Uzbekistan, JICA to Accelerate Road Infrastructure Projects

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) during the Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum to discuss the progress of joint infrastructure projects and measures to accelerate their implementation.

JICA Vice President Yoshikawa Yoshifumi, Uzbekistan Deputy Minister of Transport Ilkhomjon Abdugafarov, and Chairman of the Committee for Roads Jamshid Tursunov took part in the talks.

The discussions focused primarily on the current status of projects implemented with JICA support. Specifically, the parties discussed the construction of a tunnel between the Samarkand and Kashkadarya regions, the reconstruction of 37 kilometers of highways and four bridges in the Samarkand region, and the modernization of 45 kilometers of roads in the Andijan region.

The parties emphasized the importance of choosing the most efficient solutions when implementing infrastructure initiatives, taking environmental protection and ecological safety requirements into account. They also noted the need to accelerate practical work on ongoing projects and outlined further steps for their advancement.

The development of human resources in the road sector was a separate topic of discussion. Following the meeting, an agreement was reached to prepare proposals for organizing studies of Japanese experience on a grant basis to improve the qualifications of specialists.

In addition, the parties initiated joint training programs aimed at studying Japanese experience in the design, construction, and operation of tunnels and highways.