nCa Report
In a series of high-level meetings held in Astana, Kazakhstan, transport ministers from Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, convened to advance regional and international transport cooperation. These discussions, centered on modernizing infrastructure, digitalizing transport processes, and fostering multimodal corridors, signal a transformative step toward enhanced connectivity, trade, and economic integration across Central Asia and beyond.
During a bilateral meeting, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, and Turkmenistan’s Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications, Mammetkhan Chakyev, agreed to resume the Almaty-Ashgabat flight route within 2025. This initiative aims to boost trade, tourism, and economic ties between the two nations. Additionally, both countries committed to upgrading the North-South corridor, with Kazakhstan initiating repairs on a 200-kilometer road stretch from Zhanaozen to the Turkmenistan border via Kenderli in the Mangistau region. The project will elevate the road to a third-category, two-lane highway with a reinforced structural foundation and fully renewed surface. To streamline cross-border logistics, the officials also agreed to digitalize the exchange of foreign permit forms (FPF), enhancing transit efficiency and goods transportation.
Concurrently, Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport, Azim Ibrokhim, and China’s Minister of Transport, Liu Wei, held talks to advance the multimodal “China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkey-Europe” corridor, a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This corridor is expected to reduce transportation costs and transit times, reviving the historic Silk Road and promoting regional economic integration. Priority infrastructure projects discussed included the reconstruction of the Kulma-Karasu border crossing—the sole checkpoint between Tajikistan and China—and the modernization of over 530 kilometers of the Dushanbe-Kulma highway, from Rushon district to the Kulma pass. Tajikistan also expressed interest in participating in the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project and proposed establishing joint ventures in Dushanbe for electric vehicle maintenance and battery recycling. To further expedite regional connectivity, Ibrokhim urged the swift signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the China-Tajikistan-Afghanistan transport corridor and proposed increasing international freight transport permit quotas.
These bilateral efforts were complemented by the second China-Central Asia Transport Ministers’ Meeting, attended by delegations from six countries, including Kyrgyzstan’s representative, Absattar Syrgabaev. The meeting focused on leveraging the region’s transport potential to enhance economic, trade, and humanitarian cooperation. Key outcomes included two signed Memoranda of Understanding: one on digitalizing international road transport and another fostering collaboration between transport agencies. The ministers emphasized simplifying border crossing procedures for road and rail transport, implementing electronic document management, and enabling real-time cargo tracking. They also supported professional training programs and collaboration between research institutions to strengthen the transport sector.
These initiatives reflect a shared commitment to modernizing transport infrastructure and digitalizing processes across Central Asia. By aligning with China’s BRI and fostering multilateral cooperation, the region is poised to enhance connectivity, reduce trade barriers, and drive economic growth, positioning Central Asia as a vital hub in global transport networks. /// nCa, 20 May 2025 (images credit Trend, Gov.kz)