Turkmenistan prepares for construction of the Turkmenistan section of the Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) pipeline near the State border with Afghanistan and at the border-crossing. This has been reported at the Government session by Vice-Premier M.Babayev who supervises the oil and gas complex. Together with ILF Beratende Ingenieure GmbH (Germany), acting as the technical consultant of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited, and Allen & Overy LLP (Great Britain), acting as the legal consultant, the major working stages have been outlined. They are planned to be completed prior to the start of construction of the pipeline on the territories of Afghanistan and Pakistan. More specifically, international tender for the purchase of pipes, materials and equipment needed for execution of the project in 2018 and launch of the main in 2019 is scheduled to take place before the end of September,. Projects are also being designed for the gas compressor plant and other auxiliary facilities that will be built along the route of the pipeline. Following the report, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has highlighted that the construction of the TAPI pipeline that will connect Turkmenistan, rich in natural gas, with the countries of Southern Asia, in need of energy, will allow creating thousands of jobs, the relevant power, transport, communications and social infrastructure in the region.