Afghanistan launches new railway track to boost Central Asian trade links

KABUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have inaugurated a new 1,694-meter railway track at Naibabad station on the Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif line to strengthen trade links with Central Asian countries, the Ministry of Public Works announced in a statement on Tuesday.

Based in northern Balkh province, the project is expected to bolster commercial relations with Uzbekistan, streamline the movement of goods, expand the capacity of Afghanistan's railway network, and foster greater bilateral economic exchange, according to the statement.

Three weeks earlier, the country inaugurated the first phase of the fourth section of the strategic Herat-Khaf railway, a 43-km stretch valued at 58.5 million U.S. dollars in western Herat province, advancing efforts to integrate the landlocked nation into Eurasian transport corridors and beyond.

Hairatan Dry Port remains a vital border gateway linking Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and onward connections to broader markets in Central Asia, China, Russia, and Europe via rail and road networks.