At a solemn meeting marking the start of the next stage of the ‘Arkadagyň Ak ýoly’ gas pipeline the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, large-scale projects are being successfully implemented, contributing to the strengthening of good-neighbourly relations and an increase in Turkmen gas exports. This was reported by the online news resource AsmanNews.

The Hero Arkadag emphasised the importance of international gas pipelines, especially the ‘Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India’ project, which contributes to the modernisation of Turkmenistan's energy complex and the development of the region as a whole.

The National Leader of the Turkmen people recalled that on 11 September last year, the laying of the key Serhetabat-Herat section began in the Mary velayat, which was a significant event for Turkmen-Afghan relations. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that cooperation between the two countries is strengthening, and the implementation of major projects is having a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the region.

The Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty reported that the 214 km Turkmen section of the gas pipeline has been successfully laid, and the new stage to the Afghan province of Herat (153 km) will be carried out with the involvement of equipment and specialists from Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasised that the project will create jobs and bring Afghanistan annual revenues of over a billion dollars, contributing to the long-term development of both countries and the region.

The Hero Arkadag thanked the Turkmen gas workers for their participation in the project and the Afghan side for their cooperation, and also blessed the start of the next stage of the gas pipeline construction.

The National Leader of the Turkmen people noted that the United States was one of the first to support the project, and that bilateral cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United States covers trade, investment and business contacts. Hero Arkadag highlighted the contribution of the American company ‘Bownstein’, which is advising on the project.

In addition, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty recalled the significance of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, held in the ‘Avaza’ National Tourist Zone, for the authority of Turkmenistan and thanked US President Donald Trump for his support for the events and the gas pipeline project.