At the first transport trade and export forum in Aktau, representatives of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan discussed the prospects for the construction of a new railway line Turgundi – Herat – Kandahar – Spin Buldak. This line should pass from the western border of Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan, reaching India, which opens up new opportunities for regional trade.
The initiative to implement the project was put forward by the head of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammetkhan Chakyev. Turkmenistan has already agreed with its Afghan colleagues on the creation of a logistics center in Turgundi and plans to begin construction in the near future. The center will include facilities for transshipment of grain, containers and other goods, which should significantly increase the region’s cargo turnover.
The Afghan side expressed its readiness to ensure the transit of goods through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Pakistan. They noted the importance of this corridor for all participants and their interest in importing Chinese goods through the territories of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The importance of developing the North-South transport corridor was also emphasized by Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin, who announced plans to increase the corridor’s capacity to 10 million tons per year by 2027.