President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his next Address to the Oliy Majlis and the people of Uzbekistan, set the most important task: to ensure an increase in exports of finished products by four billion dollars, which should exceed $23 billion next year. It is worth noting that among the goals of the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026 is also the increase in the volume of exports of the republic in 2026 to $30 billion. The leader of Uzbekistan proposes to implement the export policy through the development of the transport and communication sphere of Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole. 

Promotion and implementation of the initiatives of the President put forward at international forums will allow the formation of a new architecture of transport flows in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. In this regard, it is important to deeply study the origins and the process of evolution of specific events in Uzbekistan and in the international arena in recent years, which gave impetus to the development of the transport and communication sector in the region.  

An important historical event in this direction was the speech of the President at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly on September 19, 2017, where the head of state stressed that Uzbekistan defines the Central Asian region as the main priority of its foreign policy. For this, the leader of the country proposed to discuss the fundamental problems of Central Asia at the high-level international conference “Central Asia: one past and a common future, cooperation for sustainable development and mutual prosperity”, which was held in November of the same year in Samarkand. Speaking at the forum, the President once again announced his intention to turn Central Asia into a stable, economically developed and prosperous region, outlining specific tasks for its implementation. Then the head of state highlighted two priority areas: development of trade and economic ties and the creation of favorable conditions for the growth of trade and the strengthening of cooperation; effective use of the transit and logistics potential of the region and the development of transport infrastructure.

In order to create additional favorable conditions for further diversification of foreign trade transport corridors, increase transit potential, as well as develop the competitiveness of domestic transport and logistics companies in foreign and domestic markets, on December 2, 2017, the Presidential Decree “On measures to improve transport infrastructure and diversify foreign trade routes” was adopted transportation of goods for 2018-2022”. The document approved the Comprehensive Program for Improving the Transport Infrastructure and Diversifying Foreign Trade Routes for the Transportation of Goods for 2018-2022. Within its framework, systematic work was carried out to improve the bilateral legal framework and the practical implementation of international agreements,        

As priority areas for interaction between the countries of Central Asia, the President of Uzbekistan proposes the search for new reserves and effective mechanisms for expanding effective regional cooperation, noting the importance of developing specific partnership programs in trade, economic, transport and communication areas. In this matter, the priority should be the implementation of transport and communication projects that will connect Central Asia with the largest seaports and world markets.   

This initiative was implemented, and already in September 2018, Tashkent hosted a high-level international conference “Central Asia in the system of international transport corridors: strategic prospects and unrealized opportunities”. More than 500 specialists from 37 countries of the world and representatives of 25 international organizations, financial institutions and leading transport companies took part in its work. Taking into account the scale of the tasks to eliminate the problems facing the Central Asian states in the development and modernization of the region's transport system, the parties expressed interest in adopting a regional program for the development of transport communications. Besides,   

Transport and communication cooperation between the countries of Central Asia is also being activated within the framework of the SCO. To expand mutually beneficial trade between the member states of the association, create new and improve existing transport and logistics infrastructures, the President of Uzbekistan put forward a number of initiatives aimed at consolidating the efforts of the SCO in the transport sector. The proposals of the head of state are widely supported. A vivid example of this is the approval during the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO states in Tashkent in November 2019 of the Concept of interaction between the railway administrations of the SCO member states, developed at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

In order to increase the transport and logistics potential of the country, the institutional and regulatory framework is being strengthened. In particular, by the Decree of the Head of State dated February 1, 2019, the Ministry of Transport was established, which is defined as a government body for the development and implementation of a unified state policy in the field of development of road, rail, air, river transport, metro, as well as road facilities. 

In his Address to the Oliy Majlis on January 24, 2020, the President focused on the need to develop the transport sector, emphasizing that this is important for the timely delivery of our products to domestic and foreign markets, as well as reducing its cost. Almost a year later, in an Address dated December 29, 2020, the leader of Uzbekistan announced that the first practical steps had been taken to implement the construction project of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor, which will connect Central Asia with the Indian Ocean. Its implementation, the head of state noted, will serve to ensure stability and sustainable economic development in the entire region.     

The speech of the head of the country at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2020, where it was noted that today the Central Asian states face an important strategic task - to ensure the deep integration of the region into the global economic, transport and transit corridors, can be called truly historic.    

Speaking at the international conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities” On July 16, 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed to create a modern, efficient and safe transport and logistics infrastructure in Central and South Asia. In his opinion, the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway is called upon to become a key element of the entire architecture of the interconnectedness of our regions. As the head of Uzbekistan emphasized, the construction of this railway will make it possible to fully realize the transit potential of the two regions, form the shortest route, and significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods.

This topic was also widely discussed at the third Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Turkmenistan on August 6, 2021, where the President of Uzbekistan, speaking about common strategic interests, noted the need to effectively use the transport and transit potential of the region. At the same time, he expressed his deep conviction that the extensive and integrated transport system of our countries is capable of becoming a key transit hub on the Eurasian continent.

The tasks set by the President of Uzbekistan on transport issues at international forums are reflected in the Development Strategy. Thus, Goal 36 provides for the development of a unified transport system in conjunction with all modes of transport, the creation of conditions for the possibility of daily trips on scheduled transport routes between major cities. This is the improvement of the public transport system and the development of its infrastructure in the city of Tashkent and the regions; increasing the attractiveness of intercity and suburban railway routes; development of the market for transport and logistics services and infrastructure, bringing the level of electrification of the railway infrastructure to 60 percent and the accelerated development of the road network;

At a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States in Samarkand on September 16, 2022, the President of Uzbekistan, speaking about the SCO Concept on strengthening interconnectedness and creating efficient transport corridors, proposed the creation of an Interregional Center for Interconnection in the city of Tashkent with the support of the UN. The leader of Uzbekistan called the signing of the trilateral Agreement on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway as a historic event, and also called for support for another strategically important project - the construction of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway corridor. According to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the implementation of these two projects will open up great opportunities for strengthening interconnectedness, increasing mutual trade and investment,  

And at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States in Samarkand on November 11, 2022, the President, speaking about the Trans-Caspian International Corridor, said that Uzbekistan transports ten percent of its foreign trade cargo through this corridor. The head of state emphasized that the main attention should be paid to increasing the competitiveness of transit corridors in the region, introducing the most favorable tariffs for business, and creating a modern transport infrastructure.

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The above facts and events, specific proposals and initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on transport and communication corridors in Uzbekistan and in the international arena show that we consistently set ourselves structural tasks to modernize the sphere, aimed at creating a new architecture of transport flows in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. To implement them, systematic fundamental and applied scientific research is needed, the result of which should be the development of strategic conceptual approaches and effective mechanisms for regional transport cooperation.     

It is worth emphasizing: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev systematically puts forward new ideas and initiatives to develop transport flows and conceptualize Uzbekistan's strategy for transport corridors in the region. This also confirms that the country is comprehensively striving to develop the northern, northwestern, southern, southwestern and eastern international transport corridors, which will allow access to the markets of European countries, Turkey, Pakistan, India, China and others.   

Ibrahim Mavlanov.

Doctor of Economic Sciences.