TAPI Shareholders Sign Agreement To Kick Start Construction

[Firdousi]

TAPI Shareholders Sign Agreement To Kick Start Construction
Saturday, 09 April 2016 11:26
Last Updated on Sunday, 10 April 2016 08:28
Written by TOLOnews


Shareholders of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited (TPCL) have signed an Investment Agreement at a ceremony attended by petroleum ministers and senior government officials from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and India, as well as senior Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials.

According to a press release issued by ADB, the agreement will pave the way for the delivery of a long-term supply of natural gas, supporting Afghanistan's energy needs and helping it rebuild links with neighboring "Silk Road" countries.

The Investment Agreement provides an initial budget of over $200 million USD to fund the next phase of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline. This includes funding for detailed engineering and route surveys, environmental and social safeguard studies, and procurement and financing activities, to enable a financial investment decision, after which construction will begin. It is estimated that construction will take up to three years.

"Once completed, the TAPI pipeline will provide a sustainable source of energy for Afghanistan, help catalyze investment and create local job opportunities," said Mir Ahmed Jawid Sadat, Afghanistan's Deputy Minister of Mines and Petroleum. "Critically it also provides a mechanism for renewing partnerships with our 'Silk Road' neighbors, and shows the desire of the region for peace, stability and security through economic development."

TPCL will build, own, and operate the TAPI pipeline, which once completed, will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan for the next 30 years. The pipeline stretches about 1,600 kilometers from the Afghan/Turkmen border to the Pakistan/Indian border.

"TAPI exemplifies ADB's key role in promoting regional cooperation and integration over the past 20 years. It will unlock economic opportunities, transform infrastructure, diversify the energy market for Turkmenistan, and enhance energy security for the region," said Sean O'Sullivan, Director General of ADB's Central and West Asia Department.

Acting as TAPI secretariat since 2003 and as transaction advisor since 2013, ADB has been instrumental in the progress of the TAPI pipeline to date. In the latter role, ADB helped establish TPCL, select Turkmengaz as consortium leader, and finalize the Shareholders and Investment Agreements.

[Firdousi]

Good news! This project will supply all our energy needs. Since Pakistan is also included in this project we will be able to blackmail them. After all Pakistan is a failed state with even higher energy needs than us lol.

Congratulation to the noble people of Afghanistan.

[tilla_jogian]

Good target practice for taliban, also good for Pakistan because India will pay transit fee of $500 million every year.

[Shapur]

This project although important especially for India/Pakistan is way too overhyped in Afghanistan. It will only bring in about 500 million USD annualy for Afghanistan which is a miniscule amount compared to how much is spent to maintin just the army and the police.

Ending insurgency by peaceful means through compromise is the most important issue facing Afghanistan, without peace and justice all these projects will have little or no impact on Afghanistans economy.

[Firdousi]

This project although important especially for India/Pakistan is way too overhyped in Afghanistan. It will only bring in about 500 million USD annualy for Afghanistan which is a miniscule amount compared to how much is spent to maintin just the army and the police.

Ending insurgency by peaceful means through compromise is the most important issue facing Afghanistan, without peace and justice all these projects will have little or no impact on Afghanistans economy.

Economical growth is key for pacification of Afghanistan. Those who have a job and projects will never give that away in order to join Pakistani proxy terrorist movement.

Afghanistan is involved in several key projects for the whole region: Chabahar, TAPI, the New Silk Road, the Wakhan Corridor project and Lapis Lazuli Corridor. All these projects shall bring positive things to our country and enhance our regional integration.

I am confident because most of this projects Pakistan is not included. This will help us to bypass them and isolate them a bit more. Lets pray for the destruction of this Brit-made terrorist state.

[tilla_jogian]

No offence farsi but baniya will not even invest $20 forget about billions. I see afghandus have started to use word "corridor" after Pak-China CPEC. Corridor doesn't mean transport of bachas to one ANA base to another

[Shapur]

Economical growth is key for pacification of Afghanistan. Those who have a job and projects will never give that away in order to join Pakistani proxy terrorist movement.

Afghanistan is involved in several key projects for the whole region: Chabahar, TAPI, the New Silk Road, the Wakhan Corridor project and Lapis Lazuli Corridor. All these projects shall bring positive things to our country and enhance our regional integration.

