by Asset Nussupov, Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan
“Trade should not be a weapon” Warren Buffett
For centuries, the heart of Asia has served as a crossroads for the world. The ancient Silk Road not only connected the East and the West but also created a space for trade, dialogue, and cultural exchange. Through dusty roads and mountain passes, caravans carried not only silk, spices, and metals but also ideas, religions, and technologies. Cities like Samarkand, Herat, Balkh, and Kabul became hubs of commerce, diplomacy, and knowledge.
This complex yet vibrant route survived empires and wars. Life flows through all that moves. It was interconnectedness, not isolation, that brought stability. Even in periods of instability, trade arteries continued to pulse, connecting civilizations and building bridges across differences.
Today, centuries later, the region is once again in the global spotlight. As climate change disrupts maritime trade with rising sea levels and extreme weather, and as geopolitical tensions -particularly around the Suez Canal – increase, the search for secure, land-based alternatives has intensified. In this new context, global logistics and the race for transit corridors have brought renewed strategic importance to Central and South Asia, turning infrastructure into a key geopolitical tool.
At the heart of these processes is Afghanistan. A country long associated with instability and disconnectedness may regain its historical role – not as a blind spot on the global map but as a link between regions.
In this context, the idea of constructing a railway through Afghanistan’s western provinces takes on not just an economic but a symbolic significance. It offers not only new routes for goods but also a new understanding of the region: as a space for connection rather than division.
In April 2025, Kazakhstan signed a Protocol of Intent with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works to build the Torghundi – Herat – Kandahar – Spin Boldak railway. Integrating the Torghundi – Herat section into the North–South corridor extends its reach into Afghan territory, strengthening Kazakhstan’s position as a key transit state between regions and opening up more efficient routes to the Indian Ocean. This route will pass through Afghanistan’s western provinces, linking Kazakhstan via Turkmenistan to Pakistan’s ports.
For Kazakhstan, this project is about more than logistics. It represents a strategic move to diversify trade routes, reduce dependence on congested corridors, and gain direct access to the economies of South Asia and the Persian Gulf. As of world’s largest landlocked country Kazakhstan faces inherent geographic constraints that make secure overland routes essential for its economic resilience. Key Kazakh exports (grain, flour, metals, etc.) can be delivered more quickly and cost-effectively, especially with the support of an existing trade logistics hub in Herat.
The development of the southern route offers Central Asia region new trade opportunities and strengthens economic ties with Afghanistan. The focus is on expanding exports, joint logistics projects, and access to promising markets.
But it’s not only about goods. A fiberoptic line is planned alongside the railway, bringing internet access to one of the world’s least connected regions. This will enhance railway safety and management while offering a technological lifeline to Afghan communities along the route — a bold acknowledgment that 21st-century connectivity is as digital as it is physical.
This project opens the door to broader regional cooperation. All stakeholders can jointly mobilize resources to create a trans Afghan railway corridor. This collective approach would accelerate the project’s implementation and boost its attractiveness to international investors.
Trilateral high-level negotiations on the construction of the Torghundi-Herat railway also intensified in April 2025. The sides are exploring the creation of a joint venture by railway administrations of Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan domiciled at the Astana International Financial Centre. A new transit architecture is forming before our eyes. Meanwhile, the railway connection of the Khaf – Herat (Iran – Afghanistan) is expected to be completed within the next two months.
Of course, the challenges are clear. Limited international recognition of Afghanistan and complex internal conditions all deter investors. But isolation has never brought stability. As history of the Silk Road shows, resilience is built by bridges, not walls.
The key message is that the map of Eurasia is being rewritten not by empires, but by infrastructure. Kazakhstan seeks to work with its neighbors to advocate this transformation. For the first time since independence, Kazakhstan is switching roles — from being a recipient of foreign investment to becoming an investor in another country’s extractive sector. In the past, Western companies poured tens of billions into Kazakhstan’s oil, gas, and mining industries, bringing in technology, training local workers, and contributing significantly to the national budget. This transformed Kazakhstan into a global leader in uranium, chrome, and top-10 in oil production.
The international community should not remain indifferent. Supporting such projects is an investment in long-term peace, inclusiveness, and regional development. Afghanistan’s future does not have to be a continuation of its past. With sustainable infrastructure, the country can once again become a bridge between worlds.
Kazakhstan has made its bet — not just on transit, but on transformation. Now is the time for others to match it with vision and action. The road through Afghanistan is about more than steel and stone. It is a test: of whether we are ready to build not just connections, but a New Greater Central Asia.
