The Taliban*, currently ruling Afghanistan, has signed a $1 billion contract with an unnamed Uzbek company in Kabul. This information was reported by TOLOnews, citing the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum in the Taliban government.
The contract covers the exploration and extraction of natural gas from the Totimaidan field in the northern Afghan province of Jowzjan.
The agreement spans 10 years, with the Uzbek company committing to invest $100 million in the first year and the remaining $900 million over the following nine years. During the initial two years, the extracted gas will be used to generate 100 megawatts of electricity.
Ismatulla Irgashev, the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan, was present at the contract signing.
ℹ️ The Totimaidan field has long been considered one of Central Asia's most promising potential natural gas sources. Its reserves cover an area of about 7,000 square kilometers, extending to the border with Turkmenistan. Experts estimate that developing Totimaidan could ensure Afghanistan's energy independence and access to export markets, help restore the country's domestic power industry, and boost its economy.
Previous Afghan authorities had put the field up for tender in 2014 and signed a production sharing agreement in November 2015 with a consortium of energy companies (Turkish oil corporation TPAO, Calik Enerji, and Afghan Bayat Energy). However, the contract was never finalized, with negotiations ending in 2018.
This development marks a significant step in Afghanistan's energy sector under Taliban rule and could have far-reaching implications for the country's economy and regional energy dynamics.
*The Taliban movement is recognized as terrorist and banned in the Russian Federation and many other countries (noted as required by Russian legislation).
