KABUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan and Turkmenistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the purchase of natural gas under the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, Afghanistan's official Bakhtar news agency reported Tuesday.

The pipes are pictured during the inauguration ceremony of the TAPI pipeline project, in the Tagtabazar district of Mary province, near the zero point between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, on September 11, 2024. (File photo: AFP)

The agreement was signed by representatives of the state-owned gas companies of the two countries on Monday, aiming to promote regional economic cooperation, support economic development and strengthen energy connectivity among the participating countries, the report said.

Under the MoU, the two sides will negotiate and determine the price of natural gas, Afghanistan's required volume and mechanisms for its distribution within the country, according to the report.

The agreement is expected to facilitate Afghanistan's purchase of natural gas transported through the TAPI pipeline and contribute to meeting part of the country's domestic energy needs, the report added.