EDB evaluates prospects for transport infrastructure development in Central Asia

In the Central Asian region, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has recorded 114 current and planned infrastructure projects, with a total cost reaching approximately $72 billion, Aidos Omarov, Senior Analyst at the EDB Center for Integration Studies, said at the presentation "Infrastructure of Transport Corridors in Eurasia: Development Results and Key Investment Trends."

"Central Asia has an extensive road network that requires significant resources for proper maintenance, as well as for the construction of new routes to strengthen trade and economic interaction between the countries. This category of projects accounts for over half of the region's total investments - $40.6 billion.

The second most important is railway infrastructure, which accounts for about 30% of the total investment volume," Omarov noted.

The expert also specified that more than half of the total capital investments (56%) will be financed from national budgets. Meanwhile, 44% of investments will be attracted from extra-budgetary external sources, including funds from international development banks and the private sector. Foreign investments stand out separately in this structure, which are almost entirely accounted for by China.