Kyrgyzstan is a geographically small but geopolitically important country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan neighbours China and has common borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. In addition, the country is in a geography close to South Asia. In this context, Bishkek is trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Eurasia and turn its geopolitical position into an advantage. One of Bishkek’s priorities is access to the seas.
Kyrgyzstan, like other Central Asian states, is a landlocked state. Considering that most of the world trade is carried out at sea, this is a negative situation for both Bishkek and other Central Asian capitals. Due to this, it is seen that states are trying to solve this problem by developing various relations and making agreements. For example, Tashkent plans to reach the sea through the ports of Pakistan by concluding an agreement with Islamabad.
Kyrgyzstan has also recently adopted two main policies. First, it wants to be China’s gateway to the West within the scope of the Belt-Road Project. For this purpose, an agreement was signed for the construction of a 454 km long China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Line, which is planned to cost 4.5 billion dollars. Feasibility studies are already underway. In June 2023, the feasibility study will be completed, and the construction of the railway will start.[1] Thanks to this route, Kyrgyzstan will be able to use all its potential and become one of China’s gateways to the West along with Kazakhstan.
Secondly, Bishkek wants the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Line to extend to Peshawar. Ulanbek Totuiaev, Kyrgyzstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, stated that the line should be extended to Peshawar through Afghanistan to improve trade relations with Pakistan.[2] This way, Kyrgyzstan will be able to reach the seas and will become an effective center on the north-south line as well as the east-west corridors. At the same time, Kyrgyzstan will gain access to Afghanistan and Pakistan market.
One of the goals of Kyrgyzstan is to present itself as a new alternative to China by reaching Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thus, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Line will be used more actively, the geopolitical importance of the country will increase, and its gains will be maximized. In addition, Kyrgyzstan, which will reach Pakistan, will also reach the seas.
Totuiaev’s statement is important in two respects. The first of these is Uzbekistan’s agreement with Pakistan to implement the Trans-Afghan Corridor along the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabil-Peshawar route. Recently, it has been claimed that Tashkent will start negotiations with foreign investors in 2023 for the construction of the 765-kilometer railway line. The project, which is planned to last five years, is estimated to cost 4.6 billion dollars.[3] Totuiaev’s statement during the process of Tashkent moving towards the project revealed that Bishkek did not want to be excluded from the project that would lead Central Asia to the seas through the shortest route.
Secondly, an important agreement was signed between Kyrgyzstan and AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 15, 2022. According to the agreement, Kyrgyzstan was allocated an area of more than 300,000 square meters, i.e., about 32 hectares, in the UAE-owned Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), which is a free trade zone. Kyrgyzstan will be able to establish a customs zone and a logistics center on the allocated site.[4] Commenting on the agreement, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov emphasized that Kyrgyzstan gained access to the seas.[5]
This agreement better explains why Bishkek wants to connect the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Line with the Trans-Afghan Corridor. Having reached an agreement with the UAE and gained access to the seas, Kyrgyzstan is trying to increase its gains by playing an active role in the process of reaching Peshawar. If Kyrgyzstan pursues a passive policy in terms of access to the seas, it will not be able to get the maximum benefit from both the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, the agreement with the UAE and the Pakistani market. This leads Bishkek to carry out a more effective strategy.
In conclusion, there are significant developments in Eurasia. One of the most important pillars of these developments is shaped within the framework of Central Asia and the Belt-Road Project. In this process, Kyrgyzstan wants to participate in regional projects with its multifaceted and multi-vector foreign policy and to benefit from the advantages of its geopolitical position. Regional states are taking various initiatives and developing projects. Involvement in these projects will enable Bishkek to become a hub for corridors and reach the seas. Kyrgyzstan’s agreement with the UAE shows that it attaches great importance to this. Undoubtedly, the completion and unification of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway and the Trans-Afghan Corridor will bring political, economic, and geopolitical gains to Bishkek.
[1] Navbahor Imamova, “Despite Skepticism, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Deal Chugs Forward”, Voice of America, https://www.voanews.com/a/des guess-skepticism-china-kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan-railway-deal-chugs-forward/6775799.html, (Date of Accession: 20.12.2022).
[2] “’China-Central Asia Rail Project Should be Extended to Peshawar’”, The Express Tribune, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2391931/china-central-asia-rail-project-should-be-extended-to-peshawar, (Date of Accession: 20.12.2022).
[3] “Uzbekistan to Start Talks with Investors for Trans-Afghanistan Railway Line”, AMU, https://amu.tv/en/28680/, (Date of Accession: 20.12.2022).
[4] “Кыргызстан получает доступ к мор” — Акылбек папаров заявил о подписании исторического соглашения”, Economist, https://economist.kg/novosti/2022/12/15/kyrgyzstan-poluchaet-dostup-morju-akylbek-zhaparov-zayavilo-podpisanii-oricheskogo-soglasheniya/, (Date of Accession: 20.12.2022).
[5] Tatyana Kudryavtseva, “Kyrgyzstan Signs Agreements with Two Arab Companies”, 24 KG, https://24.kg/english/253501__Kyrgyzstan_signs_agreements_with_two_Arab_companies/, (Date of Accession: 20.12.2022).
