BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 29. Trend provides a review of the main developments in Kyrgyzstan's transport sector in 2023.
In 2023, Kyrgyzstan's transport sector saw significant progress. Discussions persisted on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. CEVA Logistics company implemented the TIR procedure for the first time on a new truck route connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan Infrastructure development within Kyrgyzstan thrived, with road asphalting, airport upgrades, tunnel renovations.
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan international railway's construction has been a crucial project for Kyrgyzstan's global connections. Talks about starting the railroad construction have been ongoing throughout the year.
Rumors surfaced, suggesting a delay in construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway indefinitely. However, these claims were promptly refuted by the Kyrgyz Temir Zholy National Company and other officials.
Deputy Head of Kyrgyzstan's National Investment Agency, Zhalyn Zheenaliev, revealed plans to kick off the railway construction between China and Uzbekistan in 2024 during the year-end conference. Before that, Uzbekistan's Minister of Transport, Ilkhom Makhkamov, also mentioned the possibility of commencing the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway in 2024.
President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Zhaparov, has repeatedly expressed anticipation for the project's soon launch, notably it was said during the second People's Kurultai (a large national assembly involving citizens, local communities, and state authorities) on December 15.
Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Yrysbek Bariev, highlighted that enhancing the railway connection between China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan would contribute to the Middle Corridor's potential.
According to the Kyrgyzstan Cabinet of Ministers' information, the technical and economic justification for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, developed with joint financing, was approved in June 2023. Currently, discussions are underway among the parties regarding the most suitable financing model for the railway construction.
The proposed China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is envisioned as a 454-kilometer rail link aimed at integrating the railway networks of these three countries.
Freight transportation from China
In May, CEVA Logistics, a member of International Road Transport Union (IRU), implemented the TIR procedure for the first time on a new truck route connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
Loaded with industrial components, automotive parts, and essential goods, the inaugural truck following this new route using the TIR procedure departed from Kashgar in western China. It successfully transited through Kyrgyzstan and arrived in Samarkand, the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, covering a total distance of approximately 1,100 kilometers.
TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) is an international customs transit system that has extensive geographic coverage. It significantly reduces waiting times at borders, saving both time and money.
Furthermore, Kelvin Tang, Vice President of Ground and Rail for Greater China and Global Cross-Border and Multimodal Leader at CEVA Logistics, said in an interview with Trend in December this year that streamlined TIR procedures along the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan truck corridor have facilitated faster cross-border movements.
"The growth of this new corridor has been remarkable, especially in cross-border trucking, including the implementation of the TIR operation model. Currently, more than 500 trucks traverse this corridor daily, and this number continues to rise. The adoption of the TIR operation model has demonstrated significant benefits, with a 30 percent reduction in lead time and a 10 percent decrease in costs compared to normal trucking solutions," Kelvin Tang said.
Other international routes
Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan, Tilek Tekebaev, said that during the 22nd Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on October 26, government delegations from Kyrgyzstan and Iran reached agreements to activate cooperation regarding the Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan railway corridor.
Tekebaev emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation in implementing transport and communication projects that link landlocked countries like Kyrgyzstan to major seaports and global markets. This involves the construction of new railways, such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan route, which can complement the Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan transport corridor.
At the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) International Transport Forum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding the establishment and development of the Russia – Caspian Sea – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan international multimodal transport corridor.
This memorandum was signed by Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Transport, Tilek Tekebaev, Uzbekistan's Ilkhom Makhkamov, and Russia's Deputy Minister of Transport, Dmitry Zverev.
Development of transport sector within the country
As reported by the country's Ministry of Transport and Communications, significant progress has been made in road infrastructure from January through November 2023. Most of the internal streets, as well as roads of both international and local importance, were asphalted this year. The plan for 2023 was to asphalt 621 kilometers of roads, and within 11 months, asphalt pavement was laid on over 660 kilometers of roads.
Furthermore, asphalt work on runways and repairs of aprons have been completed at the Naryn, Kazarma, Talas, Jalal-Abad, and Kerben airports. Additionally, the tunnel at the Too-Ashuu pass (from Bishkek to Osh) has been asphalted, and its lighting has been replaced. The previous maintenance of the tunnel dates back to the 2000s.
The construction of the largest tunnel in Kyrgyzstan, the 3890-meter-long Kok-Art tunnel, connecting the north and south parts of the country, has also been completed. Moreover, a gallery for avalanche protection has been put into operation on the Bishkek-Osh highway.
Additionally, In the 11-month period, 90,894 permits for international road transportation were issued, generating 19.483 million Kyryz soms ($218,700) worth of revenues in state fees, all of which have been entirely allocated to the national budget.
Manas International Airport OJSC in Kyrgyzstan has made its first aircraft purchase using its own funds. The airport entered into an agreement with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (DHC) to acquire Dash-8-400 aircraft. Adjustments are underway to comply with Kyrgyzstan's aviation regulations, intending to expand domestic route networks and enhance aviation services for the country's populace by May 2024.
Joint Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan car venture
Daniyar Imanaliev, the Minister of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan, announced that a joint venture between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will launch in 2024, producing 12 car models. The project is funded by the Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund, and the partnership agreement for car production in Kyrgyzstan was signed during the state visit of Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Kyrgyzstan on January 27, 2023.
The project is planned to unfold in three stages. Initially, over three years, the production will reach 10,000 vehicles, providing employment for 500 individuals. The second phase will involve the production of auto components, scaling up capacity to 20,000 vehicles and employing 1,000 workers. Finally, the production volume will expand to 30,000 vehicles, creating jobs for 2,000 employees at the enterprise.