Uzbek president approves agreement to build China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad

TASHKENT. July 10 (Interfax) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree approving an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a railroad connecting China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the Uzbek Justice Ministry's press service said on Wednesday.

"Under the decree, the agreement on cooperation between the governments of China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to jointly implement the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad project has been approved," the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel.

The decree puts the Uzbek Transport Ministry in charge of implementing this international document.

The agreement on building a China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad was signed in Beijing on June 6.

"In the future, this road will help reach the capacious markets of South Asian and Middle Eastern states via a promising Trans-Afghan corridor," Mirziyoyev said in his video address to the participants in the signing ceremony.

The agreement stipulates that the 454-kilometer-long railroad will pass from China's Kashgar to Uzbekistan's Andizhan via Torugart at the Chinese-Kyrgyz border and Kyrgyzstan's Makmal and Jalal-Abad.

Experts estimate the volume of freight to be shipped via the railroad at up to 15 million tonnes, reducing the delivery time by seven days. In addition, it envisions the construction of modern transit and logistical infrastructure, including warehouses and terminals.

The Uzbek Transport Ministry expects the project's implementation to expand the geography of trade and shipments from China via Uzbekistan to Turkey and farther to Europe, as well as Gulf countries.

The project's feasibility study was completed in May 2023, nearly two months ahead of schedule. Construction will begin in October 2024.