Afghanistan–Turkmenistan relations

Afghanistan–Turkmenistan

Afghanistan	Turkmenistan
Diplomatic mission
Afghan Embassy, Ashgabat	Turkmen Embassy, Kabul
Envoy
Chargé d'Affaires Fazal Muhammad Sabir	Ambassador Hoja Ovezov [1]

The contemporary borders of the nations of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are the products of The Great Game in Central Asia between the British and Russian Empires. ^[2] As a result, the two countries have some cultural ties, with Afghanistan having 1.2 million Turkmen, ^[3] the third largest Turkmen population behind Iran and Turkmenistan.

Afghanistan depends on Turkmenistan for meeting a large part of the country's electricity needs, as the country imports more than 800 megawatts of electricity collectively from Turkmenistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. ^[4]

Before the full takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in mid-August 2021, Turkmenistan opened a major railway link to the country in 2016 to facilitate fuel exports. ^[5]

Turkmenistan, alongside most of the countries excluding Russia, ^[6] has not officially recognized the Taliban government, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as legitimate. However, Turkmenistan has de facto diplomatic relations with the Taliban government and has facilitated the Taliban's appointment of diplomats to the Afghan Embassy in Ashgabat. The current chargé d'affaires is Fazal Muhammad Sabir, appointed in March 2022. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

History

The protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was signed on 21 February 1992. The territories of the two countries were under unified control during the periods of the Samanid, Ghaznavid, and Timurid dynasties. In 1750, a Treaty of Friendship was signed between the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Bukharan ruler Muhammad Murad Beg, with the Amu Darya River becoming the official boundary of Afghanistan. On 11 July 2007, a two-kilometer cross-border road between the two countries was restored. The restoration cost amounted to 550,000 US dollars. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that his country would assist Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy, which had suffered from many years of civil war. ^[10]

Since 2022, the new government of Afghanistan (the Taliban) has been implementing a large-scale project to construct the Qosh Tepa Canal, diverting water from the Amu Darya River. This canal could significantly reduce the amount of fresh water available to Turkmenistan. ^[11]

Diplomatic missions

The Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is located in Kabul, with consulates operating in Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif. ^[12]

In Ashgabat, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan functions, headed by Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Fazal Muhammad Sabir. ^[13]

See also

• Torghundi, a border crossing between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan
• Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI)

References

1. "Ambassador of Turkmenistan in Kabul Held Talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan . 29 September 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
2. "How the British and the Russians Drew the Afghan-Turkmen Border". The Diplomat.
3. "The Ethnic Groups Of Afghanistan". WorldAtlas. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
4. "Abdulbari Omar: 69 Billion Afghanis Invested in Electricity in 11 Months". https://tolonews.com/index.ph%70/ . 2025-08-11. Retrieved 2025-08-11.{{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
5. "Turkmenistan launches railway to Afghanistan to boost exports". Reuters.
6. "Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban government". Al Jazeera.
7. "Turkmenistan: Berdymukhamedov passes the mantle (and phone)". Eurasianet . 22 March 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (19 March 2022). "Appointed by IEA MFA, Mr. Mohammad Fazel Saber was introduced in a ceremony as chargé d'affaires to his colleagues at the Afghan Embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, yesterday" . Retrieved 6 April 2022.
9. "IEA introduces caretaker ambassador to Turkmenistan". Ariana News . 17 March 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
10. "Afghan rebuild underway — Railway Gazette". Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
11. "Талибы роют огромный канал для забора воды из Амударьи. Это может привести к дефициту воды в Туркменистане и Узбекистане". Хроника Туркменистана (in Russian). 2023-03-15. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
12. Туркменистан за рубежом Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
13. посольства в Туркменистане Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Official Twitter of the Afghan Embassy in Turkmenistan