Kyrgyzstan and Russia are moving forward with plans for a new transport route that bypasses Kazakhstan. The proposed Southern Transport Corridor would connect Russia's Astrakhan port, across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan’s Turkmen Bashi port and then travel through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and into Kyrgyzstan.
KABUL POST – For Kyrgyzstan, the new route offers a way to reduce reliance on Kazakhstan for trade. Currently, most goods between Russia and Kyrgyzstan travel through Kazakhstan where trucks often face long delays, especially for perishable goods. The new corridor aims to ease these delays and provide an alternative path connecting Kyrgyzstan to European Russia. However, Kazakhstan will remain the main route for trade with Russia’s Siberian and Far Eastern regions.
The new corridor could benefit Afghanistan by providing alternative trade routes, improving Afghanistan’s access to markets in Russia and Central Asia, offering more trade opportunities and potentially reducing reliance on limited routes. It could also contribute to regional infrastructure development and economic growth, helping Afghanistan diversify its trade routes and increase stability in its international trade.