A paper by Nargiza Umarova has been published in a collection of materials from the international scientific and practical conference “Geopolitics of Logistics: Transport Corridors of Central Asia in the Global System”, held on April 4, 2025, by the Faculty of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty), in which she analyzes the challenges and opportunities for activating the southern transit route for Central Asia, considering projects through Afghanistan as a tool for diversifying foreign trade routes and reducing dependence on the northern route through Russia. Considerable attention is paid to Iran's role in providing Central Asia with access to Indian Ocean ports, as well as the Taliban government's efforts to transform Afghanistan into an interregional transport hub.

 

An article examines in detail key infrastructure initiatives, including the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar and Torgundi-Herat-Kandahar-Spin Buldak railway corridors, the Lazurite Route, and the Wakhan Corridor. It analyzes the participation of Russia, China, India, and Iran in these projects, as well as the possible consequences of their geopolitical rivalry for the long-term interests of Central Asian states.

 

In conclusion, the expert emphasizes the need to develop a unified regional strategy for the development of southern transit, select a priority route that is beneficial to all states in the region, and create a regional investment fund to finance infrastructure projects. In her opinion, coordinated actions by Central Asian countries can strengthen their positions in the global transport and logistics system and turn Afghanistan into a stable link in mutually beneficial cooperation.

 

* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.