BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. Uzbekistan has
invited U.S. investors to participate in transport infrastructure
and logistics projects, including the construction of New Tashkent
International Airport, aircraft maintenance facilities, and cargo
aircraft conversion centers.
According to the Uzbek Ministry of Transport, the investment
opportunities were outlined by Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov
during a strategic panel session on energy and transport
infrastructure at the Uzbekistan-U.S. business forum held on the
sidelines of the C5+1 summit in Samarkand on October 19.
Makhkamov highlighted the long-standing transport partnership
between Uzbekistan and the United States, noting that Uzbekistan
became the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country
to sign an Open Skies agreement with the United States in 1998.
Direct flights currently operate between Tashkent and New York,
while Uzbekistan Airways’ order for 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliner
aircraft represents another milestone in bilateral cooperation, he
said.
The minister identified transport and logistics as promising
areas for U.S. investment, citing Uzbekistan’s strategic location
at the crossroads of international transport corridors. He
highlighted the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, along
with plans to develop new road and rail infrastructure, as key
initiatives to expand the country’s transit capacity.
Uzbekistan also plans to establish modern logistics centers in
the Bukhara, Surkhandarya and Tashkent regions in 2027. The
facilities are expected to expand cargo storage, processing and
distribution services, strengthen international trade links and
attract investment.
Makhkamov also highlighted opportunities to develop cold-storage
facilities and rapid-delivery systems for Uzbekistan’s fruit and
vegetable exports. U.S. companies were invited to invest in the
financing, construction and management of logistics centers,
warehouse automation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms.
The facilities could also serve as regional distribution hubs for
U.S. companies seeking to expand across Central Asia.
Furthermore, Makhkamov said Uzbekistan plans to introduce
favorable conditions for logistics centers that meet international
standards, including exemptions from property and land taxes
through 2040.
He called on U.S. investors to participate in transport
infrastructure projects and support the introduction of advanced
technologies and digital solutions in logistics operations.
