The project to construct the new highway linking Turkmenistan with its neighbours is being prioritised by the country’s government. The new transport corridor will connect Turkmenistan with Afghanistan in one direction, and with Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey in the other.
The project involves the construction of both road as well as rail links. The route runs from Torgundi in Afghanistan, which lies close to the border with Turkmenistan. From the border, the route links Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat with the Caspian Sea port at Turkmenbashi. The sea crossing to Azerbaijan’s commercial centre and key port of Baku then will link by road to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi and finally to Turkey’s commercial centre, Istanbul. Many of the road links in Turkey forming part of the route have already been constructed.
Financing worth US$2.4 billion for the Ashgabat to Turkmenabat highway project was secured for the project previously. The 20-year loan was provided by the Central Bank of Turkmenistan.
