Turkmenistan, Tajikistan highlight importance of TAT railway
By Aynur Jafarova
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT) railway project is of strategic importance for the whole region.
The remarks were made during the meeting of the Turkmen-Tajik intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.
The meeting participants paid special attention to cooperation on transport and communications, particularly the implementation of the important infrastructure project for constructing the TAT railway which creates a new transport corridor.
Tajik Energy and Water Resources Minister Usmonali Usmonzoda visited Ashgabat to participate in the commission's work.
The parties agreed to hold the sixth meeting of the commission in Tajik capital Dushanbe in the first half of 2015.
The 400-kilometer TAT railway project, the implementation of which began in early June, 2013, is of great importance for the strategic, political, and economic interests of all parties to the project.
China, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan are expected to join the project in the future.
The future rail network will not only connect regional countries, but will also provide them with access to the markets of more distant countries. Such routes will allow the continental and neighboring Central Asian countries to fully realize their economic potential.
This route will open a new corridor between Central Asia and global markets through the Indian Ocean ports.
Implementing joint infrastructure projects will be a powerful impetus for developing the Afghan economy and soling important social issues, including those related to employment.
The implementation of this project will also contribute to the diversification of Turkmen and Tajik transport corridors, and the usage of transport and communication networks of the Central Asian, Caspian, and Black Sea regions.