On February 2, information about this important energy cooperation project was officially confirmed. In an exclusive interview with TASS news agency in Moscow, the Afghan Ambassador to Russia, Mr. Gul Hassan, said that the discussions are no longer limited to diplomatic exploration but have moved to the stage of practical work on the ground.
According to Ambassador Hassan, representatives from Russian businesses were present in Kabul. Here, they are working directly and actively with local authorities to assess the infrastructure deployment capacity. "Russian companies are showing special and serious interest in Afghanistan's power generation sector," Mr. Hassan emphasized.
The focus of this round of negotiations revolves around the construction of a system of small hydropower plants. This is considered an energy solution suitable for Afghanistan's complex hilly terrain, while requiring more flexible investment capital and construction time compared to large hydropower mega-projects.
Describing in detail the working process, this diplomat said that a number of technical and trade delegations from Russia directly came to survey the site. They have held many professional meetings and in-depth negotiations with Afghan energy experts to agree on technical parameters and the most feasible construction plan.
When asked about the specific roadmap, Ambassador Gul Hassan expressed great optimism about the prospects of the project. He affirmed: "Based on the current progress, we expect that practical steps to start construction will be implemented in the near future". This statement shows that the two sides are making efforts to shorten the preparation phase to soon put the project into practice, meeting the urgent energy needs of this South Asian nation.
Notably, these are the first official shares of Mr. Gul Hassan in an interview as head of the Afghan diplomatic mission in Moscow.
The choice to announce the energy project right in this first appearance has a clear diplomatic implication, affirming that the top priority in his term is to promote substantive economic and technical cooperation with Russia.
This move also reflects a positive trend in relations between Moscow and Kabul, as Russia increasingly shows a positive role in supporting infrastructure reconstruction in Afghanistan through direct investment projects, despite the still complex regional geopolitical context.
