BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. President Shavkat
Mirziyoyev launched construction of a new highway linking Tashkent
and Samarkand, describing the project as a key component of the
country's strategy to strengthen its role as a regional transport
and logistics hub.


This was reflected in the statement by the official channel of
the Press Secretary to the Uzbek President.


Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in the Tashkent region's
O'rta Chirchiq district, Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan's economy has
tripled in size in recent years and reiterated the government's
goal of increasing gross domestic product to $240 billion by
2030.


The president said expanding transport infrastructure would be
critical to supporting economic growth and accommodating rising
volumes of international trade.


"Today, 4,000 kilometers of international transit routes pass
through Uzbekistan," Mirziyoyev said. "At the same time, 30% of
international highways are already operating at full capacity,
while another 25% are carrying traffic beyond their designed
capacity."


He said the new highway would improve connectivity on one of the
country's busiest transport corridors while helping ease congestion
and facilitate faster movement of passengers and freight.


Mirziyoyev also highlighted the strategic importance of major
regional transport projects, including the planned
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and the Trans-Afghan railway,
saying they would significantly expand Uzbekistan's access to
global markets.







"Once the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan and Trans-Afghan railways
become operational, Uzbekistan will become a key link in the
shortest overland corridor connecting the Pacific Ocean with
Europe," he said.


The projects are also expected to provide the country with
access to Pakistan's seaports and, through them, to the Indian
Ocean and South Asian markets with a combined population of nearly
2 billion people.


Mirziyoyev said government estimates show Uzbekistan could
handle an additional 15 million to 20 million metric tons of
international transit cargo annually once the country's transport
network is expanded.


According to the projections, the increased transit volumes
could generate between $400 million and $600 million in annual
revenue, attract around $3 billion in investment for the
construction of logistics centers and cargo terminals, and create
at least 50,000 permanent jobs.


The highway project forms part of Uzbekistan's broader effort to
modernize its transport infrastructure as the country seeks to
capitalize on growing trade flows across Central Asia. With
regional rail and road corridors linking East Asia, Europe and
South Asia gaining momentum, Tashkent is positioning itself as a
major transit gateway capable of generating new investment,
logistics capacity and export opportunities.