Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have announced plans to jointly develop a railway route through Afghanistan that will be instrumental in connecting Central Asia with seaports in Pakistan.

Details of the Central Asia-South Asia (CASA) rail corridor, which will run from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, were on September 30 provided by the office of Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov.

The transport ministries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure signed a CASA memorandum of understanding on cooperation.

The entirety of Central Asia is landlocked. Its lack of a coastline remains a headache for traders who would dearly like to have unhindered access to the oceanic ports of both Pakistan and Iran – though conflict that has beset Afghanistan for decades and is presently frustrating trade transit plans reliant on access to Iran has kept that ambition out of reach.

The CASA project planners will be banking on the Taliban regime that rules Afghanistan providing sufficient stability to enable the financing, construction and operation of their railway and will be hoping that the military clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan that have been seen this year can be resolved to all parties’ satisfaction.

Under the memorandum, the investment partners will carry out technical and economic studies and analytical assessments, while examining the feasibility of developing the railway infrastructure and related facilities needed for the route.

The three countries also plan to establish a working group to address the project’s technical, economic and financial aspects and determine potential mechanisms for its implementation.

“Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan possess developed railway infrastructure and significant transit potential. The UAE has international experience in transport infrastructure, logistics and the implementation of large-scale investment projects,” a press release from Bektenov’s office said.

The parties reiterated that a combination of their respective infrastructure, transit and investment capabilities could support the practical development of the CASA project.

In July last year, IntelliNews reported on plans for a Trans-Afghan Railway running from Uzbekistan, which would also open a route through to Pakistan’s seaports, on the Arabian Sea opening out to the Indian Ocean.

On October 1, IntelliNews Pro reported that Kazakhstan's trade with Afghanistan jumped 2.4-fold to $581.1mn in January-July, as a Kazakh-built rail section opened in Herat Province.  Kazakhstan Today reported the trade boost on September 29.

The third section of the Khaf (Iran)-Herat city railway has been opened. Kazakhstan's Integra Construction KZ was the contractor. The 43-km (26.7-mile) stretch is part of a 191-km line connecting the Iranian rail network to western Afghanistan, Kursiv reported on September 30.

The line gives landlocked Afghanistan a gateway via which cargo and flow to and from Iran’s seaports.