Armenia
Armenia can become an important transit hub by connecting to the North-South project
Arka News Agency, 30.11.2021
Armenia can become an important transit hub by connecting to the international transport corridor "North –South". This is stated in the report of the Eurasian Development Bank "International transport corridor "North – South": the creation of the transport framework of Eurasia".
The document notes that the corridor can be of great importance for increasing the transport connectivity of the Republic of Armenia with foreign markets.
"The North–South road corridor, which is currently in the final stage of construction and should link the Republic of Armenia with the Islamic Republic of Iran, can be supplemented with a new 23-kilometer Kvesheti–Kobi section, including a 10-kilometer tunnel on the territory of Georgia. As a stand-in for the existing road to the Upper Lars Russian-Georgian automobile checkpoint, the tunnel will open up new prospects for the development of transport and communication opportunities for the Republic of Armenia and the access of its goods to foreign markets," the report says.
The authors of the study indicate that India and Iran actively support this initiative.
In March of this year, the Indian Ambassador to Iran said that Armenia's connection to the North–South ITC could be implemented through the Iranian port of Chabahar (Sargsyan, 2021). The launch of a transport corridor through Armenia is of strategic importance for Iran and India. Iran will be able to diversify cargo supply routes to Russia and Europe. At the moment, the main trade turnover between Iran and Russia is carried out through Azerbaijan, while Iranian goods are supplied to Europe through Turkey. At the same time, India can strengthen its position in the North–South ITC project by getting a short route to Georgia, the ports of the Black Sea coast and the EAEU market," the document says.
However, as the report notes, Armenia's accession to the international transport corridor will be possible only if a section of the national highway "North – South" is built, which will reduce the distance from the Georgian to the Iranian border.
"It should be noted that the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Iran We discussed the challenges of transport transit from Iran to Armenia and ways to overcome them at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. In this regard, the Armenian Foreign Minister informed about the construction process of a new section of the Sisian–Kajaran highway within the framework of the North–South road corridor. Thus, at the end of September this year, the Armenian government approved an investment program for the construction of this section connecting the southern regions of the country with the center of Armenia (IA ARKA, 2021). Design work is underway on the Kajaran – Agarak section, which will simplify access to Iran. The construction of sections of the North–South road corridor will be carried out in cooperation with international partners, including holding tenders and attracting financial resources," the report says.
About MTK "North-South"
The North–South multimodal international transport corridor connects the north-western part of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Scandinavian countries with the states of Central Asia, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The corridor includes the infrastructure of rail, road and inland waterway transport, marine ports on the Caspian Sea, ports of the Persian Gulf, road and railway checkpoints, as well as international airports.
The legal basis for the creation of the North–South corridor was the signing on September 12, 2000 during the Second International Eurasian Transport Conference (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation) by three countries - the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation – of an intergovernmental Agreement on the international North–South transport corridor.
Kyrgyzstan
Progress of construction works on the Madaniyat - Jalal-Abad section of the Bishkek– Osh highway
Kabar Kg, 25.11.2021
About 43 km of the lower layer of asphalt concrete pavement and 13 km of the upper layer of asphalt concrete pavement have been laid on the Madaniyat - Jalal-Abad section of the Bishkek-Osh highway, the Ministry of Transport reported.
It is noted that the installation of asphalt concrete in the Nooken district of Jalal-Abad region is currently underway.
According to the Project to improve the CAREC Corridor 3 Bishkek-Osh Highway, Phase 4, Madaniyat - Jalal-Abad section of 184 pipes, work has been completed on 127, 2 out of 9 bridges have been rehabilitated and work is underway on 5 bridges.
As you know, on June 11, 2018, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic signed a contract for construction work with the LLC AzVirt company, which includes detailed design, earthworks, road construction, construction of new and restoration of old bridges, construction of culverts and box water pipes. 150 people and 80 sets of large-sized equipment were mobilized to the site. In addition, the Contractor mobilized an asphalt concrete plant with a capacity of 210 tons per hour.
