KABUL (SW) – On the sidelines of the ‘COP 28’ meeting, energy ministers of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan have urged Afghanistan to actively participate in the ‘Casa 1000’ electricity transmission project.
They said in a statement: “We aim to facilitate and resume the construction of the Casa 1000 project in Afghanistan. Without Afghanistan’s participation, this project risks losing its value.”
The “Casa 1000” project is a plan based on which 1,300 megawatts of electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will reach Afghanistan and then Pakistan, 562 km of which will pass through Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the officials in the Ministry of Energy and Water say that 50% of the “Casa 1000” work of the electricity transmission project in Afghanistan has progressed and efforts are underway to resume the rest.
Motiullah Abid, the spokesperson of the ministry, says that a plan has been sent to the Islamic Emirate cabinet for the implementation of this project.
He adds: “50% of the work of this project has progressed. About the start of the Casa 1000 project, meetings have been held with the World Bank to restart this project, and the Ministry of Energy and Water has proposed a plan to the cabinet to start this project with the private sector and with the implementation of this project, 45 Millions of dollars will be sent to Afghanistan.”
Amanullah Ghalib, the former head of the Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), says that due to the non-recognition of the de-facto government, the practical work of this project has not started.
He adds: “The Casa 1000 project is one of the basic projects, and economically and politically important. From the economic point of view, Afghanistan should be used as a transit route, Pakistan should receive 1000 megawatts of electricity from Afghanistan, and another 300 megawatts can be received by the Breshna Company, thirdly, Afghanistan can benefit from it based on the fee that is collected, and in addition, annually Up to three million dollars will be given to the regions through which the power line passes and which politically connects Central Asia with South Asia.
It should be mentioned that the “Casa 1000” power transmission project plan was proposed in 2005 at the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RICA), which should have been put into operation by 2020; but the work of this project has not been completed yet.
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