The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has announced the signing of a significant contract for the development of the Toti-Maidan gas fields with the KAM Group and Uzbekistan’s Railcom company. The agreement, spanning 25 years, marks a major step toward enhancing the country’s energy sector and fostering regional economic ties.
Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, highlighted the project’s potential impact, stating: “With this project, the country’s dependence on imported gas and electricity will be reduced, the outflow of foreign currency will be curbed, and gradually, the groundwork for gas exports abroad will also be created.”
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, emphasized the collaborative aspect, noting: “This project can serve as a model of economic partnership between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and elevate our relations from historical neighborhood to a new phase of modern economic cooperation.”
Bakhtiyar Mamatkarimov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, echoed the sentiment, adding: “This project marks the beginning of major cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Advanced technologies will be applied in this project, and environmental considerations have also been taken into account.”
The Toti-Maidan gas fields, located in Jawzjan province, span an expansive 7,500 square kilometers and currently feature around 30 wells. The large Totimaidan block includes the undeveloped Juma and Bashikurd sour gas fields, along with significant exploration areas that extend to Afghanistan’s border with Turkmenistan.
This contract builds on a prior agreement signed in 2024 with Uzbekistan for the development of the Totimaidan block over 10 years. The planned investment totals US$1 billion and includes the construction of a 100 MW thermal power plant (TPP) within the first two years, aimed at bolstering domestic energy production. ///nCa, 17 September 2025 (based on Afghanistan’s mass media reports)