On August 10, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, paid a working visit to the Mary Region, from where he headed to Afghanistan from the Islim-Chesme border zone of the city of Serhetabat in the Takhtabazar District.

During the visit, bilateral talks were held with the Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar. The focus was on the comprehensive advancement of key energy, transport, and infrastructure projects that form the foundation of regional development.

Special emphasis during the negotiations was placed on the implementation of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and its key section, Serhetabat–Herat, dubbed "Arkadagyň Ak ýoly" (Arkadag's White Path).

Abdul Ghani Baradar highlighted the historical significance of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s visit to inspect the progress of the pipeline's construction, noting that work on TAPI in Herat is proceeding according to schedule. The Afghan side views TAPI, the power transmission line (TAP), and the fiber-optic communication link as powerful instruments for expanding bilateral partnership. Implementing these initiatives will solve energy supply challenges for the population, create thousands of new jobs, and open opportunities for local investors to generate electricity from natural gas.

To accelerate these processes, it was proposed to establish a joint working mechanism between the relevant agencies of both countries. In addition, the Afghan side expressed interest in studying Turkmenistan's experience in training qualified personnel for the gas sector.

The second crucial vector of the negotiations was the transport and logistics sector. The parties discussed utilizing the Turkmenbashi International Seaport for the transit of Afghan goods and stepping up engagement along the "Lapis Lazuli" international multimodal corridor.

The National Leader of the Turkmen people reaffirmed Ashgabat's readiness to provide all necessary port infrastructure to boost transit and trade volumes, emphasizing that the border between the two states remains a border of peace, friendship, and good-neighborliness.

As part of the negotiations, a ceremony was held to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the "Turkmengaz" State Concern and the "Afghan Gas" State Corporation of the neighboring country. According to the Memorandum, the parties agreed to work jointly to establish dedicated infrastructure in Herat Province and to supply industrial enterprises, power plants, and the public with Turkmen gas.