Lapis Lazuli to Make Afghanistan Crossroads of Region: President Ghani
President M. Ashraf Ghani, at the inauguration ceremony of Lapis Lazuli corridor in western Herat province, said that Afghanistan is now connected to the world and today no famine will occur by closure of a port.
President M. Ashraf Ghani, at the inauguration ceremony of Lapis Lazuli corridor in western Herat province, said that Afghanistan is now connected to the world and today no famine will occur by closure of a port.
Addressing the ceremony on Thursday, president Ghani said “this corridor will revive the historic prestige of Afghanistan, making it again the economic crossroads.”
“17 years ago, Afghanistan was isolated from the world. 4 years ago, we threatened to die of hunger if the port (Torkham) was closed. But today we are connected to the world,’ he added.
“the purpose of the Afghan government is to connect the region to the world,” he underlined.
President Ghani appreciated the efforts by Afghanistan’s international partners including Turkmenistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan for the project.
The Lapis Lazuli Route agreement was finalized after three years of talks and was signed during the 7th Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
The first shipment that will be sent through the route on Thursday includes more than 175 tons of cotton, dried fruit and sesame.
The Lapis Lazuli corridor connects Afghanistan through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia to the Black Sea and ultimately through Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea and Europe.
