WASHINGTON — The World Bank has approved a $200 million project to modernize transport infrastructure in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region and support comprehensive reforms in the transport sector. The project aims to reconstruct a 91-kilometer section of the M41 regional road corridor, expanding it from two lanes to four, improving road safety, bridges, drainage systems, and bus stop accessibility, while creating new jobs and economic opportunities for around 550,000 residents.
Uzbekistan’s transport sector, contributing nearly 8 percent of GDP and employing about a million people, faces growing pressure from rapid vehicle fleet expansion, requiring a fivefold increase in road capacity by 2030 to accommodate freight growth. The project will also assist the Ministry of Transport in developing a National Multimodal Transport Strategy to enhance government capacity, improve passenger and freight services, strengthen resilience, and promote low-emission solutions.
Additional support will target Uzbekistan Railways JSC to enhance business processes, corporate governance, financial transparency, passenger planning, and ESG practices, improving efficiency and attracting private investment. Together, these measures are expected to boost connectivity, increase transit volumes, generate higher-quality jobs, strengthen regional trade and tourism, and reinforce Uzbekistan’s role as a key regional transit hub.
