Bishkek, Aug. 6, 2021. / Kabar /. "The project for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line will become one of the alternative and important links of the Central Asian section of the Eurasian railway network," President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov told speaking in Turkmenbashi city of Turkmenistan.
The head of state noted that today there are all the prerequisites for turning the region into one of the most important hubs of world trade. Today, important transport corridors pass through the territory of the Central Asian countries, including: TRACECA, CAREC, SCO and others.
At the same time, he noted that the isolation of the Central Asian region, which does not have access to the world's oceans, requires the Central Asian countries to step up efforts to improve the efficiency of existing and create new transport corridors that enable our countries to access seaports. This is a strategic task.
“For the region, further expansion of international roads and railways, the creation of logistics centers and transport terminals are of priority importance. The development of inland transport within the region and the reduction of transport-related costs will increase the competitiveness of transport corridors through the region.
In Kyrgyzstan, road and transport infrastructure is actively developing in accordance with international standards and conditions. The construction of a new transit road North-South is underway, which will become a part of the international transport artery,” the president emphasized.
In this regard, Sadyr Zhaparov noted the overland transit corridors passing through the territory of Kyrgyzstan, which are able to provide an acceptable time and cost for the delivery of transit goods between the countries of Central Asia, China, the EAEU, the EU to the seaports of Karachi and Bander Abbas. It is necessary to emphasize the importance of the construction and modernization of the Eurasian railway infrastructure. The Kyrgyz side is interested in becoming a part of this infrastructure.
The head of state focused on the fact that the Kyrgyz side considers it necessary to strengthen cooperation between the countries of Central Asia in the fuel and energy sector, and to reach agreements on the supply of natural gas, electricity, and liquefied gas on mutually beneficial terms. In this context, Kyrgyzstan works closely with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
In addition, it is proposed to continue the joint study of bottlenecks to study the interoperability between water and land transport, which will ensure the mutually beneficial use of multimodal transport corridors in Central Asia.
At the same time, Sadyr Zhaparov drew attention to the fact that successfully implemented investment projects and new transport corridors will not bring any bonuses to the countries of the region if the barriers associated with crossing state borders remain.
"In this regard, it is important to create favorable conditions for international transport and prevent delays in freight traffic between countries, as well as removing barriers to economic cooperation, softening border crossing and transit procedures between our countries," he said.
“We must strive to find ways and means to ensure better functioning and greater transparency of markets for goods and services, greater diversification of mutual trade, which will create a common economic interest. It is necessary to expand cooperation in the development of economic sectors, taking into account the comparative advantage of the countries of the region, to carry out interaction for the efficient allocation of resources and improvement of the economic structure based on mutual benefits and sustainable economic development.
According to him, it is necessary to strive to ensure that Central Asia is considered as a kind of single economic space, the integration of which will be based on a mutually beneficial strategy of economic development.
President Sadyr Zhaparov stressed that in order to intensify cooperation in the trade sphere, the Kyrgyz side proposes to consider the issue of creating a five-sided intergovernmental commission at the level of deputy heads of the Cabinet of Ministers in charge of trade issues.