According to the press service of the ministry, the Project to improve the CAREC Corridor 3, Bishkek-Osh highway, Phase 4, Madaniyat-Jalal-Abad section will improve national and regional connectivity by restoring and rehabilitating about 67 km of highway between Madaniyat and Jalal-Abad. The project will result in efficient movement of freight and passenger traffic along the 67 km Bishkek-Osh highway, which passes through the settlements of Kochkor-Ata, Massa and Bazar-Korgon. The implementation of the project will facilitate national and regional trade, as well as it will improve the access of rural settlements to markets, which will accelerate the economic development of the region.
This section is designed according to the standards of the II-technical category with 2 and 4 lanes. For 67 km of the highway, the estimated axle load is designed for 11.5 tons.
A two–layer asphalt concrete coating with a thickness of 15 cm, with a bottom layer of 9 cm and an upper layer of 6 cm will be laid throughout the project area. The project also provides for the reconstruction of 9 bridges and lighting in settlements.
The head of the Ministry of Transport of Kyrgyzstan discussed with the South Korean delegation the construction of roads and railways
Kabar Kg, 01.12.2021
Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan Erkinbek Osoev met with a delegation of the Committee for Northern Economic Cooperation under the President of the Republic of Korea headed by its Chairman Park Chong-soo.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Transport of the Kyrgyz Republic, during the meeting the parties discussed issues of further bilateral cooperation in the construction of roads and railways, as well as automobile tunnels.
During the meeting with the Korean delegation, information on investment projects was presented by the Kyrgyz side, investment projects were presented - on railway transport and the construction of highways and tunnels. In particular, the project was presented: "Reconstruction of the Bishkek bypass road", which provides for attracting investments and developing a feasibility study (POI)." The Bishkek Northern Bypass Highway is a public highway on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic, of international importance. The development of the feasibility study of the project is based on the principles and provisions justified in the creation of the international transit corridor Almaty-Kordai-Bishkek-Kara-Balta-Chaldovar-Taraz-Tashkent, the development of which will increase the transit potential of the Kyrgyz Republic, simplify the movement of goods and passengers between Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. In addition, the project will strengthen the potential of the CAREC-1 and CAREC–3 transport corridors by connecting them. The implementation of this project will also allow transit cargo and passenger vehicles to follow the route without entering Bishkek and, accordingly, will reduce the level of emissions of pollutants into the atmospheric air of the capital.
The following projects were also presented to the Korean delegation: "The project for the construction of an alternative automobile tunnel along the Bishkek-Osh highway", for which there is a preliminary feasibility study, will create conditions for a more comfortable and rapid transit of goods and passengers. It will also increase the level of transport security, reduce operational transport costs and boost economic activity within the country.
Taking into account the scale of these projects and the need to attract investments for their implementation, which are also included in the Strategy for the Development of the Road Sector until 2030, their implementation is planned within the framework of public-private partnership, the Minister of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic noted.
The head of the delegation of the Committee for Northern Economic Cooperation under the President of the Republic of Korea, Park Jong-soo, informed during the meeting and presentation of the above-mentioned projects that many South Korean companies specializing in the construction of roads, tunnels and railways have extensive experience and capabilities implement these projects. Park Jong-soo also noted the need for meetings of Korean investors with representatives of the Ministry of Transport of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Tajikistan
Korea will contribute to the construction of logistics centers in Tajikistan
Central Asia News, 02.11.2021
Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan Azim Ibrahim signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a meeting with representatives of the Korean company "Living Tree Co. Ltd.", the press service of the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan reports.
According to the information provided, the Republic of Korea intends to contribute to the implementation of transport projects in Tajikistan, including the construction of international logistics centers, railways, and road safety.
At the same time, within the framework of the signed document, the parties agreed to establish cooperation in order to implement various projects in the field of transport.
A delegation of Korean businessmen arrived in Tajikistan within the framework of the 14th Central Asia-Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum.
Within the framework of the forum align="left"> It should be noted that the Ministry of Transport reported on the introduction of separate lanes for public and special transport on January 25 of this year.