The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sovereign-guaranteed loan of $400 million equivalent to KazAvtoZhol National Company JSC for the construction of a new road in southern Kazakhstan. The project aims to enhance regional connectivity, enhance transport efficiency, facilitate cross-border trade flows, and improve road safety. “The Saryagash Bypass Road will strengthen Kazakhstan’s trade
In recent years, Uzbekistan has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles. While in 2021 the country had 3.14 million registered cars, by 2025 their number had grown by 66%, reaching 5.2 million. This sharp rise is particularly evident in Tashkent, where the expanding vehicle fleet directly affects air quality and public
On September 8, the airport in Naryn, the main city of the Naryn region in central-east Kyrgyzstan, opened after major reconstruction with the launch of regular Bishkek-Naryn-Bishkek flights operated by state-owned Asman Airlines. All regional airports built in Kyrgyzstan in the Soviet time were never repaired until the most recent time, and the Naryn airport
A delegation of the largest U.S. trade mission in Central Asia visited Mangystau region as part of its visit to Kazakhstan. The visit aimed to familiarize with the region’s investment potential and the advantages of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or the Middle Corridor), according to Kazakh Invest national company. A roundtable was held
Afghanistan’s Kam Air said that in order to provide more convenience and reduce travel costs for Afghan citizens, it has recently signed an interline cooperation agreement with Uzbekistan Airways, TOLOnews reported. According to the company, with the signing of this agreement, Afghan passengers can now travel in transit through Tashkent Airport from European countries, the
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul region on August 27 for the construction of the Barskoon-Bedel highway, which will link the country to the Bedel checkpoint on the Chinese border, Xinhua reported. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said at the ceremony that the highway will strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s external ties, boost the economy and tourism,
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $233.1 million loan to Uzbekistan to help modernize a critical segment of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Road Corridor 2. The project aims to improve regional connectivity, reduce travel time, and enhance road safety and climate resilience in western Uzbekistan. The CAREC Road Corridor 2 Resilience
In the first half of 2025, cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) reached 2.3 million tons, 7% more than in the same period in 2024, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Transport. The TITR, also known as the Middle Corridor, links China and Europe via Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea. Over the
On August 22, a trilateral meeting of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone in Turkmenistan. Berdimuhamedov emphasized that at present Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan demonstrate a
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) will provide a grant to the Kyrgyz Temir Zholu National Company under the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic to prepare a preliminary feasibility study for the investment project to construct the Balykchy – Cholpon-Ata railway. Azamat Sakiev, General Director of Kyrgyz Temir Zholu, and Iaroslav Mandron,
In the first half of 2025, the production of gasoline and diesel fuel in Kazakhstan reached record high levels: 3.1 million and 3 million liters, respectively. Compared to the same period last year, gasoline production increased by 16.3% and diesel production by 16.9%, Energyprom.kz reported. In February this year, gasoline prices in Kazakhstan were released
Addressing the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Turkmenistan on August 5, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke for the need of coordinated action to expedite the development of international transport corridors and infrastructure. Mirziyoyev advocated accelerating the preparation and implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway construction project. “Converging this promising corridor with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and China Railway Container Transport Co., Ltd. (CRCT) have agreed to work together to increase container transportation volumes on the China-Europe, China-Russia, and China-Belarus routes, as well as along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan route, according to KTZ.
In a fresh move to strengthen transport cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, a major agreement and contract have been signed for the development and investment in Torghundi Port, TOLOnews reported. According to the agreement, the dry port of Torghundi in Afghanistan’s Herat province will be expanded with an initial investment of $5 million. The project
KTZ Express, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has established a new multimodal transportation route with the first container train from Shanxi Province (China) to Azerbaijan along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) through Kazakhstan. According to KTZ, the train, consisting of 50 containers with photovoltaic modules weighing more than
Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced the launch on September 19 of a new season of its train tour, Jibek Joly (Silk Road) 5.0, connecting major cities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. During the 6-day tour, passengers will travel along the route Almaty – Turkestan – Otrar – Samarkand – Bukhara –
Construction of a new transport and logistics complex, Tobyl, was officially launched in the city of Kostanay in northern Kazakhstan on July 16. According to the government’s press service, the facility will become a key point in the implementation of the country’s transit strategy and will be integrated into international transport corridors linking Kazakhstan to
On July 13–14, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov paid a visit to Bulgaria. He held talks with President Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov, heads of relevant ministries, as well as representatives of leading companies and financial institutions of the country. At the center of the
Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu paid a working visit to Afghanistan. On July 10 in Kabul, the Kazakh Foreign Minister held a meeting with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar. The parties discussed prospects for cooperation in trade, transit, and agriculture,
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing funds to develop sustainable transportation solutions in the city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan. This is the second project under the EBRD Green Cities programme, which the city joined in May 2025. Home to more than 450,000 people and known as the country’s southern capital, Osh