I am confident because most of this projects Pakistan is not included. This will help us to bypass them and isolate them a bit more. Lets pray for the destruction of this Brit-made terrorist state.

You can't have economic growth without security. International and local investors are not stupid to invest in a country which lacks the security to safegaurd their assets. That is why Afghanistan's minerals are just lying there and we can't take advantage of them because the Chinese, Indians don't trust us to provide security to their staff etc. Indian engineers who were working on Salma dam in Herat were kidnapped and then released, some of them were threatened to leave AFG.

All these projects sound good on paper but when you have rampant insurgency and a corrupt system, it doesnt translate to real term advance or success. We have to bring the insurgents to the negotiating table and listen to their pont of view like we are doing with Hezbi Islami right now and isolate the smaller groups and petty bandits. We can blame ISI for all the mess but the fact is their local support for these people because of bad governance and other grievances. We have to accept that there are groups of people in almost all Islamic countries similar to Taliban who see themselves as the defenders of Islam. Other countries are not affected because they are more centralised and have strong central institutions such as Pakistan. Egyptian army won't even let muslim brotherhood who are much more moderate than Talis come into power. This is one of the benifits of a decentralised state and one of its downfalls as well. These insurgents have vast amounts of energy which be used to belp our country rather than destroy it.

We live in an interconnected world and the destruction of Pakistan will directly effect us. This is the mistake ISI made when it thought the destruction and militancy from AFG wouldn't spill over to Pakistan. We can't make the same mistake. We need increased coorporation between al the neighbours and convince IND/PAK to resolve their issues especially Kashmir etc. The current situation only benifits some Pakistani and Indian army generals and other elites who benifit by constant threats of war and potential by asking for increased defence spending. Afghans, pakistanis and indians are all victims of the same people although they come on different shapes.

[Admin Khan]

Unfortunately security will be the biggest hurdle in this project. At some point, or in way or another, the forces of evil will attack.

[Firdousi]

You can't have economic growth without security. International and local investors are not stupid to invest in a country which lacks the security to safegaurd their assets. That is why Afghanistan's minerals are just lying there and we can't take advantage of them because the Chinese, Indians don't trust us to provide security to their staff etc. Indian engineers who were working on Salma dam in Herat were kidnapped and then released, some of them were threatened to leave AFG.

All these projects sound good on paper but when you have rampant insurgency and a corrupt system, it doesnt translate to real term advance or success. We have to bring the insurgents to the negotiating table and listen to their pont of view like we are doing with Hezbi Islami right now and isolate the smaller groups and petty bandits. We can blame ISI for all the mess but the fact is their local support for these people because of bad governance and other grievances. We have to accept that there are groups of people in almost all Islamic countries similar to Taliban who see themselves as the defenders of Islam. Other countries are not affected because they are more centralised and have strong central institutions such as Pakistan. Egyptian army won't even let muslim brotherhood who are much more moderate than Talis come into power. This is one of the benifits of a decentralised state and one of its downfalls as well. These insurgents have vast amounts of energy which be used to belp our country rather than destroy it.

We live in an interconnected world and the destruction of Pakistan will directly effect us. This is the mistake ISI made when it thought the destruction and militancy from AFG wouldn't spill over to Pakistan. We can't make the same mistake. We need increased coorporation between al the neighbours and convince IND/PAK to resolve their issues especially Kashmir etc. The current situation only benifits some Pakistani and Indian army generals and other elites who benifit by constant threats of war and potential by asking for increased defence spending. Afghans, pakistanis and indians are all victims of the same people although they come on different shapes.

Greetings!

Security and economic growth are two sides of the same coin. You need both. Without security there is no economic growth. Without economic growth there is no security. We need to work hard on both fields. We can not neglect our economy just for the sake of security. I do agree that terrorism and corruption are our main problems but in order to tackle them we need to bring progress to our people. That will be a nice first step.


I am not in denial. I know that only peace negotiations are the only way to bring some peace to our country. Whether we like it or not Taliban are a reality and the main Pashtun force right now. Taliban enjoy of some support among rural Pashtuns. I hate Taliban but I am realistic: they are Afghans and to some degree they even represent a large part of our population. So you are right. Our corrupt government, warlords and our neighbors are taking advantage of it and exploiting it for the sake of their own evil agendas. They are fueling ethnic division among Afghans just in order to stay in power. I am Tajik and I have no problem with my fellow Pashtun countrymen. Most of Tajiks and Pashtuns are like this too: we don't hate each other. Its these fuc*ing politicians who are spreading it.

