Central Asia is forming a new logistics network for Eurasia
Almaty, 25 June 2026. – Participants in the session "Seamless Eurasia: A Logistics Hub at the Crossroads of Continents," held as part of the Eurasian Development Bank's (EDB) Annual Meeting and Business Forum, discussed the key role of Central Asia in Eurasia's logistics, and the infrastructure solutions that will create a unified transport and logistics space for the region.
With global supply chains undergoing a transformation, Central Asian countries find themselves at the intersection of strategic transport corridors - North–South, West–East, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and the emerging China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
The lack of high-quality warehouse infrastructure remains the main challenge. The shortage of modern warehouse space in the region exceeds 10 million square meters, while growing trade, developing e-commerce, and increasing transit flows are creating a steady demand for multimodal logistics centres and distribution hubs. The modernization of existing warehouse complexes and the implementation of modern technological solutions will be among the key development areas in the coming years.
Synchronization of infrastructure development between countries in the region was identified as a necessary condition for the formation of a seamless logistics space. Growing freight flows require not only the construction of new facilities, but also high-quality maintenance of international transport corridors, implementation of intelligent transport systems, and, in the future, driverless transport technologies. In particular, Kazakhstan will have to ensure the growth of road network capacity without compromising the quality of infrastructure, as the increase in transportation significantly increases the load on highways.
The EDB has already invested over US $150 million in the development of the region's warehouse infrastructure, and considers this segment to be one of the most promising areas for long-term investment. In the future, the EDB plans to aggregate investments in this sector up to US $1 billion through special funds.
“The EDB invests in projects that strengthen the connectivity of its member countries, and the development of transport and logistics infrastructure occupies a special place in this activity. Today, Central Asia is becoming a key land route for Eurasia considering the transformation of global supply chains. At the same time, it is important to view the region not only as a transit bridge between Europe and Asia, but also as an independent market with a population of over 80 million people and growing economies. Our goal is to work with our partners to create infrastructure that will increase transit flows, as well as ensure the efficient movement of goods within the region," noted Alexey Skatin, Deputy Chairman of the EDB Management Board.
According to the survey of session participants, the key remaining obstacles to the smooth movement of goods across Eurasia are slow customs procedures and underdeveloped digital infrastructure – this is the opinion shared by 35% of respondents. Another 30% cited limited capacity and unreliability of transport corridors as the main problem; 20% of respondents mentioned poor connectivity between different modes of transport; and 15% pointed at the lack of warehouse and logistics infrastructure.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 20 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By the end of December 2025, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 326 projects with a total investment of US $19.6 billion. The Bank's portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. The Bank’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.
As part of its 2022–2026 Strategy, the EDB is implementing 3 mega-projects: The Water and Energy Complex of Central Asia, The Eurasian Transport Network, and The Eurasian Commodity Distribution Network.
The EDB Media Centre:
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