Transport and Logistics - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 110

Kazakhstan-U.S. Relations

Tokayev and U.S. DFC Chief Discuss Critical Minerals, AI, and Possible Kazakhstan Office

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met on June 15 with Ben Black, chief executive officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), as Astana seeks to expand economic cooperation with Washington and attract more strategic investment. The DFC, the U.S. government's international investment arm, mobilizes private capital in support of foreign-policy and economic-development priorities. A permanent DFC presence in Kazakhstan would give U.S. investors and Kazakh authorities a more direct channel for structuring and financing projects in priority sectors. Welcoming Black, Tokayev described the visit as a continuation of agreements reached during talks in Washington in November 2025, and an important step toward deepening Kazakhstan's multifaceted partnership with the United States. Tokayev said relations between Astana and Washington had intensified since President Donald Trump returned to office. "We fully support the bold vision and pragmatic diplomatic approach of the U.S. President. Kazakhstan plays an active role in advancing key American initiatives, including the Abraham Accords, the Board of Peace, the TRIPP initiative, and other projects. Together, these efforts have given new momentum to our enhanced strategic partnership, which is stronger today than ever before," Tokayev said. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) has become important to Kazakhstan's transport agenda because a southern Caucasus route could broaden options for the Middle Corridor rather than replace existing Azerbaijan-Georgia links. Tokayev added that Kazakhstan's political and economic reforms are aimed at shifting the country from a resource-dependent model to a diversified, knowledge-based economy, and noted that the DFC's investment priorities align closely with Kazakhstan's development agenda. Black thanked Tokayev for the reception and described his meetings with Kazakhstan's business community in Almaty as productive and substantive. Tokayev emphasized the importance of translating political agreements into practical results and reaffirmed Kazakhstan's readiness to implement joint investment projects. The two sides discussed prospects for cooperation in critical minerals, transport connectivity, agriculture, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. They also reviewed the possibility of opening a permanent DFC office in Kazakhstan. The meeting followed several days of U.S.-Kazakhstan critical minerals diplomacy in Astana. The Times of Central Asia reported that the United States convened a C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue on June 10, where U.S. Special Envoy Sergio Gor said Washington saw Central Asia as a partner in diversifying access to strategic materials and highlighted the DFC's potential role in critical minerals, telecommunications, and Trans-Caspian infrastructure. David Fogel, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, told delegates at the Astana Mining & Metallurgy Congress on June 11-12 that Washington was moving "from dialogue to strategic execution" in the region's critical minerals industry. Fogel noted that the United States had brought an unusually large delegation to Kazakhstan, including representatives of more than 20 U.S. companies and senior officials, underscoring growing American interest in the country's mining, metallurgy, and industrial sectors. Those discussions fit Kazakhstan's attempt to move beyond extraction. Astana is seeking to position its mining sector around processing, technology transfer, and higher-value manufacturing, while linking critical minerals to...

Middle Corridor

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia Seek Black Sea Link for CKU Railway

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia placed Black Sea access at the center of their transport agenda during Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's official visit to Bishkek on June 11-13. In talks with President Sadyr Japarov at Yntymak Ordo, the new presidential palace complex, on June 12, the two sides linked their cooperation to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, known as CKU, and to Georgia's role in the Trans-Caspian route between Central Asia and Europe. The visit was the first official trip to Kyrgyzstan by a Georgian head of government since the two states established diplomatic relations 34 years ago. "Special attention was paid to linking the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway with Georgia's port infrastructure," Japarov said after the talks. He called cooperation in this sector "one of the priority areas" in relations between the countries. That focus gave the visit a wider regional dimension, as landlocked Kyrgyzstan still lacks a direct rail link with China. Georgia offers access to Black Sea ports and sits on the South Caucasus section of the Middle Corridor. If the CKU line becomes operational, Bishkek wants cargo moving from China through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to connect with routes across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Kobakhidze linked the same issue to Tbilisi's transit goals. "We emphasized the importance of developing the Middle Corridor," he said, adding that the route needs more cargo flows. He said Georgia was closely following the CKU and was pleased that the project was "progressing rapidly," because it would strengthen links between Central Asia and the South Caucasus. The two sides signed a joint statement and a package of bilateral documents after the talks. The agreements covered aviation authorities, state property management, veterinary cooperation, education, justice, sport, radiation safety, foreign ministry cooperation for 2027-2028, and customs cooperation. The customs document provides for advance exchanges of information about goods and vehicles moving between the two countries. That aspect may prove the most practical for freight, since cargo routes depend on data exchange, border processing, and predictable clearance times. The CKU railway has moved from a decades-long plan to active construction. The financing agreement signed in Bishkek set the project cost at $4.7 billion. About half will be financed through a 35-year Chinese loan to the joint project company. China holds a 51% stake in the company, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each hold 24.5%. The planned line runs from Kashgar in China through Kyrgyzstan to Andijan in Uzbekistan. The Kyrgyz section represents the most difficult part of the route. It is about 305 kilometers long, with 50 bridges and 29 tunnels planned. More than 5,000 people and about 5,600 pieces of specialized equipment were involved by late March, with tunnel excavation, earthworks, and bridge construction already under way. Transport Minister Talantbek Soltobaev said on June 10 that work was in progress on sections totaling up to ten kilometers. Japarov has outlined 2030 as a target for the launch. The project would give Bishkek a rail role it has never had. Kyrgyzstan has no through rail route linking China with...

