Day: August 7, 2025

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has unveiled the Eurasian Transport Network Observatory, a comprehensive database monitoring infrastructure development across 13 countries in the region: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

As of July 1, 2025, the database includes 325 infrastructure projects both ongoing and planned, with a total estimated investment of $234 billion. Over 51% of these projects are in the road transport sector.

Russia accounts for seven of the ten largest infrastructure projects within the network. The Northern Eurasian Corridor is the most capital-intensive, requiring $78 billion, more than one-third of the network’s total projected investment.

Central Asia plays a pivotal role, representing over 22% of total investments in the Eurasian Transport Network. The region hosts or plans 90 infrastructure projects valued at approximately $53 billion. Kazakhstan alone accounts for roughly 44% of these initiatives.

Nearly two-thirds of Central Asian investments are allocated to highway infrastructure, underscoring the strategic priority placed on enhancing road connectivity to support regional trade and international integration.

Top 10 Transport Projects in Central Asia:

• China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway – $4.7 billion
• Tashkent-Andijan Toll Highway (Uzbekistan) – $4.3 billion
• Balykchy-Kochkor-Kara-Keche-Makmal-Jalal-Abad Railway (Kyrgyzstan) – $4.1 billion
• North-South Railway (Tajikistan) – $3.9 billion
• Center-West Highway (Kazakhstan) – $2.6 billion
• Ashgabat-Turkmenabat Highway (Turkmenistan) – $2.4 billion
• Serakhs-Mary-Serkhetabat Highway (Turkmenistan) – $2.2 billion
• Dostyk-Moyinty Rail Section Modernization (Kazakhstan) – $2 billion
• Sherkhan-Kunduz-Mazar-i-Sharif-Herat-Turgundi Railway (Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan) – $2 billion
• Zhezkazgan-Arkalyk-Petropavlovsk Motorway Reconstruction (Kazakhstan)

The EDB notes that international development banks and other multilateral institutions are well-positioned to offer both technical and financial support, particularly in landlocked and mountainous countries where infrastructure gaps are most acute.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have entered the active implementation phase of the long-anticipated submarine fiber-optic cable (SFOC) project across the Caspian Sea. According to Bagdat Mussin, CEO of Kazakhtelecom JSC, the underwater cable system is scheduled for completion and launch by the end of 2026.

First proposed in 2019, the project involves the construction of two parallel fiber-optic lines, spanning approximately 380 to 400 kilometers, to connect the digital infrastructures of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Originally, Kazakh telecom operators Transtelecom and KazTransCom participated alongside Azerbaijan’s AzerTelecom. However, by 2022, the Kazakh companies had exited the venture, and in 2023, Kazakhtelecom assumed the lead role on behalf of Astana.

On August 22, 2023, Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom formalized their partnership by signing a joint venture agreement in Amsterdam.

Mussin stated that national operators have now completed site surveys of the coastal infrastructure, identifying locations for both a beach manhole and a cable landing station. A specialized survey vessel, currently operating from the Kazakh port of Bautino, is mapping the seabed to assess depth, terrain, underwater currents, and geological conditions to finalize the cable route.

“The bridge’s capacity is designed to meet future demands and will support at least 400 Tbit/s. When the first byte of data travels through this artery, the Caspian will become a unique digital bridge between Asia and Europe,” Mussin said.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the total cost of the project is estimated at $50.6 million.

The cable is part of a wider regional initiative to advance digital transformation and sustainable connectivity across Eurasia.