Afghanistan, Turkmenistan inaugurate key economic projects

A train is seen during the inauguration ceremony of the Aqina-Andkhoi railway at Aqina port in northern Afghanistan's Faryab province, Jan. 14, 2021. Afghanistan and Turkmenistan on Thursday inaugurated three key economic projects, including a railway project that will be part of a proposed regional railway scheme. The Aqina-Andkhoi railway project links Aqina dry port in Afghanistan's Faryab province, along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border, with Faryab's Andkhoi district. (Photo by Mohammad Jan Aria/Xinhua)

AQINA, Afghanistan, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan and Turkmenistan on Thursday inaugurated three key economic projects, including a railway project that will be part of a proposed regional railway scheme.

The Aqina-Andkhoi railway project links Aqina dry port in Afghanistan's Faryab province, along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border, with Faryab's Andkhoi district.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow participated in the inauguration ceremony via video conference.

The 30-km railway will be connected with the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan railway, a proposed regional project which will connect the Central Asian nations to Iranian seaports via two routes.

The joint projects also included an international optic fiber, and a 500-KW power transmission project will link power grad of Turkmenistan via Aqina to Afghanistan's northern Jawzjan and Balkh provinces.

President Ghani expressed pleasure over what he said was the expansion of his country relations through the inauguration of the economic projects with the Central Asian countries, after more than a century.

The Afghan leader also thanked Turkmenistan for increasing power provision to Afghanistan and supporting the peace process in the country.