Turkmenistan initiates a number of large international and regional projects. Their implementation will ensure sustainable development in the region and between the countries of Central Asia, the development of good neighborly relations between peoples, the strengthening of cooperation and the increase in commodity flows, the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan reports.
Turkmenistan took the first steps to sign the Agreement on Transit and Transport Cooperation (Agreement on the Lapis Lazuli route) between Turkmenistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The document was signed on November 15, 2017 at the ministerial meeting of the 7th Conference of Regional Economic Cooperation on Afghanistan in Ashgabat. Its adoption was a concrete contribution of the Ashgabat forum to building up a productive international partnership in order to increase the region’s economic integration and significantly increase trade volumes.
According to the agreement, railways and motorways will connect the city of Turgundi with Ashgabat, subsequently with the International Port of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian shore. Further, the corridor will continue through the Caspian Sea to Baku, then through Tbilisi to Ankara and Istanbul. The project’s budget, which aims to facilitate transit logistics and simplify customs procedures, is estimated at two billion dollars.
Serhetabat – Turgundy railway corridor, which is a part of Lazuli transport and transit corridor, started operating in February 2018. The construction of Turkmen – Afghan railway was fully undertaken by Turkmenistan.
