KABUL -- President Ashraf Ghani Thursday (December 13) inaugurated the Lapis Lazuli Corridor in a ceremony in Herat Province, enabling Afghanistan to transport its products to Europe via land.
At the ceremony, Ghani said that Afghanistan was in isolation 17 years ago but it has been connected to the world today, according to a Thursday statement released by Ghani's office.
"This is an example of co-operation. Our neighbours in the north have faith in Afghanistan, and soon Herat's grapes, marble and saffron will reach Europe," the statement added, quoting Ghani.
The Lapis Lazuli Route agreement was signed in October 2017 by officials from Afghanistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The route begins in Aqina, Faryab Province, and Torghundi, Herat Province, and will run through to Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, according to TOLOnews.
The route will cross the Caspian Sea from there and link Baku, Azerbaijan, to Tbilisi, Batumi, and Poti in Georgia. It will then reach Kars, Turkey, before linking to Istanbul and Europe.
