On October 10, the Ministry of Mines and Oil of Afghanistan signed a contract with a Uzbek company to implement gas exploration and production in the Tuti Maidan gas field in the Jawzjan province of northern Afghanistan. The contract will be valid for ten years, during which about one billion dollars will be invested in Jawzjan’s gas sector.
The Minister of Mines and Oil of Afghanistan, Hidayatullah Badri, stated that gas reserves in Tuti Maidan cover an area of approximately 7,000 square kilometers and emphasizing its importance, said that the initiative is expected to significantly meet the country’s energy needs, increase national income, and create new jobs. According to Badri, “In the first two years, the mentioned company will produce 100 megawatts of electricity from gas, which is a positive step towards increasing electricity supply.”
In turn, Ismatilla Ergashev, Uzbekistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, noted that his country’s investment in Afghanistan is crucial for improving economic conditions and creating jobs, saying,
“We aim to implement Afghanistan’s economic potential to create jobs for millions of Afghans. Our goal is Afghanistan’s economic revival and improving people’s lives.”
Following the United Nations General Assembly in September, during which Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov emphasized that Afghanistan is a crucial part of Central Asia, and solving the Afghan issue is vital for the region’s stability and sustainable development, the minister held a meeting on October 9, with Abdul Ghafar Terawi, the new head of Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission in Tashkent.
Previously, the issue of Afghan military aircraft remaining in Uzbekistan had caused protest from the Taliban.
