One of the Uzbek companies plans to invest one billion dollars in the development of the energy sector of neighboring Afghanistan, reports Podrobno.uz.
According to Afghan media, on October 10, Afghanistan's Ministry of Mining and Petroleum and an Uzbek company, whose name was not disclosed, signed a contract for gas exploration and extraction at the Tuti-Maidan site in the northern province of Jawzjan. The Chairman of the Board of "Uzbekneftegaz," Bahodirjon Sidikov, attended the signing ceremony.
The contract was concluded for ten years. In the first year, the company will invest $100 million, and over ten years, approximately $1 billion. In the first two years, the Uzbek investor plans to produce 100 megawatts of electricity from the extracted gas.
Experts note that this agreement is part of Uzbekistan’s strategy to strengthen its influence in the region and create new economic opportunities. The development of infrastructure and energy in Afghanistan not only contributes to stability in the country but also opens new prospects for business and regional integration.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Mining and Petroleum, Hidayatullah Badri, emphasized that the gas reserves at Tuti-Maidan cover an area of about 7,000 square kilometers. The project will significantly meet the country’s gas needs, increase revenues, and create jobs.
The Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev, also stressed the importance of investing in the neighboring country for "the economic revival of Afghanistan and improving the lives of its people."
In 2024, a new Afghan ambassador began work in Uzbekistan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 15, 2024