{"id":6886,"date":"2026-10-08T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikhailinvest.com\/uae-joins-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-in-push-for-trans-afghan-railway\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:00:00","slug":"uae-joins-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-in-push-for-trans-afghan-railway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikhailinvest.com\/ru\/uae-joins-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-in-push-for-trans-afghan-railway\/","title":{"rendered":"UAE Joins Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan in Push for Trans-Afghan Railway"},"content":{"rendered":"

It appears Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan may have found a way to finance a trans-Afghan railway that would enable Central Asian exports to gain access to seaports in Pakistan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Transport officials from the two Central Asian states have signed a memorandum of understanding<\/a> with the United Arab Emirates covering \u201cthe practical development\u201d of the railway, according to a Kazakh government statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Astana and Tashkent have been strong advocates for a trans-Afghan<\/a> railway but lack the financial resources and technical expertise to implement the project on their own. The UAE\u2019s inclusion would appear to address existing shortcomings, creating a pathway for construction to begin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe UAE brings international experience in transport infrastructure, logistics, and the implementation of major investment projects,\u201d according to the Kazakh statement. It made no mention of specific financial commitments by any of the parties to the agreement.<\/p>\n

Given the lack of international recognition of the Taliban government, the railway project to date has faced difficulty in attracting support from international financial institutions. Prior to the Taliban\u2019s return to power, the Asian Development Bank supported<\/a> the construction of a 75-kilometer stretch of railway connecting Hairaton, which sits across the Amu Darya River from the Uzbek border, to the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif.<\/p>\n

The memo aims \u201cto ensure transport connectivity between Central and South Asia and create additional opportunities for the development of international transport, trade, logistics and investment cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first step outlined in the document involves the preparation of \u201ctechnical and economic studies and analytical assessments.\u201d Planning work will also identify the scope of \u201cnecessary railway infrastructure and associated facilities\u201d to traverse Afghanistan\u2019s mountainous terrain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The three signatories will also seek to establish a permanent working group to handle the railway\u2019s \u201ctechnical, economic and financial aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even if the new partnership succeeds in addressing financing and engineering challenges, the railway project faces a major political obstacle, namely rancorous Afghan-Pakistani relations that have caused bouts of violence<\/a> over the past year, prompting the closure<\/a> of the two countries\u2019 land border.<\/p>\n

\u041a Eurasianet.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\u0414\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0438\u0435 \u043b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 \u0441 \u0441\u0430\u0439\u0442\u0430 Oilprice.com<\/strong><\/p>\n