The International Forum on Multimodal Transport has opened in Tashkent, organized by the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Alliance of Logistics Centers and the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Sputnik Uzbekistan reports.
The event brought together over 400 participants representing government agencies, private transport and logistics companies, research institutions, and international organizations from 20 countries, including Russia, China, India, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the forum marks an important step toward transforming Uzbekistan into a key transport and logistics hub of Eurasia. The discussions focus on strengthening cooperation along the Middle and Southern Transport Corridors, linking China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Europe. Key priorities include improving logistics chains, introducing digital technologies in freight management, and streamlining customs procedures.
Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov highlighted the strategic importance of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project, which will provide the shortest land route connecting Central and South Asia. This corridor is expected to significantly reduce delivery time and costs for goods moving from China to the Persian Gulf and South Asia.
Special attention was given to the Trans-Afghan railway project, which aims to connect Uzbekistan with Pakistani ports on the Arabian Sea. According to Makhkamov, this route will offer Central Asian nations direct access to maritime trade and serve as “a new gateway to global markets.”
Forum discussions also addressed practical aspects of cooperation — the development of Caspian port infrastructure, creation of regional logistics hubs, and implementation of electronic document exchange systems to speed up transit operations. A separate panel was dedicated to digitalization and artificial intelligence in cargo management.
Participants from OTS member states supported the idea of establishing a unified cooperation program for transport and customs authorities to reduce administrative barriers and boost interregional trade.
Several cooperation agreements were signed on the sidelines of the forum between major transport and logistics organizations. Among them were memorandums between the railway authorities of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and an agreement to establish joint logistics centers in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
Experts note that hosting the forum in Tashkent underscores Uzbekistan’s growing role as an initiator of regional integration in the transport sector. Amid shifting global trade routes, the country is positioning itself as a key link in the emerging Eurasian transport architecture, connecting East and West, North and South.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
November 13, 2025