In an interview with Novastan, Aziza Mukhamedova, a Leading Research Fellow at the Center for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies at IAIS, analyzed the prospects for Afghanistan becoming a full-fledged transportation and economic bridge between Central and South Asia. The expert noted the significant growth in Uzbek-Afghan trade, infrastructure development in the Termez and Khayraton regions, and progress on the Trans-Afghan Railway project.
The discussion focused in particular on the economic viability of future transport corridors, risks associated with Afghan-Pakistani relations, issues related to the financing of railway projects, and Afghanistan’s integration into regional value chains. According to Aziza Mukhammedova, a key indicator of success will be not only an increase in transit traffic but also the ability of the new routes to create jobs, attract investment, and stimulate economic activity directly within Afghanistan.
* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.
