Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov has arrived in western Herat province leading a high-level delegation to review progress on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and to enhance economic and transit cooperation, The Caspian Post reports, citing Pajhwok.

Hamayoon Afghan, spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the Turkmen delegation, together with Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mawlawi Hedayatullah Badri and officials from both countries, visited Torghundi port to assess practical progress on the TAPI project.

He added that the two sides discussed increasing the capacity of Torghundi port, developing transit facilities, facilitating the movement of goods, and expanding economic and trade cooperation between Kabul and Ashgabat.

Officials from both countries also emphasised the need to accelerate practical work on the TAPI project and to strengthen technical coordination.

The TAPI project, one of Afghanistan’s largest public infrastructure schemes, is expected to play a key role in regional economic development and job creation.

The visit comes as preparations have been completed for up to 90 kilometres of the TAPI pipeline route within Afghanistan.