Central Asian countries to launch unified digital transport platform under CASCA+ initiative

For landlocked Central Asian nations, access to global trade routes remains a strategic priority. Uzbekistan, situated at the heart of the region, must traverse at least two neighboring countries to reach maritime ports. With the northern route losing appeal due to the Russia–Ukraine conflict, diversifying transport corridors has become a key objective for regional governments.

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The Central Asia–South Caucasus corridor, initially conceptualized in the 1990s, had long been overlooked due to political and infrastructural challenges. However, since 2023, its importance has surged under the CASCA+ initiative, which includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. The first CASCA+ meeting took place in Ankara in November 2023, where the corridor was officially recognized as a regional trade route.

Speaking after the Tashkent meeting, Minister Mahkamov said delegations from five countries discussed the creation of a digital platform and ways to resolve border bottlenecks.

“On November 15–16, the presidents of the Central Asian states and the president of Azerbaijan are expected to visit Uzbekistan. We discussed transforming Central Asia into a unified transport hub, eliminating border issues, and developing a digital platform,” Mahkamov said. “Under the president’s initiative, the Trans-Afghan multimodal corridor and the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan route are expanding, with freight volumes increasing every year.”

The minister also highlighted that several technical issues still need to be resolved before the completion of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway.

“Europe remains the main direction of trade,” he added. “Cargo will move through the emerging ‘CASCA+’ middle corridor. Until the railway is completed, we must address challenges such as the declining level of the Caspian Sea and the shortage of ferries.”

The intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway was signed in June 2024, with construction works commencing in July after years of delay.