Uzbek President Mirziyoyev Emphasizes Tashkent’s Key Role in Afghan-Trans Railway Project
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, has stated that Tashkent plays an active and fundamental role in advancing the ‘Afghan-Trans’ railway project, which aims to connect Central Asia to southern ports through Afghanistan.
Mirziyoyev made these remarks during the fifth session of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, noting that the implementation of this railway could provide regional countries access to southern ports. According to him, this transit corridor has the capacity to strengthen regional economic cooperation.
The Trans-Afghan railway project is intended to link Central Asia to the ports of Pakistan via Afghan territory, a route that holds special economic significance for landlocked countries. Due to its geographical location, Afghanistan has always been considered a bridge connecting Central and South Asia.
In 2025, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a trilateral agreement in Kabul to conduct a feasibility study for this project. However, experts emphasize that the practical success of the plan requires ensuring stable security along the route, transparency in project management, and responsible cooperation of the Taliban administration with regional countries—factors crucial for earning the trust of international investors.
