On the prospects for the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport
On the prospects for the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor
Within the framework of the new regional policy pursued by Uzbekistan in the past five years on building constructive and mutually beneficial relations with neighboring countries, the development of interaction with Afghanistan has been designated as one of the priority areas. Uzbekistan has always advocated the earliest possible stabilization of the situation in this country, which is an important condition for ensuring regional security, creates more favorable opportunities for the development of the Uzbek economy, attracting investment and enhancing foreign economic activity.
At the same time, cardinal shifts have taken place in relation to Afghanistan, which is increasingly seen as an integral part of Central Asia. The final document of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of Central Asian States in 2019 in Tashkent consolidated a regional consensus on supporting the peace process, involving Afghanistan in regional ties and infrastructure projects.
In March 2018, a high-level international conference on Afghanistan was held in Tashkent: The Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Interaction. In his speech at the conference, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of implementing trans-Afghan transport and communication projects in Afghanistan for the development of intercontinental transport corridors from East to West and from North to South along the shortest routes.
In 2020, the head of Uzbekistan set the task of enhancing cooperation with the countries of South Asia and work on the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor. In February 2021, a meeting of a trilateral working group was held in Tashkent with the participation of government delegations of Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan on the implementation of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction project.
In order to solve these problems, the International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”. In his speech at the conference, the President of Uzbekistan paid special attention to the issue of building a transport and logistics infrastructure that will effectively connect Central and South Asia. At the same time, it was emphasized that the construction of the Termez – Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar railway will fully realize the transit potential of the two regions, form the shortest route, and significantly reduce the time and cost of cargo transportation.
It is important to note that the meeting was also attended by representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, International Development Finance Corporation (USA), who confirmed their interest in joint implementation of this project. Following the meeting, a joint Action Plan for the Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar railway project was adopted and the importance of implementing the project on the principle of public-private partnership was noted.
Meanwhile, the Taliban's coming to power in Afghanistan did not weaken Uzbekistan's desire to develop cooperation with Afghanistan. Thus, the President of Uzbekistan, in his speeches at the anniversary SCO summit, the meeting in the SCO-CSTO format, the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, which took place in September of this year, again paid special attention to the Afghan problem, called on not to allow the isolation of Afghanistan. Uzbekistan, despite the difficult situation, did not stop the operation of the Uzbek-Afghan transport hub - the most important artery for the supply of food and oil products to this country, as well as the uninterrupted supply of electricity to the neighboring country.
At the same time, Uzbekistan's contacts with the new authorities of Afghanistan intensified in order to establish bilateral economic cooperation. On October 7, 2021, negotiations were held in Kabul between the delegation of Uzbekistan headed by Foreign Minister A. Kamilov and members of the interim government of Afghanistan.
On October 16, 2021, in the city of Termez, negotiations were held between the government delegations of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan at the level of deputy prime ministers, with the participation of representatives of various ministries and departments. In these meetings, issues of ensuring border security, cooperation in the fields of investment, mutual trade, energy, international cargo transportation and transit were discussed. The parties paid special attention to the implementation of infrastructure projects, in particular the trans-Afghan railway Termez – Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar. At the same time, the Afghan side expressed its readiness to ensure the safety of the Uzbek specialists involved in the implementation of this project.
Experts believe that this railway is a strategically important project and will connect the regions of Central and South Asia, as well as the Middle East. It will open for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries the possibility of access to Pakistani ports in the Indian Ocean and significantly increase the transit potential of Central Asia.
According to preliminary estimates, the length of the road will be about 600 km. The terms of the project can be up to 5 years, the volume of loans is $ 4.8 billion. The route will significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between the countries of South Asia and Europe through Central Asia, as well as increase the volume of transit traffic through Uzbekistan. With the full implementation of the project, the transportation of goods from Pakistan to Uzbekistan may take not 35, but 3-5 days, the cost of transporting a 20-pound container can be reduced by almost 3 times. According to forecasts, the volume of cargo transportation may reach 10 million tons.
The project will also contribute to the development of the transport network in Afghanistan, which remains in poor condition. The length of the Afghan railways is about 100 km and runs in the border areas with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. The road network also requires further expansion and substantial investment.
In this regard, the proposals of Uzbekistan aimed at the development of the transport infrastructure of Afghanistan, including the construction of the Mazari-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar trans-Afghan railway route, are supported by the new authorities of the country and can be implemented.
In addition, this project is also beneficial to other countries of the region and the entire Eurasian continent, since developed transport transportation along the East-West vector can be supplemented by the formation of an interconnected transport and logistics network in the North-South direction with the shortest access to the South, South -East and West Asia. The development of trans-Afghan transit can facilitate the implementation on a mutually beneficial basis of a number of major interconnectedness initiatives, including Russia's Greater Eurasian Partnership, China's Belt and Road projects and the EU's strategy to connect Europe with Asia.
