Hairaton-Herat railway: Uzbekistan and Taliban set construction plans

On February 23, the Taliban interim government announced that it had reached an agreement with Uzbekistan on the Hairaton-Herat railway project. The news was disclosed by Mullah Abdulghani Baradar, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister, during a meeting with Afghan journalists following his visit to Uzbekistan.

According to Baradar, construction is set to begin within 10 days after the completion of the feasibility study. The project aims to extend the railway from Hairaton, which borders Uzbekistan, to Herat in western Afghanistan via Mazar-i-Sharif.

The report highlights that in 2010, the first phase of the project was completed with financial support from the Asian Development Bank, constructing a 75-kilometer railway connecting Hairaton and Mazar-i-Sharif.

“This segment has played an important role in facilitating trade between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries,” the report states.

The planned extension is expected to connect Mazar-i-Sharif to Herat, passing through several Afghan provinces. Officials believe that this expansion will boost regional trade and economic integration.

“In 2018, Uzbekistan pledged to partially finance this 657-kilometer extension, recognizing its potential for expanding regional ties,” the report adds.

A delegation led by Mullah Abdulghani Baradar traveled to Tashkent on February 22 for high-level discussions. At Tashkent International Airport, he was received by Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev, Special Representative of the President for Afghanistan Ismatulla Ergashev, and Taliban Ambassador to Uzbekistan Sheikh Abdugaffor Bahr.

During his visit, Baradar met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to discuss trade, economic cooperation, energy, and transport development. He also assured Uzbekistan that Afghanistan poses no security threats to the country.