Posts Tagged ‘Uzbekistan’

Military transport routes to Afghanistan

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

An interesting 17 February 2009 article from Der Spiegel about the problems of supplying military forces in Afghanistan. This problem is nothing new of course – various armies over the centuries have faced it before.

Allies Struggle to Find Safer Supply Routes

By Dieter Bednarz, Rüdiger Falksohn and Alexander Szandar

The Taliban has staged repeated attacks on Afghanistan’s perilous Khyber Pass against trucks loaded with NATO supplies. The international security forces, including Germany’s Bundeswehr, are scrambling to find safer routes – and might even consider one through Iran.

Interesting bits

  • Three-quarters of all the military equipment and goods for Afghanistan goes through Karachi.
  • Germany is the only NATO country with permission to transport war materiel through Russia by rail. But other countries, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have refused permits so no trains have actually run.

The Bundeswehr has also looked into the feasibility of building additional stretches of track in Afghanistan. There are already 20-year-old plans from the days of the Soviet occupation. The railroad could connect the border town of Hairatan with Mazar-e-Sharif, 67 kilometers away. Thanks to a bridge built in 1982 across the Amu Darya River, which serves as the border between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, Hairatan has a direct connection to the rail network in Termes.

The financing is still up in the air, though. But given that the project would both make it easier to bring supplies to NATO troops and promote the region’s economy, military officials hope to receive funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and international organizations. For example, the Asian Development Bank plans to prepare a feasibility study with the support of the Uzbek government.

In December, a privately owned Uzbek railroad company, which already operates in Afghanistan’s Herat Province, contacted the German Embassy in Kabul. According to a confidential report the embassy sent to the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin, the Uzbek company “would like to work with German companies” to implement projects sponsored by the development bank.
Source: Der Spiegel

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Hayratan – Herat railway memorandum signed

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

Uzbek Railways TEM2 loco at Hayratan (photo: David Brice)

Asian Development Bank announces that a memorandum has been signed highlighting the importance of developing a railway line to Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat from the current Uzbekistan railways railhead at Hairatan. The Afghan government has requested technical and financial assistance from ADB for a pre-feasibility study.

It was recently reported by Der Spiegel that the German military is allegedly interested in building a long-planned railway extension from Hayratan to Mazar-i-Sharif. Meanwhile, Herat will be the terminus of a line currently being built from Iran, offering the possibility of an Uzbekistan to Iran route; Uzbekistan and Iran also recently signed co-operation agreements.

In the past railway proposals for Afghanistan seem to have focused on the south of the country, with international lines to Pakistan, but current plans seem to be oriented north and west.

The gauge question will presumably rear its head with any Uzbekistan – Iran link, as the Iranian line will be standard gauge (1435 mm), but the existing line from Uzbekistan to Hayratan is 1520 mm broad gauge. Putting the break-of-gauge in Herat could be the obvious answer?

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have also agreed Rules for Passenger Transport & Freight Accounts for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway. The reference to passengers is interesting, as I’ve not heard of Afghanistan having a passenger service since the demise of the Kabul to Darulaman steam line. Perhaps cross-border passenger services are planned – or maybe it is just a formallity, and they thought they may as well include passengers when working out the details of freight transport?

Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and ADB Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Railway Transport Cooperation

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand trade and economic opportunities through railway transport.

The MOU, signed on the eve of the Seventh annual Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministers’ Conference in the Azerbaijan capital, recognizes the potential for growth in railway freight traffic, including transit freight traffic, between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

“With the MOU, we will be taking a major step toward realizing the dream of expanded trade and economic opportunities for larger Central Asia,” said Mr Zhao Xiaoyu, ADB Vice-President (Operations 2). Afghanistan Minister of Finance, Dr Anwar-Ul-Haq Ahady and Uzbekistan Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, Mr Elyor Ganiev signed on behalf of their governments.

With the MOU, the Afghanistan Government underlined the importance of developing a railway line between the Afghan cities of Hairatan which borders Uzbekistan through Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat. The Afghanistan Government has requested technical and financial assistance from ADB in order to prepare a pre-feasibility study for the proposed railway project. Uzbekistan will give its full cooperation in the conduct of the study.

A Project Working Group, comprising representatives from both countries will supervise the study and explore other regional cooperation initiatives between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the field of transport and trade facilitation.

Transport sector development is vital for sustained growth and poverty reduction in this landlocked region and railways are a critical part of the transport sector in the region.

In support of the initiative, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan recently signed the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Boundary Railway Agreement; the Freight Transportation Rules for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway; and Rules for Passenger Transport and Freight Accounts for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Railway.

The Asian Development Bank is a multilateral development bank, owned by 67 member countries. ADB’s main instruments for developing its member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants and technical assistance. This year ADB adopted Strategy 2020, a long-term strategic framework that follows three complementary strategic agendas: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

Further information about the ADB and CAREC can be found at http://www.adb.org/carec

Source: Asian Development Bank news release 20 November 2008

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Developing Afghanistan – Uzbekistan transport links

Sunday, November 16th, 2008

A press release from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailing reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, including the development of rail and other transport links via the Friendship Bridge and Hayratan.

