Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor

Description - Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor.

The Almaty (Kazakhstan) -Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic) Economic Corridor is a pilot corridor developed by the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme.

The objective is to create an integrated economic space through the cross-border integration of the main cities of the region.

Countries of the area of influence of the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor (CAREC Members):

The Almaty-Bishkek Corridor economic influence area encompasses, in addition to these two cities, their respective rural influence zones and economically linked urban centres, including Lake Issyk-Kul.

1. Afghanistan
2. Azerbaijan
3. China
4. Mongolia
5. Pakistan
6. Tajikistan
7. Turkmenistan
8. Uzbekistan

1. Distance Almaty-Bishkek: 240 kilometers
2. Corridor development: 10 - 15 years
3. Project (road): Kenen - Otar - Gvardeysky - Matibulak axis, located between Almaty-Bishkek, with an estimated population of 30,000 people.

Almaty and Bishkek have experienced positive economic growth rates since their independence from the Soviet Union, however this growth has not been sustainable.

The economies of Almaty and Bishkek are dominated by the services sector (retail and wholesale, logistics and finance), but these services are not directly exported to regional markets.

Key economic sectors:

1. Agriculture and agribusiness. Clusters:
   1. Fruits and vegetables
   2. Dairy and cattle
2. Educational services
3. Foreign trade (export-oriented, knowledge-intensive services)
4. Health
5. Important mining areas
6. Renewable energy production

Main Roads related to the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor

Main Roads from Bishkek (Kazakhstan)

1. Bishkek - Taraz - Shymkent Road (to West, 600 kilometres). This Road links with:
   1. Shymkent - Kyzylorda - Aktobe (600 kilometres) - Aktobe Road (northeast, pass on the right of the Aral lake)
   2. Shymkent - Tashkent Road (Capital of Uzbekistan)
2. Bishkek-Kordai Road (South of Kyrgyzstan)

Main Roads from Tashkent (Capital of Uzbekistan)

Tashkent is a major logistics hub in Central Asia

Tashkent - Djizzak- Samarkand Road (to West). This Road links with:

1. Samarkand - Navoi - Bukhara Road. This Road links with:
   1. Bukhara - Urgench - Nukus Road. Left of the Aral Sea
   2. Bukhara - Mary Road (Turkmenistan)

Samarkand - Harat (Afghanistan) Road. Links to Maraz-el Sharif, Kunduz, Kabul and Jalalabad

Tashkent - Dushanbe Road (Tajikistan)

1. Links to Maraz-el Sharif, Kunduz, Kabul and Jalalabad (Afghanistan).
2. Dushanbe- Sinkiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (China) - Urumqui (900 kilometres) Road. Access to:
   1. Urumqui - Khovd (Mongolia) - Ulgli Road

There is another Road that connects Namangan, Andijan and Osh (Kyrgyzstan)

Main Roads from Almaty (Kazakhstan)

1. Alamaty-Urumqui China Road (900 kilometres)
2. Almaty - Taldykorga - Semey Oskemen Road (northeast, 900 kilometres, passes east of Lake Baikal)
3. Almaty - Karaghandy - Astana (Capital) - Kostanai Road (to northeast, 900 kilometers, passes west of Lake Baikal). Access to Kokshetau
   1. Access to Petropavlosk (Russia)
4. Almaty-Uzynagash Road (North of Kazakhstan)
5. Railway nodes in Kazakhstan in the north, center and south

Azerbaijan: there are no direct connections with the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor

Transport and logistics related to the Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor

1. The Five Corridors of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program (CAREC)
2. Eurasian Land Transport Initiative (Silk Road, China-Europe)
3. Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor
4. China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
5. Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)
6. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
7. Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey Transport Corridor (Lapis Lazuli)
8. India-Chabahar (Iran)-Afghanistan Economic Corridor
9. Trans-Siberian Railway (Russia, Mongolia, China, North Korea)
10. International North-South Transport Corridor (India-Russia)
11. International Transport and Transit Corridor of the Ashgabat Agreement
12. China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor
13. Trans-Caspian Trade and Transit Corridor (Central Corridor)
14. Nanning-Singapore Economic Corridor
    1. Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Zone

Trans-European Transport Network Corridors

1. Atlantic Transport Corridor
2. North Sea-Mediterranean Transport Corridor
3. Pan-European Corridor II
4. Pan-European Corridor IX
5. North Sea-Baltic Transport Corridor

Free trade agreements related to the countries of the corridor

1. Kazakhstan
   1. Customs Union with Russia and Belarus
   2. Free trade agreements with Armenia, Ukraine and Georgia
   3. Cooperation agreement with the European Union
2. Kyrgyzstan
   1. Economic and Trade cooperation agreement with Pakistan
   2. Free trade agreements with Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
3. Tajikistan
   1. Free trade agreements with Armenia, Ukraine and with the Eurasian Economic Union
4. Turkmenistan
   1. Free trade agreements with Armenia, Georgia and with the Eurasian Economic Union
5. Uzbekistan
   1. Free trade agreements with Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Georgia and with the Eurasian Economic Union
6. Azerbaijan
   1. Free trade agreements (FTA) with Russia, Ukraine and Georgia
   2. Free trade agreement between Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova
   3. EU Eastern Partnership
7. Pakistan
   1. Preferential Trade Area with Mauritius
   2. Free trade agreements with China, ASEAN, Sri Lanka, India, the European Union
   3. Iran-Pakistan Preferential trade agreement
8. China
   1. Free trade agreements with the ASEAN, Singapore, New Zealand, Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, APEC, European Union...
9. Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA): Bangladesh, China, India, Mongolia and Sri Lanka
10. Islamic Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC)
11. EU Generalised System of Preferences (GSP): Mongolia