“We kept our borders closed for 20 years, losing our transit routes” – President

In his address to the parliament, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev touched upon the transport and logistics sector.

“In order to deliver our products to foreign and domestic markets, to reduce their cost, we need to develop transport and logistics sphere. In the railway sector, passenger and freight transportation, operation and service will be separated from one another,” the President said.

As the head of state notes, international experts have concluded that Uzbekistan can increase its transit potential from 7 million to 16 million tons by improving the existing infrastructure, applying flexible tariffs and launching new routes.

“We kept our borders closed for 20 years. As a result, transit routes, running through our republic, have switched to other countries.

We have invited experts. 7 million tons of cargo is now being transported through Uzbekistan. Our capacities can facilitate transporting up to 16 million tons of cargo. Imagine that transit fee of 16 million tons of cargo will remain in Uzbekistan. Who does care about it? What is the Transport Ministry doing? Where are the deputy prime ministers?

Once we closed everything, we lost transit routes. As a result, these lines were easily mastered by other countries. Now it is time to return these routes. It is difficult. What do we have to do to return them? It is necessary to reduce the cost and tariffs, create conditions. These matters should be learned by the heads of railroad and airline industries,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.