EBRD finances Kazakhstan road

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to lend US$196.5 million (€147 million) to Kazakhstan for the reconstruction and upgrade of a 62km section of the road connecting the city of Shymkent and the Uzbek border.

A total of 99km of road are to be upgraded. The EBRD will fund the redevelopment of the southern section of the road, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance works on the northern 37km, linking to the outskirts of the city of Shymkent.

The project is part of the overall improvement of the Western Europe - Western China international transport corridor. Once completed, this road will become the shortest road transport link from the Central Asian countries to Europe.