The Conference on “TAPI: Impact on Economic Development in Afghanistan and the Region” jointly organized on 6 July 2017 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and the Office of the Senior Advisor to the President in collaboration with the Secretariat for the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.
The conference brought together more than 200 participants including Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Ambassadors, Members of Parliament as well as representatives from the provincial councils, civil society and private sector from across the country.
The opening session included welcoming remarks by Mrs. Adela Raz, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation; a statement by Mr. Ajmal Ahmady, Senior Advisor to the President and TAPI Board Director, a keynote address by Mr. Narges Nehan, Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum as well as remarks by Mr. Muhammetmyrat Amanov, CEO of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited.
The forum continued with two panel discussions. The first panel moderated by Mrs. Ghazaal Habibyar, Deputy Minister of Mines and Petroleum focused on the TAPI project progress, activities and future plans.
The second panel moderated by Mr. Hassan Soroosh, Acting DG of Economic Cooperation addressed the project in the context of regional economic cooperation.
The conference provided an opportunity to review the progress of the TAPI project and to discuss the importance of the project from an economic point of view both at the national and regional levels including its implications for economic development and regional connectivity. A special emphasis was placed on issues such as investment promotion for the project, public awareness programs as well as the importance of improved coordination among the stakeholders and international partners. The project has remained a top priority including under the RECCA over the past decade.
