Work on the exploration and extraction project of the Toti-Maidan gas fields in Afghanistan’s Jawzjan province has officially begun, TOLOnews reported.
The Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced that the contract for this project has been signed with KAM Group and the Uzbek company Railcom for a period of twenty-five years.
During the ceremony, the Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs said that the launch of this project sends a message to regional countries that Afghanistan is ready for investment.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, stated: “With this project, the country’s dependence on imported gas and electricity will be reduced, the outflow of foreign currency will be curbed, and gradually, the groundwork for gas exports abroad will also be created.”
The Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum emphasized that the recent agreements signed between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have expanded economic ties between the two countries.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, said: “This project can serve as a model of economic partnership between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and elevate our relations from historical neighborhood to a new phase of modern economic cooperation.”
The Special Envoy of the President of Uzbekistan also stressed that his country supports major economic projects in Afghanistan.
Bakhtiyar Karimov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, said: “This project marks the beginning of major cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Advanced technologies will be applied in this project, and environmental considerations have also been taken into account.”
According to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, the Toti-Maidan gas fields cover an area of 7,500 square kilometers, with around 30 wells currently in place.
