Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are expanding practical cooperation in trade, industrial cooperation and transport connectivity, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev said following a meeting in Astana with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.
The sides discussed implementing a joint trade and economic cooperation programme covering projects in industry, petrochemicals, logistics, agriculture, tourism and green energy.
Particular attention was paid to removing barriers to bilateral trade, increasing the capacity of border crossing points, developing transport infrastructure and advancing specific industrial projects.
A key outcome of the meeting was the signing in Astana of a trilateral memorandum of understanding on the CASA project between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates.
The project envisages establishing an economic route between Central and South Asia through Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with access to ports on the Indian Ocean.
According to Khodjaev, integrating the route with Kazakhstan’s transport network would provide a basis for the China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan corridor. The route is intended to expand the region’s opportunities to access South Asian markets.
Other Central Asian countries could join the corridor in the future.
Uzbekistan views the planned route not only as railway infrastructure but also as an integrated economic ecosystem. Its development is expected to include digital solutions, terminals, logistics and warehouse facilities, industrial sites and service infrastructure.
Private investment and financing from international financial institutions are also planned to be attracted for the implementation of the projects.
Khodjaev said projects of this scale could create a new architecture of regional connectivity in which transport infrastructure would support expanded trade, industrial cooperation and access to new markets for countries in the region.
