Kazakhstan Seeks Role in Afghanistan's Railway Development

Kazakh companies are gearing up to provide rails and other materials for the construction of upcoming railways in Afghanistan, Deputy Transport Minister Maksat Kaliakparov stated at the Transport and Logistics Market international conference and the Global Avia Day forum in Astana, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

Kaliakparov highlighted the strategic importance of Afghanistan in Kazakhstan’s infrastructure plans, calling the country a “very promising” direction within the broader North-South international transport corridor.

“This is a continuation of the North-South international transport corridor,” he said. “We consider this direction to be very promising, and one of the first sections under development is in the Herat province.”

Kazakh company Integra, which has already played a role in Afghanistan’s infrastructure projects, is poised to expand its contributions. The firm previously completed a railway connecting Afghanistan and Iran, a project funded with Afghan resources.

“We aim to build on this experience,” Kaliakparov said. “Currently, negotiations are focused on material supply for the initial phase of the project.”

Kazakhstan remains one of the few countries that has removed the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organizations, a move that facilitates greater engagement in Afghanistan.

The North-South international transport corridor aims to connect Central Asia with the Middle East, offering enhanced trade and logistics opportunities. Kazakhstan’s involvement in Afghanistan’s railway projects marks a step forward in regional connectivity, with Herat province serving as a critical node in these plans.