Dear compatriots!

Dear friends!

Dear guests!

Today is marked for Turkmenistan and Afghanistan by a truly historic event that will go down in the annals of bilateral relations. We are witnessing the successful implementation of a number of major projects with the blessing of Arkadagly Hero Serdar.

There are seven of them. First of all, we are talking about the laying of the Serhetabat-Herat section, called "Arkadagyň ak ýoly" and representing a key link in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, a fiber-optic communication line and the "Şatlyk-1" gas compressor station in the Mary velayat. The construction of the 1st section of the Turgundi-Sanabar railway Turgundi-Herat and a warehouse complex in the dry port of the Turgundi railway station will also begin. At the same time, a 177-meter-long railway bridge is being commissioned on the Turkmen-Afghan border along the Serhetabat-Turgundi railway line. In addition, the Nur-el-Jahad power plant is being launched in the Afghan province of Herat as part of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan power transmission line project.

I sincerely congratulate you on these significant events!

Dear friends!

Today, Turkmen-Afghan relations, rooted deep in history, are gaining new content and are invariably committed to the principles of mutual respect, honor and dignity, equality, balance of interests, as well as friendship and brotherhood. They are expressed through the implementation of large-scale reforms, the creation of infrastructure systems and facilities, new transport routes, communication lines and power transmission.

We are consistently building up constructive and equal cooperation with fraternal Afghanistan. The mentioned major projects, which have great prospects, write a new page in the history of bilateral relations based on friendship and brotherhood.

I would like to assure the Afghan brothers and partners that Turkmenistan will continue to provide comprehensive support to the neighboring country, including economic and political-diplomatic, especially in the international arena.

Dear compatriots!

Dear friends!

I would also like to note that the Turkmen side, together with the Afghan side, is implementing very important projects, including the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route.

As for the new projects we are implementing, I am sure that they will become significant not only from the standpoint of bilateral relations, but also on the scale of the region and the world as a whole. At the same time, I am convinced that the construction and commissioning of such facilities will give a significant boost to the economic development of Afghanistan and will ensure the effective operation of its industrial and social spheres.

According to calculations, with the implementation of the above-mentioned projects, the Afghan people will have at least 12 thousand jobs, and the country itself will receive an average of more than 1 billion US dollars per year, which will have a positive effect on the dynamics of not only bilateral relations, but also the region. At the same time, they are focused on achieving a common goal, namely, to give a significant boost to the development of the two countries, ensure sustainable development in the region and, as a result, the prosperity and well-being of our peoples.

We also strive to form a balanced and reliable energy and transport and communication systems that are capable of expanding at an accelerated pace. I am immensely grateful to my dear brothers, our neighbors, for participating in the implementation of joint projects in this area!

Dear participants of the ceremony!

With the commissioning of facilities and the laying of new ones, great prospects are opening up between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan for large-scale cooperation, as well as for socio-economic development, significant improvement in the well-being of the population and the creation of additional jobs. In this regard, the mentioned projects are extremely necessary for building up economic, industrial and trade partnerships; they will provide access for goods and services to the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East, in general to vast territories and markets that are growing rapidly, and will also make it possible to use the logistics potential. All this, in turn, will contribute to strengthening regional security, create a favorable environment for interaction with international structures in the Afghan direction. The projects being implemented are also fundamentally consistent with the long-term strategy of the United Nations and are designed to ensure sustainable development in Central and South Asia, as well as in neighboring states.

Dear participants of the ceremony!

Neutrality and the “open door” policy form the basis of Turkmenistan’s course in the international arena; its potential is aimed at the interests of peace, good neighborliness, and the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Our proposals in the field of transport and energy are also of great interest. In this regard, the General Assembly of the United Nations unanimously adopted the draft resolutions developed and put forward by us in these areas. And today we are witnessing their implementation.

I would like to emphasize that we have embarked on a long journey - we are at the beginning of a new historical period. In the future, we will have to implement many new projects that are very promising both for the two fraternal countries and peoples, and for other states.

Dear compatriots!

Dear friends!

Once again, I sincerely congratulate you on the implementation of very important projects - the laying of foundations for facilities and the commissioning of new ones!

And most importantly - on behalf of Arkadagly Hero Serdar, I express gratitude to our neighbors and brothers, to the members of the delegations in general and especially to their leaders who are participating in this ceremony. I wish you great success!