Uzbekistan is planning to create trade and industrial zones along its border with Kyrgyzstan. This initiative was announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting on the development of Andijan region held on April 16.
According to Uzbek media, Andijan region exports around $200 million worth of goods to Kyrgyzstan annually. In this regard, the President emphasized the need to establish free trade and industrial zones in one of the border districts—either Kurgantepa or Khojaabad—which border Kara-Suu district of Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed officials to select one of the areas based on consultations with entrepreneurs and to prepare a master plan for the project. He noted that the new free zone could be modeled after the one operating on the border with Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan—Afghanistan trade zone was launched in May 2019 in Surkhandarya region, which borders Afghanistan.
During the same meeting, the President of Uzbekistan also touched upon Uzbekistan—Kyrgyzstan—China railway project. He stated that the launch of this route would reduce cargo delivery time by one week, cut the distance by 1,000 kilometers, and increase transport volume tenfold.
«But how ready are our internal railway networks, customs points and stations to handle such volumes?», Mirziyoyev asked, instructing relevant authorities to conduct calculations and present a comprehensive program for the preparation of the infrastructure.