At the end it gives a few more details of the official visit to Uzbekistan by an Afghan delegation back in August.

On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan

27.10.2008 19:46 Press-Release

On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan

Uzbekistan is taking an active part in efforts of international community aimed at enhancing stability and thorough development of Afghanistan, and attaches a significant importance to friendly and good neighborly relations with this country. It is conditioned not only by common borders but also by mutual interest of cooperation in the name of ensuring peace, stability and progress in the region.

In December 2002, the Government of Uzbekistan with a view to ensure effective provision of aid rendered by the world community to Afghanistan, adopted a resolution on opening the Hayraton bridge at the Uzbek-Afghan border. In November 2003, Ayritom customs complex started operating in Termez city.

On the outcomes of 2007, the volume of humanitarian cargo going via Ayritom check-point accounted for 1.2 million tons.

Upon the request of Afghan Government, Uzbekistan constructed 11 bridges between the cities of Mazari-Sharif and Kabul. These communication facilities have ensured uninterrupted link between the North and East of the country at the initial stage of economic reconstruction of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Power supply to Afghanistan was restored at the beginning of 2002. In 2007 Uzbekistan exported 20 megawatt of electricity to Afghanistan. Following commissioning of Hayraton – Puli Humri– Kabul power line the volume of power supply to Afghanistan can be increased at the initial stage up to 150 megawatt and eventually up to 300 megawatt.

In June last year the Protocol of Negotiations between Uzbekenergo State Joint-Stock Company and the Ministry for Energy and Water Resources of Afghanistan was signed. The document has defined concrete directions of cooperation for increasing the volumes of power supply to Afghanistan up to 300 megawatt.

In June 2007, the first session of Uzbek-Afghan Intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was held as a part of the efforts of both sides aimed at extending the scope of bilateral cooperation.

Uzbekistan is rendering all possible assistance to Afghanistan in restoring its national economic system. Particularly, Uzbekistan has been supplying to Afghanistan fuel, construction materials, metal-roll, fertilizers, foodstuff, etc.

The volume of trade between countries is steadily increasing. In 2006 it accounted for USD 163.7 million, including exports – USD 161.7 million and imports – USD 2.0 million.

In 2007 the trade totaled USD 332.3 million, including exports – USD 331.4 million and imports USD 0.9 million.

Currently, 122 companies with participation of Afghan business people are operating in Uzbekistan, of them 39 have been established at the expense of 100% foreign capital.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have established quite active political dialogue. For over the last two years the first Vice-President of Afghanistan, Chairman of Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy, Minister of Trade, as well as the Adviser to President of Afghanistan for national security visited Uzbekistan.

In 2008 the Afghan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Economy of Afghanistan visited Uzbekistan twice.

The sides have discussed construction of 200 kilovolt-capacity, 43-km-long power line starting from Surkhan (Surkhandarya Province) substation to Hayraton (Afghanistan).

Construction works shall be carried out by the Uzbek side.

On August 26-27 this year the first round of talks between the delegations of two countries was held in Tashkent. The prospects of Uzbek-Afghan cooperation on constructing Hayraton-Mazari-Sharif railroad have been discussed in the course of the meeting.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uzbekistan

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Uzbek and Iranian railways’ Afghanistan plans

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008

The website of Uzbek national railway UTY has a news story about the recent agreement with Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. Google’s translation from Russian gives:

30-10-2008 October 28, TG

Tehran had a meeting and talks executive director of Iranian railways, Hassan Ziyari with the chairman of the board GAZHK Uzbekistan Temir YULLARI Achilbaem Ramatovym.

At the meeting the parties focused on specific issues expand bilateral cooperation in rail transport. In particular, the parties agreed on the establishment of private transport companies, which will transit rail transport, and joint investments in rail transport corridor project, which will link the railways of Iran and Uzbekistan through Afghanistan.
Source: UTY

Iran’s Press TV gives more details:

Iran, Uzbekistan sign railway pact

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:30:25 GMT

Iran and Uzbekistan have signed a nine-article cooperation pact on railway cooperation after holding a two-day meeting in Tehran.

The agreement was finalized between the managing directors of the national railway companies of Iran and Uzbekistan Thursday.

The pact includes initiating a container train transit route between Almaty, Tashkent, and Istanbul, launching a container train route between Tashkent and Bandar Abbas, a 25 percent discount to be granted to Iran for using Uzbek carriages, the passage of Iranian railroad cars through the Uzbek network and settling outstanding accounts between Iran-Uzbekistan railways

[...]

“Establishing private transit transportation companies and joint investments in launching railway networks among Iran, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan will allow Uzbekistan access to the Persian Gulf waterway,” Ziyari added.

[...]

Read in full at Press TV

While looking for more information, I came across Helmut Uttenthaler’s Trains in Uzbekistan blog.

