Public Works Ministry Highlights Afghanistan’s Strategic Economic Role
The Ministry of Public Works of the Islamic Emirate says that, given its strategic location, Afghanistan is on the path to becoming one of the region’s most important economic connectivity hubs.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, new transportation routes through Afghanistan could connect Central Asian countries to South Asia and global markets.
Afghanistan currently has nearly 400 kilometers of active railway lines connected through four ports to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, said: “The Ministry of Public Works of the Islamic Emirate, by focusing on the development of domestic railway lines and facilitating the creation of new corridors, is striving to turn Afghanistan into a reliable crossroads for regional trade and transit.”
Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that the expansion of transportation corridors through Afghanistan has turned the country into one of the new hubs linking Central Asia to the Indian Ocean and global markets.
Economic analyst Qutbuddin Yaqoubi said: “As a transit and central country for railway routes, Afghanistan can generate considerable revenue through transit. These routes can also play an important and vital role in expanding the region’s economic and trade relations.”
Economic experts believe that Afghanistan’s participation in these transit corridors, in addition to increasing transportation revenues, could provide opportunities for trade growth, investment, job creation, and strengthening the country’s economic position in the region.
Another economic analyst, Abdul Nasir Reshtia, said: “The faster goods are transported to markets and the more costs are reduced, the more competitive they can become.”
Due to its geographic location, Afghanistan has long been regarded as a bridge connecting Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.
In recent years, regional countries have increasingly focused on developing transportation corridors and alternative trade routes, while Afghanistan has also sought to strengthen its position in these projects.
