Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan

PeaceNexus is supporting the Uzbek Ministry of Transport to promote regional cooperation in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea by strengthening joint research and policy development.

The partner

The PeaceNexus Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan on the establishment of a Regional Transport Center in Central Asia since 2021. The partnership also included experts from across the region, including from the independent research center Mano (Uzbekistan) and an expert Working Group of representatives from the Ministries of Transport of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as independent experts.

Our support

At the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev voiced the idea of creating a regional transport center in Central Asia to strengthen transport connectivity both within and beyond its borders. The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan was appointed as the responsible state body for the development and implementation of this initiative. The Ministry requested support from PeaceNexus Foundation to develop the concept of a regional transport hub. Support was provided through the Mano Research Center (a consulting company), which acted as an intermediary between the PeaceNexus Foundation and the Ministry.

The Results

In September 2023 at the informal summit of the heads of Central Asian states an agreement on the creation of a regional transport hub was signed.

This was the result of a three-year collaboration between the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, Mano and the PeaceNexus Foundation, a working group representing the Ministries of Transport of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as independent experts from these countries. The working group developed an analysis of the transport policies of the Central Asian countries; an econometric analysis of the integration of Central Asian countries into a single transport hub; the concept of a regional transportation hub; and a draft interstate agreement on the creation of the Central Asian transport hub.

The future

In 2024, the working group was expanded to include representatives from the Ministries of Transport of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to develop a joint regional assessment of the Middle Corridor. This form of inclusive regional collaboration, with the inclusion of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, is rare in the region. It builds on previous collaboration and is a unique opportunity to share perspectives and develop common assessments and positions on a key initiative with great strategic significance.