Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Tomorrow, on 2 February 2021, high-level Uzbek-Afghan-Pakistani talks will be held in Tashkent with the participation of heads of key international financial institutions, dedicated to the implementation of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction project.

The delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Minister of Foreign Affairs M.H. Atmar, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan - Adviser to the Prime Minister A.R. Davud.

This event is a logical continuation of a series of negotiations at the highest and high levels, following which on 29 December 2020, the heads of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan sent a joint appeal to international financial institutions with a proposal to support the project for the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar railway ".

To date, the leadership of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, International Development Finance Corporation (USA) have expressed high interest in the joint implementation of this project.

It is well known that the states of Central Asia and Afghanistan do not have direct access to international seaports. In this regard, they incur significant transport and transit costs, which are 2-3 times higher than similar costs for countries with free access to sea communications. This problem was especially urgent during the Covid-19 pandemic, which imposed significant restrictions on international cargo transportation.

Under these conditions, the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway will significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between the countries of South Asia and Europe through Central Asia.

Thus, the new trans-Afghan railway, providing access to the Pakistani seaports of Karachi, Qasem and Gwadar, will help to dramatically increase the transit potential of Central Asia, attract significant cargo flows, and revive the historical role of the region as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia by the shortest overland route.

The implementation of the project will also create unique opportunities for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan, stimulating the progressive economic growth of this country by creating tens of thousands of new jobs and creating conditions for the development of rich reserves of minerals (copper, tin, zinc, iron ore, marble, granite , travertine and others) along the route of the railway.

It is expected that following the results of the upcoming multilateral negotiations in Tashkent, a joint Action Plan ("Road Map") will be adopted for the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar railway, which stipulates the organization of a joint international expedition to trace the route of the future railway. conducting geodetic, hydrogeological and topographic research. 

The parties will also agree on the development of a preliminary feasibility study for the project, mechanisms for financing pre-project research and the earliest possible start of construction of the railway.