The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is continuing to support Tajikistan’s transition from traditional carbon-intensive transport models to environmentally friendly and sustainable mobility by providing a €10 million financing package for a large-scale modernisation of public transport in Bokhtar, the administrative centre of the Khatlon region. The package consists of a
The first cross-Caspian Sea China-Central Asia freight train from north China’s Tianjin Municipality to Baku, Azerbaijan, departed on January 19, carrying goods such as stainless steel pipes and household appliances, Xinhua reported. The train, operated by China Railway Beijing Group, will leave China via Khorgos Port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, traverse Kazakhstan,
Kazakhstan’s state-owned railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has secured up to $300 million equivalent in Swiss-franc-denominated financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Standard Chartered (SC) for a project aimed at strengthening Kazakhstan’s rail efficiency and increasing its role as a regional transit hub, according to IFC.
In an interview with local TV channels, published on the official presidential website, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said that an important achievement in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy in 2025 was the country’s election as a full member of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia. “From a geographical point of view,
In an interview with the Turkistan newspaper, published on the official presidential website, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that in 2025, the country’s economy grew by more than 6 percent, with GDP surpassing $300 billion and per capita exceeding $15,000. “These are record high figures not only for our country but for the entire region,”
A 45-container China-Europe freight train loaded with photovoltaic modules belonging to the China Energy Engineering Group has departed from the city of Xi’an, Azerbaijan’s AZERTAC state news agency reported. This is the first train to depart from China via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor, in 2026. The train, which departed on
A delegation from Iran, led by Jabbar Ali Zakeri, head of the country’s railway administration, has visited Afghanistan to explore connecting Iran’s railway network to China through Afghan territory, TOLOnews reported. The primary focus of the project is the Herat–Balkh railway corridor, considered a vital transit route that would link Central Asian countries and China
A China-built modern railway was put into operation last week in Georgia, a key transit country for cargo and passenger transport between Asia and Europe, Xinhua reported. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, Director General of Georgian Railway Lasha Abashidze and about 150 guests attended the inauguration ceremony
On December 20 in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the Presidents of the five Central Asian countries as she hosted the first Summit of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue (CA+JAD) at the leader’s level. Prime Minister Takaichi highlighted the importance and potential of the Central Asian region, including its geopolitical significance as
Kazakhstan has opened two modernized motor vehicle checkpoints—Kazygurt on the border with Uzbekistan and Temir-baba on the border with Turkmenistan—in an effort to boost trade and cargo transportation in the region, primeminister.kz reported. The checkpoints were reconstructed as part of the state program to modernize border infrastructure. The program covers nine checkpoints located on Kazakhstan’s
On December 11, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian participated in the Kazakh-Iranian Business Forum in Astana. Tokayev reported that last year, bilateral trade exceeded $340 million. “We agreed to significantly increase trade turnover between our countries, with the goal of reaching $1 billion initially and $2 billion in the next stage.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Eurasian Logistics Park (ELP) have launched one of Kazakhstan’s largest Class A warehouse complexes. Covering more than 50,000 m2, the facility will become a key hub for e-commerce and international trade in Central Asia. The EDB began financing the project in 2024, providing KZT 16.6 billion to construct the Eurasian
In recent months, the issue of air quality in Tashkent has become a focus of public attention. Some news outlets and social media reported that emissions from greenhouses located on the Kazakh side of the border may be one of the causes of the Tashkent smog. This suggestion has sparked widespread controversy as environmental issues
On December 3, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev listened to proposals aimed at improving transportation management and reducing traffic congestion in Tashkent. In recent years, significant progress has been made in developing public transportation in the capital. The bus fleet has doubled to nearly 1,900 vehicles, and intervals have been reduced from 30 to 15 minutes.
On November 27, Tashkent hosted the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) and Connectivity Investors Forum with the participation of the European Union, South Caucasus and Central Asian countries, Türkiye, International Development Banks, the private sector and regional partners. The Forum demonstrated how the EU’s Global Gateway strategy is moving from vision to delivery, with new investments designed
On November 25, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held negotiations with President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit. The leaders discussed priority areas of trade, economic, transport, logistics, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Particular attention was paid to joint projects in energy, industrial cooperation, agriculture, IT, education, and medicine. Over
Between 25 and 27 November, European Commissioners Jozef Síkela and Marta Kos will be in Uzbekistan to advance the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor aimed at linking Europe and Central Asia within 15 days. The Corridor is a flagship initiative of the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy in the region to foster prosperity and stability in Central Asia,
The 44th annual meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club took place in Brussels last week, focusing on the theme “The Middle Corridor and Global Gateway.” The discussions centered on Kazakhstan’s growing role in shaping a new architecture of transport connectivity between Europe and Asia. The meeting brought together representatives of government from Kazakhstan and the
On November 17, negotiations were held between President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov in Tashkent. It was emphasized that the current state visit will become a significant step toward further strengthening the Uzbek-Turkmen relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and strategic partnership. Uzbek-Turkmen trade turnover has nearly doubled in recent years, exceeding
On November 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a government meeting to review the ongoing works in the railroad sector and plans for upcoming years. The large-scale transformation processes initiated in the railway sector are already yielding positive results. The industry ended last year with a net profit for the first time, and for the first
