The inauguration
ceremony was attended by the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for
Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar; Minister of Mines and
Petroleum, Hedayatullah Badri; and representatives from Uzbekistan,
including the President’s Special Envoy Ismatulla Irgashev, the
head of Uzbekneftegaz Bahodir Sidikov, and Deputy Minister of
Energy Bakhtiyor Mamatkarimov.
Baradar emphasized that the project represents a key step in
reducing Afghanistan’s dependence on imported gas and electricity,
curbing foreign currency outflows, and laying the groundwork for
future energy exports. He also noted that the initiative will
create thousands of jobs and open new opportunities for the
country’s economy.
Last October, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed a 10-year
agreement to jointly develop the Tuti-Maidan natural gas field.
Under the terms of this contract, Uzbekistan is set to invest $100
million in the first year and construct a 100-megawatt thermal
power plant within two years.
The Tuti-Maidan field covers approximately 7,000 square
kilometers and ranks among Afghanistan’s largest gas reserves, with
estimated deposits of around 3 trillion cubic meters. The project
is not only critical for meeting Afghanistan’s domestic energy
needs but also holds significant strategic potential for regional
energy exports, particularly to neighboring Central Asian
countries, thereby enhancing cross-border energy cooperation.
