Deputy Minister Chasur Choriyev speaks with Derya Soysal at TIIF 2025
By Derya Soysal – Special Correspondent, Tashkent
At the 2025 Tashkent International Investment Forum, Uzbekistan made a compelling case for its growing role as a regional transport hub. Deputy Minister of Transport Chasur Choriyev spoke with Derya Soysal about the country’s strategic priorities—railways, roadways, aviation, and digitalization—and the massive investment opportunities emerging as a result.
Derya Soysal: First, what are the main, most important investment opportunities in Uzbekistan—transport, infrastructures?
Chasur Choriyev: The most important—well, all of them are important—but strategically for Uzbekistan, in today’s terms, I think railway infrastructure is number one. Because rail takes us to sea transport, and it carries heavy cargo and outsize cargo that many other transport modes are not capable of.
Today, Uzbekistan’s transport strategy is to have a maximum open-door policy and to develop new corridors connecting us to many global economies—including Asian economies, European economies, as well as directions that were previously underdeveloped and where Uzbekistan had serious gaps.
So, number one is rail. Number two is road transport, and road transport requires a big investment. You may have heard in today’s panel discussion—we’re talking about $12 billion. And we’re happy that banks like the Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are heavily involved in helping us create that required infrastructure.
Derya Soysal: How does Uzbekistan position itself as a regional transport hub between two continents—and also between Russia and South Asia?
Chasur Choriyev: As I mentioned, all transport modes—including aviation, rail, and road—each play a pivotal role in creating the necessary hub. That’s our vision: multimodal integration that allows goods and people to move more efficiently across Central Asia.
And very soon—maybe in a month or two—you will hear about a major announcement: we are preparing to open a new international airport in Tashkent. This new airport will have the capacity to serve a minimum of 35 million passengers. But it’s not just about passengers—we’re talking about cargo as well.
We’re also discussing e-commerce logistics. Uzbekistan’s share in global e-commerce is already 3 to 5%, and it’s projected to grow to 9 to 11%. So in terms of value and growth, these are huge achievements that Uzbekistan is already capturing. And over the next five years, I believe we will see tremendous changes.
Derya Soysal: And the last question—what about digitalization in the transport sector?
Chasur Choriyev: Digitalization is a key factor in supporting and creating connectivity—not only inside Uzbekistan, but with the outside world as well. If we don’t create the necessary soft infrastructure, we will not be able to communicate, nor support, whatever we’re building in terms of hard infrastructure.
So yes, we are currently developing a digital strategy, and it will be finalized in about six months. That strategy will open new doors—not just for efficiency, but for cross-border coordination, smart logistics, and international trade alignment.
In conclusion, as Uzbekistan charts its course toward becoming a dynamic transport and logistics hub at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Deputy Minister Chasur Choriyev’s insights at TIIF 2025 reveal a country moving with purpose and vision. With bold investments in rail, road, aviation, and digital systems, Uzbekistan is not only modernizing its infrastructure but also reshaping its role in the global economy. The message from Tashkent is clear: Uzbekistan is open for business—and ready to connect.
