IEA energy minister travels to Turkey

Abdul Latif Mansoor, minister of energy and water of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), left Kabul for Turkey on Friday.

During his visit, Mansoor will discuss with Tajikistan’s officials about the extension of the contract for electricity imports from the country for 2023, the Ministry of Energy and Water said in a statement.

The minister will also participate in a number of meetings for the development of electricity production in Afghanistan, the statement said.

Muhammad Hanif Hamza, CEO of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, the country’s national power utility, is accompanying the minister in the visit.

Mansoor’s visit to Turkey comes around a week after he travelled to Uzbekistan, during which the hosts agreed to extend electricity supplies to Afghanistan for 2023.

Afghanistan currently relies on Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran for 70 percent of its electricity, and pays millions of dollars to these countries every year.