Turgundy railway station receives the cargo for further shipment along Lazuli Route

Serhetabat – Turgundy railway corridor, which is a part of Lazuli transport and transit corridor, has been put into operation in February 2018. The construction of Turkmen – Afghan railway was completely undertaken by our country, which provides comprehensive support and assistance to fraternal people, the Head of the State highlighted.

Throughput capacity of Turgundy railway station has been increased after modernization of the railroad. Therefore, the improvement of the economy of Afghanistan, growth of the trade turnover of neighbouring country and other measures taken in this direction allowed enhancing the capabilities of bringing of Afghan production to international markets as well as the import of goods to Afghanistan by short and beneficial route.

It is worth mentioning that the initiative about inclusion of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to transport and logistic system of our country and further to international transport communication network is successfully implemented after opening of Serhetabat (Turkmenistan) – Turgundy (Afghanistan) railroad. In this regard, motor cargo caravan has arrived from Herat (Afghanistan) to Turgundy railway station on December 13, 2018. The cargo will be transported across Turkmen territory and would be dispatched via Turkmenbashy International Seaport to the Republic of Azerbaijan from where it will be shipped to Turkey via Georgia. Therefore, this pilot shipment is special and important event and another evidence that modern Turkmenistan is the heart of transport and transit corridors as it used to be many centuries ago.

Official ceremony was held on this occasion in Herat. The participants expressed the gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov who puts steadfast efforts for the efficiency of the dialog between two countries, in particular for economic restoration of Afghanistan.

According to the participants of the event, Afghanistan – Turkmenistan – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Turkey transport corridor is the key element for solution of number of economic issues, which are very urgent for Asia. New route will support the development of production in the region.

It will make special effect on the revival of the economy of Afghanistan. Our country renders comprehensive support to fraternal state assisting in implementation of major projects and programmes. These are Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India gas pipeline, Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan power and fibre optic lines, Serhetabat – Turgundy railroad and other. At the same time, according to profile specialists, transport projects would give strong impulse to the development of the economy of Afghanistan and entre region.

Construction of modern transport infrastructure and comprehensive operation of Lazuli route are able to activate the producers, which goods cannot find the customers due to the limit of existing transport and transit routes.

Lapis Lazuli project will allow considerably improving the cargo traffic and reduce the distance from producer to sale markets, which will make the production cheaper for foreign customers and would raise the interest of trade enterprises in intensification of the cooperation with the producers in the region. At the same time, the focus is made on transport infrastructure of Turkmenistan, which potential has been significantly improved with the implementation of major projects initiated by Turkmen leader.

It would be reasonable to mention that President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani took part in International Conference held in Herat on this occasion. In his speech, the President highlighted exclusive significance of the efforts of Turkmenistan for regulation of the situation in Afghanistan by peaceful method.

President Ashraf Ghani noted that Turkmenistan pays special importance to the development of good neighbouring relations, efficient cooperation and provides comprehensive support in development of Afghan nation. This is the main condition of integrated development of constructive dialog between the nations, which lives in close neighbourhood throughout the centuries.

Shipment of goods produced in Afghanistan via Turkmenistan to other countries provides favourable situation for Afghanistan by the development of efficient relations between the countries of the region and provides further consolidation of stability.