BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Uzbekistan is
advancing a broad portfolio of transport and logistics projects
aimed at increasing connectivity, expanding access to international
markets and strengthening the country’s role as a key land corridor
between Asia and Europe, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said after
reviewing a presentation on the sector today.
This was reflected in the statement by the press service of the
Uzbek president.
By 2030, Uzbekistan plans to double the volume of transport
services, attract $9.1 billion in investment into the sector and
increase exports of transport services to $5.7 billion.
The presentation covered major projects in aviation, roads,
railways and international logistics, as well as measures to
improve the efficiency and digitalization of freight
transportation.
In aviation, new airport complexes are being built in Tashkent
and Bukhara at a combined cost of nearly $3 billion. The new
Tashkent International Airport is expected to serve up to 20
million passengers annually during its first stage. Work is
underway to prepare the construction site and relocate utility
networks under public-private partnership agreements.
Construction of airfield infrastructure is also underway at the
new Bukhara International Airport, while an international tender is
being held to select a private partner for the construction and
operation of its passenger terminal. Modernization projects are
also being implemented at the airports in Urgench, Namangan and
Andijan.
Road infrastructure was another focus. Construction of the $2.2
billion Tashkent-Samarkand toll highway began last month, while
Uzbekistan has already launched its first toll road connecting
Urgench and Khiva.
Officials discussed financing for subsequent stages of the
Tashkent-Samarkand project, as well as selecting investors for the
proposed Tashkent-Andijan and Tashkent-Bostanlyk toll roads.
The government is also seeking to increase railway capacity on
major transit routes. It was said that allocating $200 million to
modernize several railway sections could raise their capacity by
25% to 30%.
The projects include upgrades to the Maktaaral-Syrdarya,
Angren-Pap, Tashguzar-Baysun-Kumkurgan, Tashkent-Samarkand and
Tukimachi-Angren routes. The presentation also covered the
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a dedicated high-speed railway
between Tashkent and Samarkand, and the expansion and
electrification of regional rail networks.
Uzbekistan is simultaneously expanding its presence along
international transport corridors. Officials discussed logistics
infrastructure at the ports of Aktau, Turkmenbashi and Baku on the
Caspian Sea and Poti and Anaklia on the Black Sea. An agreement has
been signed to establish a logistics center at Poti, while
Uzbekistan is studying participation in the development of Anaklia
and the Nakhchivan railway project.
The government also plans to develop 17 logistics centers and
terminals in Tashkent, Tashkent, Andijan, Surkhandarya and Bukhara
regions, while expanding logistics activity in several designated
cities and districts.
Digitalization was another major focus. Officials said the
shadow economy still accounts for more than 42% of freight
transportation, highlighting the need for a unified digital
transport system, a carrier registry and an electronic platform for
transport orders and waybills.
The proposed system would also expand electronic permits and
enable real-time tracking of international freight.
Mirziyoyev stressed the need to establish clear implementation
deadlines, financing sources and expected results for each project
and ensure that the initiatives are implemented in coordination
with one another.
“The president emphasized the importance of clearly defining the
deadlines for implementing the presented projects, their sources of
financing and expected results, as well as ensuring their
interconnected implementation,” the presidential administration
said.
