Uzbekistan is exploring the possibility of participating in the construction of the Nakhchivan railway, which would provide access to Turkish ports in Samsun and Istanbul. The presidential press service reported this following a meeting chaired by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the implementation of major projects in the transport and logistics sector.
During the meeting, information was presented on ongoing efforts to create logistics infrastructure with Uzbekistan's participation in the Caspian Sea ports of Aktau, Turkmenbashi and Baku, as well as in the Black Sea ports of Poti and Anaklia. In particular, an agreement has been signed to establish a logistics centre at the port of Poti, and a feasibility study for the project is being developed.
"Opportunities are also being studied for [Uzbekistan's] participation in the development of the port of Anaklia [in Georgia], as well as in the construction of the Nakhchivan railway, which will provide access to the Turkish ports of Samsun and Istanbul," the statement said.
The implementation of these projects is expected to allow Uzbekistan to diversify supply routes to external markets for textile, chemical, agricultural and mining-metallurgical products.
"By 2030, it is planned to double the volume of transport services, attract $9.1 billion in investment to the sector and increase the export of services to $5.7 billion," the message said.
Separately, the meeting reviewed projects for the construction and modernisation of airports. New airport complexes with a total value of almost $3 billion are under construction in Tashkent and Bukhara.
The new international airport in Tashkent will initially be designed to serve 20 million passengers annually. Under the project, public-private partnership agreements have been signed, and work is underway to prepare the construction site and relocate utility networks.
Mirziyoyev emphasised the importance of clearly defining the timelines for project implementation, their funding sources and expected results, as well as their interconnected implementation. Relevant instructions were given to responsible officials.