A new transport corridor is now open to traffic in Central Asia. The route connects Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Funding for a portion of the construction work or the route was provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The route is known as the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor 1.
The CAREC Corridor 1 road provides an improved transport route for goods on the route between Iran and the Kyrgyz Republic. This will cut transport costs and shipping times, helping to boost trade between the nations. For landlocked nations such as Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, improved transport corridors are of particular importance.
Meanwhile, funding from the World Bank will help pay for upgrades to road connections in Tajikistan. The US$132 million finance package will pay for improvements to 50km of roads in the country's Sughd Region. It will also pay for the construction of a bridge and new tunnel stretches.