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Iran – Afghanistan – Uzbekistan discussions

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Iran’s Fars news agency reports

Iran, Uzbekistan to Expand Railway Cooperation

News number: 8708080931 14:39 | 2008-10-29

TEHRAN (FNA)- Managing Director of the Islamic Republic Railways Hassan Ziari said in a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart that cooperation between the two countries will further expand in the field.

According to a report by the Public Relations Department of the entity, he referred to the significance of railway link between the two states and said that development of railway network between Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan will facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to the Persian Gulf waters.

Rahmatov, for his part said that his country is keen to promote cooperation with Iran in the field, the Islamic republic news agency reported.

The two officials met on Tuesday to review development of railway cooperation.
Source: Fars

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Uzbek-Afghan rail co-operation discussed

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

Uzbek news agency УзА (UZA) has a report about a recent official visit which discussed Afghan railway projects. Google’s automatic translation and a bit of tidying up gives something like this, although I don’t speak Russian so it might not be quite right!

Visiting Afghan delegation

On 27 August a delegation from Afghanistan headed by Ali Safari Sohrobom, Minister of Public Works, met Akbar Shukurovym, Deputy Chairman of state railway company Uzbekiston Temir Yullari.

During the meeting they stressed the importance of the promotion of mutual cooperation in such spheres as trade, the economy, energy, transport and communications, the legal basis for which agreements [were, will be?] reached during meetings of the heads of state of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

Links between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in the field of transport and communications are important. During the meeting the sides exchanged views on expanding co-operation between the two countries in the field of railway transport.

No more details are given, unfortunately.

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Afghan president mentions through rail route

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

Speaking to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s Heads of State Summit in Colombo last week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said

As part of the contract with a Chinese consortium for the exploration of the Aynak copper deposit, a railway line will be constructed which will connect Central Asia to South Asia, thereby expediting the transport of people and goods within the region and beyond.

The suggestions of passenger transport, and a through north-south link, are interesting.

The project was announced last November. A consortim of China Metallurgical Group Corporation and Jiangxi Copper Co would build a railway line from the town of Hairatan on the Amu Darya bordering Uzbekistan, through Logar and to Torkham on the Pakistan border to export the minerals.

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Georgian conflict a threat to Afghan transit plan?

Monday, August 11th, 2008

The potential implications of the current Georgian situation for proposed NATO rail transit traffic to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan are considered at Ghosts of Alexander. The initial Central Asian transit route agreement that was reached earlier this year had the approval of Russia says Russia, Georgia, NATO and Afghanistan, asking Is it doomed? Is it just one of several bargaining chips that Russia has (the big one being energy)?

There is a link to a handy map of Uzbekistan’s railways.

An earlier posting on Registan.net, Termez, Where the “T” Is for “Transit”, considers the problems of supplying NATO in Afghanistan. The few rails that operate along the Amu Darya have major rail break problems, in that they operate at a different gauge than their neighbors. This tells me freight can make it only as far as Termez, and from there is must be either shipped or flown to its final destination.

This is not quite right – the break-of-gauge is between the former USSR and elsewhere (except Finland and Mongolia, which use “Russian” gauge). There are transhipment and dual-gauge facilities around the various borders, so a wagon could in theory run from (say) Poland to Afghanistan without the gauge being an issue.

The two existing lines in Afghanistan are to the 1520 mm Russian gauge, though the line from Iran to Herat will be standard gauge.

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NATO’s Europe to Afghanistan rail plan under discussion

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

NATO is “Making progress on Afghanistan rail route”, according to a Eurasia Insight report dated May 5. It seems NATO is hoping to move freight between Europe and Afghanistan via the rail connection from Uzbekistan to Hayratan, across the Friendship Bridge.

NATO is striving to rapidly conclude a deal with Central Asian states on an inter-continental rail link that would ease the supply of non-lethal equipment and assistance for both military and reconstruction operations in Afghanistan.

The rail project is an outgrowth of NATO’s efforts to reinvigorate its Afghan operations. Discussions on how to improve Afghan reconstruction efforts featured prominently at the alliance’s early April summit in Bucharest. [see previous posting] …

At present, the cost of supplying NATO operations in Afghanistan is astronomical, due mainly to the fact that most supplies must be brought in by air. According to NATO estimates, airlifting supplies to Afghanistan costs a whopping $14,000 per ton, or roughly $7 per pound. In addition to the high cost, the air option may not be able to handle the requirements necessitated by an expansion of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

A Europe-Afghan rail link could cut supply costs to roughly $300-$500 per ton, allowing the bloc to both save tremendously on transportation and increase supply for its Afghanistan operations. The optimal route envisioned at this time would traverse Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. By all appearances, NATO has secured approval in principle from all the potential transit states.

…

… no new railroads are expected to be built at this point; the route will follow existing Soviet-era high-capacity tracks. … NATO indicated that if route proves reliable and efficient, the alliance will seek the permission of transit states to allow military equipment to travel over the railway. This option would necessitate closer cooperation between NATO and the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which several transit states are members.

The full article has a lot of background to the political implications of allowing such traffic through the surrounding countries.

Other than the Europe-Afghan railway, there would seem to be no other viable options for the overland supply of Afghan reconstruction efforts.

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