We need to cooperate with our neighbors true. But Pakistan is an unreliable neighbor. We can not trust them. Cooperation is a need but we hate try our best in order to weaken and isolate Pakistan. Our friendship with Iran, West, Russia and India will be a key factor. We have some good chances to harm Pakistan and force them to cede.

40 years of war have taught me one harsh truth: we are alone. I don't care about Pakistan nor about anyone else. Only about my country Afghanistan and all my countrymen. Don't forget that. If we can make a living out of Pakistani suffering hell yeah go ahead with it!

[Firdousi]

Unfortunately security will be the biggest hurdle in this project. At some point, or in way or another, the forces of evil will attack.

Forces of evil will try their best to harm our country but if they attack this pipeline that would harm their Paki mother too. But I am confident: we have railroads in the north and so far Pakistani proxy forces have failed to vandalize it. This is a point of no return, brother: Pakistan can not stop our progress.

Pakistan is the mother of all terrorism in our region. Its good to see their good and bad terrorist policy backfiring. You can not feed snakes in your backyard and not expect them to bit you.

We have reached a point where if terrorism success in one place it will hurt other places too. If Taliban take over most of our country that would just boost Talibanism in Pakistan too. It's a lose-lose situation for Dalkhoristan.

BTW nice to meet you wrora.

[Admin Khan]

Forces of evil will try their best to harm our country but if they attack this pipeline that would harm their Paki mother too. But I am confident: we have railroads in the north and so far Pakistani proxy forces have failed to vandalize it. This is a point of no return, brother: Pakistan can not stop our progress.

Pakistan is the mother of all terrorism in our region. Its good to see their good and bad terrorist policy backfiring. You can not feed snakes in your backyard and not expect them to bit you.

We have reached a point where if terrorism success in one place it will hurt other places too. If Taliban take over most of our country that would just boost Talibanism in Pakistan too. It's a lose-lose situation for Dalkhoristan.

BTW nice to meet you wrora.

They say that Pakistan and India both have one thing in common - IT

Just that for India, that means Information Technology, whereas for Pakistan it's International Terrorism.

My point is, we have a large uneducated populace that could be brainwashed into believing various myths to harm the project.

What Pakistan needs to realize is that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's best interest, you just can't subdue, control, or tame a nation like Afghanistan.

Nice to meet you as well.

[Orakzai]

What Pakistan needs to realize is that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's best interest, you just can't subdue, control, or tame a nation like Afghanistan.

Nice to meet you as well.

Which is why our best bet is to cash in on the wild, primitive and barbaric nature Afghans love to boast about. Just keep handing guns to Afghan chumps and watch as they re-enact GTA in Kabul.

[tilla_jogian]

This pipeline is pipe dream waiting to explode. Pakistan already is getting gas from 2-3 different sources. Though TAPI will be nice addition but we all know end results of this project. Any thing which goes through Afghanistan turn in to dust.

Only strong goverment in Kabul can make this dream possible and Pakistanis/ISI are counting on their boys in Afghanistan to do the job.

[Orakzai]

Only strong goverment in Kabul can make this dream possible and Pakistanis/ISI are counting on their boys in Afghanistan to do the job.

I think we should stop fantasizing about this strong government in Afghanistan which will somehow rebuild the trainwreck we call Afghanista. Instead, we should forcefully connect Pakistan to Central Asia by annexing the Wakhan Corridor. With this, we won't end up having to rely on warlords or corrupt politicians directly shipped from the West in Afghanistan for cheap, secure gas.

[Firdousi]

They say that Pakistan and India both have one thing in common - IT

Just that for India, that means Information Technology, whereas for Pakistan it's International Terrorism.

My point is, we have a large uneducated populace that could be brainwashed into believing various myths to harm the project.

What Pakistan needs to realize is that a stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's best interest, you just can't subdue, control, or tame a nation like Afghanistan.

Nice to meet you as well.

Well I must say this Hindu civil war will end sooner or later. India is a vibrant democracy struggling to become a superpower. Pakistan is failed terrorist state with his days numbered. This is a losing war for Pakistan. They must admit their inferiority. India will prevail.

Does not matter how many times they boycott our progress. We will stand up over and over and over again. We are Afghans. Nobody can defeat us.