UAE joins effort to build trans-Afghan railway
Transport officials from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Arab Emirates covering "the practical development" of a trans-Afghan railway, according to a Kazakh government statement. The two Central Asian states have advocated for the project but lack the financial resources and technical expertise to implement it on their own. The Kazakh statement cited the UAE's international experience in transport infrastructure, logistics and major investment projects, and made no mention of specific financial commitments by any of the parties.
Why it matters: The memorandum bears on the infrastructure and connectivity theme, since it concerns a rail link intended to give Central Asian exports access to Pakistani seaports and to establish a permanent working group on the project's technical, economic and financial aspects.