Tajikistan has proposed expanding regional transport connectivity through the development of new international transit corridors linking Central Asia with Europe and South Asia.
The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan says the proposal was presented by Deputy Minister of Transport Shoista Saidmurodzoda at the 23rd meeting of the Transport Sector Coordinating Committee of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
According to Saidmurodzoda, Tajikistan is actively developing alternative transport routes connecting China and Europe through Central Asia. One of the key projects is the multimodal corridor linking Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Türkiye, and Europe.
“This corridor offers a shorter route to European markets, provides access to Iranian and Turkish ports, and expands trade opportunities for landlocked countries,” she said.
The deputy minister noted that Tajikistan’s road network exceeds 26,000 kilometers, while its railway system stretches 958 kilometers. Ten international transport corridors pass through the country, including four CAREC corridors.
Alternative route through Pakistan
Given current geopolitical challenges, Tajikistan also proposed developing the Tajikistan–Pakistan–China transport corridor as an alternative route for regional trade.
According to Saidmurodzoda, the initiative is supported by a 2022 transit trade agreement between Tajikistan and Pakistan and a 2025 international road transport agreement between Tajikistan and China.
She said the corridor would provide Central Asian countries with access to Pakistani ports on the Arabian Sea and create an additional trade route between Central and South Asia.
Advancing regional connectivity
The deputy minister emphasized that transport infrastructure development remains one of Tajikistan’s national priorities.
She highlighted several recent initiatives aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, including the Agreement on Strengthening Land Transport Connectivity in Central Asia, signed in Dushanbe in September 2023, and the CIS Strategy for the Digitalization of Multimodal Transport Corridors, approved in 2025 during Tajikistan’s chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Saidmurodzoda also noted that a resolution proposed by Tajikistan on enhancing transport connectivity and logistics for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region was adopted during the 82nd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok in April 2026.
ADB support for transport development
According to the deputy minister, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) continues to play a significant role in modernizing Tajikistan’s transport infrastructure.
Three ADB-supported transport projects worth a combined $242.6 million are currently being implemented in the country. One project valued at $86.7 million is under active implementation, while two projects totaling $155.9 million have entered the warranty and maintenance phase.
Talks with Mongolia
During her visit to Ulaanbaatar, Saidmurodzoda also met with Mongolia’s Minister of Roads and Transport, Borhuugiin Delgersaikhan.
The two sides discussed cooperation in railway, road, and air transport, as well as opportunities to develop new transport links across the Eurasian region.
According to the Transport Ministry, Tajikistan and Mongolia are preparing to sign a bilateral agreement on international road transportation in the near future.
