The Minister added that his country intends to use membership in the Energy Charter as a way to consolidate Afghanistan’s potential in providing a bridge between the energy producers of Central Asia and Iran and the markets of southern Asia, notably India and Pakistan, and to send a signal to the international community that foreign investment is welcome in Afghanistan’s developing energy sector.

He underlined that Afghanistan is already using the Energy Charter process as a way to promote regional cooperation and to acquire knowledge and assistance in the energy sector, pointing to the work of the Task Force on Regional Electricity Cooperation in Central and South Asia that met under the auspices of the Energy Charter in Kabul in November 2007.

Welcoming the Conference decision, the Energy Charter Secretary General André Mernier said that Afghanistan’s request for accession underlined the broad scope of the Energy Charter Process: “Countries across Eurasia are facing similar energy security challenges, and I am delighted at the growing interest from non-member countries in the Charter’s legal framework and its role as a policy forum.”

The decision of the Conference was based on three reports, prepared by the Government of Afghanistan and the Energy Charter Secretariat, which analysed the compatibility of Afghanistan’s legal framework with the provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty and reviewed the investment climate and policies relating to energy efficiency. These reports did not identify any measures preventing Afghanistan from applying the Treaty provisions. Afghanistan will legally become a party to the Energy Charter Treaty and member of the Energy Charter Conference 90 days after the receipt of notification that it has completed its own procedures for accession and ratification.