afghanistan, and showed interest in extending this project not only to Afghanistan’s electricity sector but also to its final destination in Pakistan.

All sides agreed to form technical committees and hold regular meetings to finalize agreements and implementation plans for the TAP-500 project.

Based on its economic-centric policy, Afghanistan reaffirmed its commitment to regional connectivity by highlighting progress on the CASA-1000 electricity transmission and TAPI gas pipeline projects. After years of delays, the TAP-500 project is now set to commence, marking a significant step forward for Afghanistan’s energy sector and regional integration.