The foundation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway project is laid. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Tajikistan President Imamali Rahman are expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, hosted by Turkmenistan President Gurbanguli Berdimuhamedov, on June 5th.
Presidents of Afghanistan and Tajikistan will attend the groundbreaking ceremony in Atamurat, hosted by Berdimuhamedov. The leaders of the three countries signed an agreement on the project at the triple summit in Ashgabat on 20 March 2013.
The Ashgabat administration, which focuses on rail transportation in the region, wants to speed up the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway project. Within the scope of the project, the 85-kilometer-long railway between Atamurat and Imamnazar will be built. The second leg of the project will be the rails to 38 kilometers from Imamnazar to the Andhoy region of Afghanistan. The mentioned railway tracks will be realized with the financial resources of Turkmenistan.
Tajikistan will reduce its dependence on Uzbekistan with a railroad that will extend from Afghanistan to Turkmenistan. The Dushanbe administration, which has reached the market of Russia and other countries through Uzbekistan, will be opened to the Persian Gulf in the future with the new project.
An investment of approximately 400 million dollars is expected for the 400 km long railway. The Afghan administration is waiting for assistance from the Asian Development Bank for the Afghanistan part of the project.
At the same time, the Tajikistan government has sought funding for the railway, which has its own share of 160 kilometers. This country is also waiting for help from the Islamic Development Bank.
Source: ZAMAN
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