BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Kyrgyzstan will
acquire 10 modern mainline freight locomotives manufactured by
US-based Wabtec.


According to the press service of the Kyrgyz president, the
acquisition of the locomotives was discussed during a meeting
between President Sadyr Japarov and U.S. Special Envoy for Global
Partnerships Ambassador Paolo Zampolli, Under Secretary of Commerce
for International Trade William Kimmitt, US Export-Import Bank
Chairman John Jovanovic, and representatives of Wabtec in New
York.


"In this regard, the importance of the meeting and the signing
of a contract to acquire 10 modern TE33AS series mainline freight
locomotives for use by the state enterprise National Company Kyrgyz
Temir Zholu (Kyrgyz Railways) was emphasized," the statement
said.


The locomotives will be acquired for the state enterprise
National Company Kyrgyz Temir Zholu, with deliveries expected by
the end of 2027, according to the press service of the Kyrgyz
president.


Sadyr Japarov noted that the acquisition of the new locomotives
will allow the modernization of about 30 percent of Kyrgyz Temir
Zholu's locomotive fleet.


The president also instructed officials to work on the
acquisition of the remaining part of the locomotive fleet with a
view to fully renewing it over the next five years.







According to Sadyr Japarov, the modernization of the locomotive
fleet is particularly important in light of the expected completion
of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway by 2030.


The implementation of the project is expected to increase
freight transportation volumes and will require corresponding
strengthening of the country's traction rolling stock.


The renewal of the locomotive fleet will also enable the
servicing of new transport routes and contribute to unlocking
Kyrgyzstan's transit potential, including the development of
railway links between the country's regions.


US Export-Import Bank Chairman John Jovanovic thanked the Kyrgyz
side for its interest in US technologies, noting that the project
is one of the first of its kind in the history of cooperation
between the United States and Kyrgyzstan.