Uzbekistan and the transport and logistics potential of the region

The transport and logistics potential of Central Asia has always played a significant role in ensuring the development and well-being of the countries of the region. Everyone understands the importance of the Great Silk Road, which connected East Asia with the Mediterranean. This caravan road contributed to the development of cities, ensuring interethnic, interstate economic, cultural and spiritual relations in the region.  

Indeed, global development and the life of mankind are directly related to the transport sector. With the expansion of transport logistics, the economy and cooperation are developing, and the bonds of friendship between peoples are strengthening.   
The modern transport sector requires new approaches and the implementation of innovative projects. Therefore, special attention is being paid to this area in the region, new ideas and initiatives are being put forward to improve it. 
In particular, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his speech at the fifth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State in Dushanbe, referring to the issues of transport interconnectedness, noted that taking into account the geographical distance from the main foreign markets, the share of freight transportation costs in our countries is about 50 percent of the final cost of goods. At the same time, the global average does not exceed 11 percent. As a result, the economies of the Central Asian countries are forced to carry a transport load two to three times more than in developed countries.  
Proceeding from this, the head of our state proposed to develop an Agreement on transport and transit in Central Asia within the framework of meetings of industry ministers, to form specific mechanisms for promoting effective transport corridors to enter the markets of China, South Asia and the Middle East, the European Union with the use of through tariffs that are beneficial for business. It was also proposed to prepare a program of measures to liberalize the transport services market, optimize licensing procedures and consider the creation of an integrated digital platform for international transportation.   
The Central Asian region is a large consumer and manufacturing market. Its further development and expansion depends on the implementation of the above-mentioned initiatives. 
In the first half of this year, the volume of cargo transportation of Uzbekistan with the countries of the region amounted to 23.3 million tons, which is 22.9 percent more than in the same period of 2022. The indicators indicate the effectiveness of cooperation in the transport, logistics and transit sectors at all levels. 
Today, as a result of political events taking place in the international arena, international logistics directions are changing dramatically. The development of the transport infrastructure of Central Asia plays a stabilizing role in the vast expanse of Eurasia, acts not only as a transit corridor, but also as a production and logistics hub connecting North -South and East-West.    
The Logistics Performance Index (LPI) is a rating index for comparative analysis of the effectiveness of logistics systems in the world. Published by the World Bank every two years. In the report, competitiveness is measured using six components, which determine the logistics efficiency index. About 160 countries are estimated. And the score varies between 1 and 5 points. The index is based on a survey. 
In the logistics index of 2023, Uzbekistan rose by 11 positions and took 88th place. Kazakhstan went down eight positions and took 79th place. Tajikistan, having improved its results by 37 positions, was in 97th place. Kyrgyzstan went down 15 positions and took 123rd place. The indicators require further strengthening of actions in this direction.   
In order to develop the transport infrastructure of Central Asia, two projects are planned to be implemented on the initiative of Uzbekistan – the construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway lines. 
In the six months of this year, the number of freight trains running between China and European countries amounted to 8641, which is 16 percent more than in the same period of 2022. Including freight trains on the China - Europe route transported 936 thousand containers (an increase of 30 percent).   
The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will make it possible to direct a certain part of China-Europe cargo flows through Central Asia, including through Uzbekistan, and significantly reduce transport costs for export-import cargo transportation.   
At the SCO summit held in Samarkand on September 15-16, 2022, a trilateral memorandum of cooperation on the construction of this railway was signed by the relevant departments of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. In addition, the Center for the Study of Problems of Transport and Logistics Development under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan conducted research on the formation of a multimodal transport corridor China - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran - Turkey. Within the framework of the SCO forum planned for November this year, it is expected to create a working group on the development of this corridor and sign a roadmap.   
And the construction of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway line primarily contributes to the improvement of the political situation in neighboring Afghanistan and the exit of the countries of the region through Pakistani ports to the Indian Ocean. Trilateral talks were held on this issue in Islamabad (Pakistan) in July this year.   
In short, the Central Asian states actively cooperate in the name of sustainable development of the region and against this background pay priority attention to transport logistics issues. For the beneficiaries of the measures taken to develop international transport corridors, improve the logistics system, and effectively use the transport and transit potential of the region will be all the countries of Central Asia.
Mahmudjon Tohirov.
Leading specialist of the Center for the Study of Problems 
development of transport and logistics 
under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan.