Uzbekistan Advances Feasibility Study for Trans-Afghan Transport Corridor

Uzbekistan has entered the active phase of preparing the economic and technical feasibility study for the Trans-Afghan Corridor, with the process expected to be completed by the end of this year, a senior Uzbek official said. Shukhrat Gulyamov, deputy minister of investment, industry and trade of Uzbekistan, announced the development during the second Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, held in Tashkent. “We have entered the active stage of preparing the feasibility study for this project and have set a deadline for our team to present concrete figures to governments by the end of the year, so that the future direction of the project becomes clear,” Gulyamov said. He added that field surveys and technical assessments have already begun as part of the project’s next phase. Gulyamov described the Trans-Afghan Corridor as one of the region’s most important strategic infrastructure initiatives, saying it has the potential to play a key role in linking Central Asia with South Asia through Afghanistan. He said Uzbek authorities view the project as more than a single transport route and suggested it could eventually evolve into a broader transport network within Afghanistan. The official added that the corridor is being pursued within a wider framework of regional connectivity projects involving Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. The second Termez Dialogue opened on Thursday with the participation of around 150 representatives from governments, international organizations and regional institutions to discuss economic cooperation and transport links between Central and South Asia. The Trans-Afghan Corridor is widely viewed as a cornerstone of regional efforts to improve trade and transport connectivity. Supporters of the project argue that it could provide landlocked Central Asian states with shorter and more cost-effective access to South Asian markets and seaports while boosting Afghanistan’s role as a regional transit hub. The feasibility study is expected to play a critical role in determining the project’s cost, route options, financing requirements and long-term economic viability before governments decide on the next stage of development.