Infrastructure finance

Opinion: Central Asia’s Shift from Silk Road Romance to Infrastructure Finance – What the June Forums Are Building

In mid-June, Tashkent and Baku will host two major international finance gatherings within the same regional window: the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum in Uzbekistan, and the Islamic Development Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Azerbaijan. The overlap in timing is useful less as a calendar coincidence than as a signal of how infrastructure, finance, and regional integration are now being discussed together. In Tashkent, the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum opens under the theme “Investment Resilience: New Frontiers, New Partnerships.” In Baku, the Islamic Development Bank Group will convene delegates from its 57 member countries under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity.” Add the Astana International Financial Centre’s increasingly active forum calendar, a new cross-border Islamic finance alliance signed in May among regional industry associations, and a stream of connectivity and green investment pledges from recent regional summits, and the wider region looks increasingly focused on turning connectivity talk into investment structures. The more important question is not how much money is being discussed, but what kinds of projects are becoming investable. One answer keeps surfacing: a multi-thousand-kilometer trade route that carries goods from China across Kazakhstan, over the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, and onward through Georgia and Türkiye to Europe. The Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, runs through many of the investment pitches now being made across the region. The forums show how infrastructure, finance, and regional connectivity are increasingly being discussed together. The corridor is one of the clearest tests of whether that agenda can move from conference language into bankable projects. For most of the past century, the world categorized this region under two headings. One is heritage: the caravanserais and blue domes of the old Silk Road. The other is hydrocarbons: the oil and gas beneath the Caspian basin. Both cast the region as a place value came out of or once passed through. The corridor proposes something more ambitious: that value should pass through again, but this time on terms shaped by the region itself. The shift is from selling what lies underground to earning from where the region sits on the map. Freight volumes on the Middle Corridor have risen roughly fivefold over recent years, while transit times have been cut from about a month to roughly two weeks as border procedures and port operations improved. The World Bank’s benchmark study sets out the goal of tripling freight volumes and halving travel time by 2030, and regional projections now point to annual throughput of around ten million tons or more by the end of the decade. For landlocked economies long dependent on a single route to world markets, a second viable artery is less a convenience than a form of strategic insurance. But turning a route on a map into a working corridor requires serious capital. It requires expanded port capacity on the Caspian, additional vessels and ferries, rail upgrades, terminal infrastructure, and the less visible digital and customs systems that allow cargo to clear multiple borders...

Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan and Russia to Launch Ferry Service for Trucks Across Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan’s port of Kuryk and Russia’s port of Makhachkala have signed an agreement to organize a vehicle ferry service across the Caspian Sea, according to Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. The collaboration aims to attract cargo flows currently moving from China through Central Asia and the port of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan to the Kuryk-Makhachkala route. The port of Kuryk is located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, south of the port of Aktau. Its ferry complex is focused on the transshipment of grain, petroleum products, fertilizers, chemicals, and other cargo. The port of Makhachkala is Russia’s only ice-free deepwater port on the Caspian Sea, serving as a link in the transport system between southern Russia and the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Iran. The Kuryk-Makhachkala route creates additional logistical options for cargo transportation across the Caspian region. The route also adds another Caspian Sea connection to regional transport networks. Unlike the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor, which links China and Europe through Central Asia and the South Caucasus while bypassing Russia, the Kuryk-Makhachkala route adds a Russian component to Caspian transit logistics. To ensure year-round navigation and strengthen competitiveness, Kazakhstan is investing in infrastructure on the Caspian Sea coast. Dredging has been carried out at Kuryk Port, while similar work is planned at Aktau Port to increase depth and improve vessel access. Construction is also underway at Kuryk on the Sarzha multifunctional terminal, a project being implemented in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Ports Group from the United Arab Emirates. The terminal is expected to have an annual capacity of five million tons. Under Kazakhstan’s comprehensive maritime infrastructure development plan for 2024-2028, the country intends to establish a major transport and logistics cluster based on the ports of Aktau and Kuryk. The plan includes expanding container handling capacity, developing cargo terminals and international shipping logistics, and reducing administrative barriers. By 2028, total cargo throughput at the ports is expected to increase by 50%, while container handling volumes are projected to triple.

