21 February 2020
This study aims to analyse and clarify the significant role of energy transit schemes in conflict resolution processes. The EU places major importance on energy security and gas deliveries from Central Asia. This state of affairs has the potential to act as a catalyst for improving the stability and prosperity of Central Asia and consequently Afghanistan. The EU’s energy security perspective consists of two main pillars: energy transit schemes and regional stability. Both pillars face a common challenge, the instability of Afghanistan. To remove this challenge in the energy supply chain, establishing Safety Management Systems (SMSs) for gas transportation and conflict resolution has been the leitmotif of the EU’s energy security policy and post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan. The creation of SMSs for gas transportation will result in two main priority areas; accident prevention during transportation (safety), and physically protecting pipelines from attack (security). This study aims to analyse the significance of the TAPI Pipeline, which is part of the EU’s energy transit scheme, and the function of SMSs for gas transportation as an aspect of border-conflict resolution. This study concludes that the realisation of safe gas transport under the auspices of comprehensive energy transit schemes and coordinated practices by diverse actors such as international institutions, states, the military and private actors (local communities in particular), will actively contribute to conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Keywords: The TAPI Pipeline, Safety Management Systems, Security, Afghanistan, NATO