Uzbek president highlights regional corridor aimed at linking Central Asia to southern seaports through Afghanistan and Pakistan
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, announced at the Tashkent International Investment Forum that active work is continuing on the Trans-Afghan Railway project.
According to Mirziyoyev, the railway corridor will provide Central Asian countries with direct access to southern seaports and create a new trade route connecting Asia with Europe.
Meanwhile, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad praised Uzbekistan’s leadership and support for the project.
Khalilzad stated that successful implementation of the corridor could help promote stability and economic development in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
He also described ongoing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan as a major challenge to the project and called for disputes to be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and mutual understanding.
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan signed an agreement in 2021 to develop the 573-kilometer Trans-Afghan Railway. The project’s estimated cost stands at approximately $4.8 billion.