Digital Transformation

Interview: Kazakhstan Turns to AI and Digital Platforms to Speed Eurasian Transit

Kazakhstan is moving more of its transit system online as it tries to reduce border delays, track freight earlier, and strengthen its position on routes linking China, Central Asia, the Caspian, and Europe. Officials and industry participants say such tools could shorten processing times and reduce delays across transport corridors. These and other issues were discussed during a thematic session on “Digital Solutions in Transport and Logistics” at the Fifth Eurasian Economic Forum in Astana in late May. Kazakhstan’s practical experience in digitizing transport and logistics was presented by Deputy Minister of Transport Damir Kozhakhmetov, who also spoke with The Times of Central Asia about the country’s key priorities in transforming the sector. Key Areas of Transformation Situated at the crossroads of major international transport corridors, Kazakhstan is prioritizing seamless logistics, electronic document management, and intelligent monitoring systems. According to Kozhakhmetov, the goal is to simplify transit procedures and accelerate cargo processing through the introduction of unified electronic standards and integration with international platforms. “We connect major transit routes and serve as a link providing services along alternative transport corridors,” Kozhakhmetov told The Times of Central Asia. “Our current priority is to ensure that countries across the region continue working together to simplify electronic document exchange and harmonize digital procedures.” Practical Cases and Measurable Results One of Kazakhstan’s most successful initiatives has been the integration of its railway freight systems with major Chinese logistics platforms serving the Middle Corridor. “This allows us to see the composition of cargo shipments three to five days before they arrive at the border and complete transit declarations in advance,” Kozhakhmetov said. “As a result, processing times at key railway stations have been reduced to as little as 30 minutes. Similar integration has already been implemented with the electronic railway platforms of Azerbaijan and Georgia.” He noted that similar projects are being introduced across other transport sectors, including the electronic exchanges of international transport permits, paperless processing of cargo documentation, and the implementation of e-Freight systems for air cargo operations. Kazakhstan is also participating in the development of the Digital Trade Corridor, a global multimodal platform designed to simplify, automate, and accelerate transit and logistics operations. Other initiatives include the introduction of the electronic international consignment note, e-CMR, and the Smart Cargo single-window logistics platform, which integrates customs and logistics services. “We pay close attention to the development of digital infrastructure in every mode of transport,” Kozhakhmetov said. “These efforts cover four main areas: roads, road transport, aviation, and railways.” Digital Roads and AI Monitoring In the road sector, Kazakhstan is developing the e-Joldar system, a unified platform designed to monitor the lifecycle of the country’s road network. The system combines road inventories, technical assessments, laboratory testing, and lifecycle management tools, enabling more effective allocation of infrastructure funding. “We can now see when a road was repaired, when the next maintenance cycle is scheduled, and when future rehabilitation work should be carried out,” Kozhakhmetov explained. According to the Ministry of Transport, Kazakhstan’s public road network...

Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan Eyes Cyprus as Middle Corridor Link to Mediterranean

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has invited Cyprus to participate in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, seeking to strengthen trade links between Central Asia and the Mediterranean through one of Eurasia’s fastest-growing trade routes. The proposal was made during talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. The TITR, also known as the Middle Corridor, connects China and Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkey. The route is approximately 3,000 kilometers shorter than the traditional northern route through Russia and currently allows cargo to travel from China to Europe in 10 to 15 days, compared with roughly twice that time via the northern corridor and up to 60 days by sea. “Cyprus is a world-class maritime hub, and the Middle Corridor creates significant opportunities to effectively connect Kazakhstan’s land transport infrastructure with Cyprus’s maritime infrastructure,” Tokayev said during a joint press briefing following the talks. According to Tokayev, such cooperation could help establish a new multimodal logistics network linking Central Asia, the Caspian region, and the Mediterranean while supporting growth in bilateral trade. The two leaders discussed expanding trade and investment ties, as well as strengthening business cooperation between the two countries. Tokayev said he had proposed developing a roadmap for bilateral economic cooperation and establishing an intergovernmental commission and business council to facilitate joint projects and increase commercial exchanges. He identified logistics, finance, tourism, and digital technologies as key areas for future cooperation, adding that Cyprus has expressed interest in Kazakhstan’s e-government platform and digital public services. Kazakhstan, he said, is ready to share its experience in those areas. More than 400 companies with Cypriot capital currently operate in Kazakhstan, including around 30 registered with the Astana International Financial Centre, according to Tokayev. Kazakhstan is prepared to create favorable conditions for Cypriot businesses interested in entering its market, he added. Speaking at a Kazakhstan-Cyprus business forum following the presidential talks, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said Cyprus had invested more than $5 billion in Kazakhstan since 2005, with nearly half of that amount invested during the past five years. Bektenov said both countries occupy strategic positions along trade routes linking Europe and Asia. He suggested Cyprus could serve as a regional logistics hub in the eastern Mediterranean, complementing Kazakhstan’s role as a transit gateway between China and Europe. He also highlighted new direct flights between Astana and Larnaca, which began on June 2, and Almaty and Larnaca, which began on June 4, saying the routes would improve passenger travel and cargo links. The visit also carries a wider diplomatic context as it coincided with the inauguration of Cyprus’s embassy in Astana, its first in Central Asia, and comes amid continued sensitivity in Turkey over the Cyprus issue. Ankara has denied reports that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan canceled a planned visit to Kazakhstan because of Christodoulides’ trip. The episode follows Tokayev’s recent effort to describe the Organization of Turkic States as a forum for cooperation rather than a military alliance,...