The Ministry of Public Works said that the quadrilateral rail-economic corridor agreement among Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China has been extended for the year 2025.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, the ministry’s spokesperson, stated that the deputy minister of public works signed the agreement during his visit to Uzbekistan.
This corridor connects to the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway after passing through China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas said: “During the visit of Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, the Deputy Minister of Public Works of the Islamic Emirate, to Uzbekistan, the quadrilateral rail agreement among China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan was extended for the year 2025.”
The ministry’s spokesperson added that through this railway corridor, 4,200 containers of goods were transported between Afghanistan and China in 2024, and based on the new agreement, the volume of transportation among the partner countries will increase.
Abdul Nasir Rashtia, an economic affairs analyst, told TOLOnews: “Whenever we connect with a railway network, we can gain two benefits; first, goods will enter the market at lower prices, and second, we can transport export or import goods from one point to another in a shorter time.”
Sayed Selab Samandar, another economic affairs expert, stated: “The extension of the quadrilateral rail corridor agreement among China, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan can lead to the growth of the country’s domestic industry and facilitate the development of Afghanistan’s products.”
Yesterday, the deputy minister of public works in Uzbekistan called for the practical initiation of the Trans-Afghan project. In a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport and other officials, discussions were held regarding the increase of commercial and export transportation via the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway and the expansion of railway cooperation.
