DUSHANBE, April 20, 2016, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday April 19, Tajik Frist Deputy Foreign Minister, Nizomiddin Zohidi, met here with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister for Finance and Administrative Affairs, Nasir Ahmad Andisha.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, the two discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral political, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

They, in particular, discussed preparations for an official ceremony of the launch of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade (CASA-1000) Project, the source said.

Implementation of this regional power transmission project is of significant importance for expansion of multisided cooperation and providing regional stability.

Nizomiddin Zohidi and Nasir Ahmad Andisha also exchanged views on a number of other regional projects as well as expansion of security and border control cooperation and joint fight against international terrorism and drug trafficking. 

The CASA 1000 Project is expected to develop the necessary physical infrastructure and create the institutional and legal framework to transmit surplus power available from existing generation facilities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The physical infrastructure for CASA 1000 is likely to include: a 500 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system between Tajikistan and Pakistan through Afghanistan; an AC transmission link from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to connect to the HVDC line from Tajikistan to South Asia; and the necessary electricity sub-stations in Kabul, Peshawar and Sangtuda (in Tajikistan).

The CASA 1000 Project is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The total cost of the project amounts to more than $1 billion.