Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are accelerating plans to establish a vital regional trade corridor that could transform the economic landscape of Central and South Asia, according to officials who convened an online meeting on Monday. The trilateral discussions focused on finalizing a joint action plan to facilitate cargo movement and dismantle existing logistical bottlenecks along the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan corridor.
The initiative, born out of a Presidential Decree issued by Uzbekistan in January 2025, is part of a broader effort to develop the country’s transport and logistics infrastructure and to enhance its role as a transit hub between Europe and Asia.
During the virtual meeting, transport authorities from the three nations reviewed and advanced a draft agreement that outlines specific steps to streamline customs procedures, upgrade infrastructure, and coordinate cross-border transit operations. The parties agreed to begin internal procedures for the signing of the action plan in the coming weeks.
Crucially, this effort is tied to the long-anticipated Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar railway project, first announced in 2021. Estimated at a cost of $5 billion, the railway aims to provide a fast and efficient land route for trade stretching from Europe through Central Asia and Afghanistan to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. With a projected capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo annually, the corridor could drastically shorten delivery times and reduce reliance on costly maritime routes.
The geopolitical significance of the corridor is considerable, especially as global supply chains seek alternatives amid maritime disruptions and as regional actors look to strengthen connectivity following years of instability in Afghanistan. For landlocked Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, the project represents a strategic opportunity to diversify trade routes and attract foreign investment. For Pakistan, it offers a chance to deepen its economic integration with Central Asia and gain overland access to new markets.
If implemented successfully, the corridor could redefine trade flows across Eurasia, making Afghanistan a pivotal transit state and fostering a new era of economic cooperation in a historically fractured region.