Of great importance is the fact that the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor is an integral part of the infrastructure presented in the speech of the President of Uzbekistan at the Tashkent conference of a comprehensive program for the development of interconnection and cooperation between the countries of Central and South Asia.
Tashkent's initiatives provide for the development of interaction between the two regions on a wide range of issues, including the creation of favorable conditions for the development of trade and economic ties and the growth of mutual investments, the introduction of digital platforms, a joint search for ways to ensure food security, stimulation of green development, disclosure of the tourism potential of the two regions and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
The general intensification of trade and economic cooperation and the development of sustainable commercial ties between the two regions, including the progressive increase in trade and transit traffic through Afghanistan using the already existing transport and logistics infrastructure, will be important for the implementation of the railway construction project. In this regard, it is necessary to continue work on the formation of a legal framework for bilateral and multilateral trade relations between the countries of Central and South Asia, as well as the adoption of comprehensive measures to facilitate trade, ensuring the acceleration of the movement of goods and border crossing.
All this will stimulate the growth of freight traffic between the two regions and the demand for the transit of goods through Afghanistan, which is necessary to attract the interest of investors to participate in the implementation of this large infrastructure project.
In the context of the development of the situation in Afghanistan, the resumption of work on the design of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor is also acquiring important political significance. In fact, continuing to study the design and construction of a new railway, Uzbekistan and other project participants, including the new Afghan authorities, demonstrate a desire for positive interaction aimed at achieving long-term goals and objectives of improving the socio-economic situation, stabilization and development of Afghanistan, its involvement into stable regional trade, economic and political and diplomatic ties.
Contacts with representatives of the interim government of Afghanistan related to the design of the railroad make it possible to strengthen mutual understanding, create conditions for broader interaction of Uzbekistan and other countries with the new regime in Kabul, assistance in national reconciliation in Afghanistan, and stabilization of the situation in the country and in the region. The solution of these tasks, in turn, is necessary to create a favorable environment for the financing and implementation of this mega-project.
In general, the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway is a major infrastructure project that meets the interests of all states of the Eurasian continent and can have a tremendous positive impact on the development of Central Asian countries, trade and economic relations between Asian countries and their interregional interconnection, and will contribute to building mechanisms for long-term interaction between states. At the same time, Afghanistan will become not an obstacle, but a bridge for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between Central and South Asia, other interested countries and regions.
Within the framework of the new regional policy pursued by Uzbekistan in the past five years on building constructive and mutually beneficial relations with neighboring countries, the development of interaction with Afghanistan has been designated as one of the priority areas. Uzbekistan has always advocated the earliest possible stabilization of the situation in this country, which is an important condition for ensuring regional security, creates more favorable opportunities for the development of the Uzbek economy, attracting investment and enhancing foreign economic activity.
At the same time, cardinal shifts have taken place in relation to Afghanistan, which is increasingly seen as an integral part of Central Asia. The final document of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of Central Asian States in 2019 in Tashkent consolidated a regional consensus on supporting the peace process, involving Afghanistan in regional ties and infrastructure projects.
In March 2018, a high-level international conference on Afghanistan was held in Tashkent: The Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Interaction. In his speech at the conference, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of implementing trans-Afghan transport and communication projects in Afghanistan for the development of intercontinental transport corridors from East to West and from North to South along the shortest routes.
In 2020, the head of Uzbekistan set the task of enhancing cooperation with the countries of South Asia and work on the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor. In February 2021, a meeting of a trilateral working group was held in Tashkent with the participation of government delegations of Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan on the implementation of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction project.
In order to solve these problems, the International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”. In his speech at the conference, the President of Uzbekistan paid special attention to the issue of building a transport and logistics infrastructure that will effectively connect Central and South Asia. At the same time, it was emphasized that the construction of the Termez – Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar railway will fully realize the transit potential of the two regions, form the shortest route, and significantly reduce the time and cost of cargo transportation.
It is important to note that the meeting was also attended by representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, International Development Finance Corporation (USA), who confirmed their interest in joint implementation of this project. Following the meeting, a joint Action Plan for the Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar railway project was adopted and the importance of implementing the project on the principle of public-private partnership was noted.
Meanwhile, the Taliban's coming to power in Afghanistan did not weaken Uzbekistan's desire to develop cooperation with Afghanistan. Thus, the President of Uzbekistan, in his speeches at the anniversary SCO summit, the meeting in the SCO-CSTO format, the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, which took place in September of this year, again paid special attention to the Afghan problem, called on not to allow the isolation of Afghanistan. Uzbekistan, despite the difficult situation, did not stop the operation of the Uzbek-Afghan transport hub - the most important artery for the supply of food and oil products to this country, as well as the uninterrupted supply of electricity to the neighboring country.
At the same time, Uzbekistan's contacts with the new authorities of Afghanistan intensified in order to establish bilateral economic cooperation. On October 7, 2021, negotiations were held in Kabul between the delegation of Uzbekistan headed by Foreign Minister A. Kamilov and members of the interim government of Afghanistan.
On October 16, 2021, in the city of Termez, negotiations were held between the government delegations of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan at the level of deputy prime ministers, with the participation of representatives of various ministries and departments. In these meetings, issues of ensuring border security, cooperation in the fields of investment, mutual trade, energy, international cargo transportation and transit were discussed. The parties paid special attention to the implementation of infrastructure projects, in particular the trans-Afghan railway Termez – Mazari-Sharif – Kabul – Peshawar. At the same time, the Afghan side expressed its readiness to ensure the safety of the Uzbek specialists involved in the implementation of this project.
Experts believe that this railway is a strategically important project and will connect the regions of Central and South Asia, as well as the Middle East. It will open for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries the possibility of access to Pakistani ports in the Indian Ocean and significantly increase the transit potential of Central Asia.
According to preliminary estimates, the length of the road will be about 600 km. The terms of the project can be up to 5 years, the volume of loans is $ 4.8 billion. The route will significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between the countries of South Asia and Europe through Central Asia, as well as increase the volume of transit traffic through Uzbekistan. With the full implementation of the project, the transportation of goods from Pakistan to Uzbekistan may take not 35, but 3-5 days, the cost of transporting a 20-pound container can be reduced by almost 3 times. According to forecasts, the volume of cargo transportation may reach 10 million tons.
The project will also contribute to the development of the transport network in Afghanistan, which remains in poor condition. The length of the Afghan railways is about 100 km and runs in the border areas with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. The road network also requires further expansion and substantial investment.
In this regard, the proposals of Uzbekistan aimed at the development of the transport infrastructure of Afghanistan, including the construction of the Mazari-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar trans-Afghan railway route, are supported by the new authorities of the country and can be implemented.
In addition, this project is also beneficial to other countries of the region and the entire Eurasian continent, since developed transport transportation along the East-West vector can be supplemented by the formation of an interconnected transport and logistics network in the North-South direction with the shortest access to the South, South -East and West Asia. The development of trans-Afghan transit can facilitate the implementation on a mutually beneficial basis of a number of major interconnectedness initiatives, including Russia's Greater Eurasian Partnership, China's Belt and Road projects and the EU's strategy to connect Europe with Asia.
Of great importance is the fact that the creation of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor is an integral part of the infrastructure presented in the speech of the President of Uzbekistan at the Tashkent conference of a comprehensive program for the development of interconnection and cooperation between the countries of Central and South Asia.
Tashkent's initiatives provide for the development of interaction between the two regions on a wide range of issues, including the creation of favorable conditions for the development of trade and economic ties and the growth of mutual investments, the introduction of digital platforms, a joint search for ways to ensure food security, stimulation of green development, disclosure of the tourism potential of the two regions and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
The general intensification of trade and economic cooperation and the development of sustainable commercial ties between the two regions, including the progressive increase in trade and transit traffic through Afghanistan using the already existing transport and logistics infrastructure, will be important for the implementation of the railway construction project. In this regard, it is necessary to continue work on the formation of a legal framework for bilateral and multilateral trade relations between the countries of Central and South Asia, as well as the adoption of comprehensive measures to facilitate trade, ensuring the acceleration of the movement of goods and border crossing.
All this will stimulate the growth of freight traffic between the two regions and the demand for the transit of goods through Afghanistan, which is necessary to attract the interest of investors to participate in the implementation of this large infrastructure project.
In the context of the development of the situation in Afghanistan, the resumption of work on the design of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor is also acquiring important political significance. In fact, continuing to study the design and construction of a new railway, Uzbekistan and other project participants, including the new Afghan authorities, demonstrate a desire for positive interaction aimed at achieving long-term goals and objectives of improving the socio-economic situation, stabilization and development of Afghanistan, its involvement into stable regional trade, economic and political and diplomatic ties.
Contacts with representatives of the interim government of Afghanistan related to the design of the railroad make it possible to strengthen mutual understanding, create conditions for broader interaction of Uzbekistan and other countries with the new regime in Kabul, assistance in national reconciliation in Afghanistan, and stabilization of the situation in the country and in the region. The solution of these tasks, in turn, is necessary to create a favorable environment for the financing and implementation of this mega-project.
In general, the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway is a major infrastructure project that meets the interests of all states of the Eurasian continent and can have a tremendous positive impact on the development of Central Asian countries, trade and economic relations between Asian countries and their interregional interconnection, and will contribute to building mechanisms for long-term interaction between states. At the same time, Afghanistan will become not an obstacle, but a bridge for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between Central and South Asia, other interested countries and regions.