On December 5, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic signed an agreement on the provision of technical assistance for the Bishkek—Kuntuu—Belogorka—Suusamyr Highway Construction project.
The technical assistance project includes the development of a preliminary feasibility study for the construction of an alternative highway that will connect Bishkek with the southern and western regions of the country. The Bank will finance the study by allocating up to $200,000.
“The EDB will finance the development of a preliminary feasibility study for the Bishkek—Kuntuu—Belogorka—Suusamyr Highway Construction project via its Technical Assistance Fund. This project is part of the Eurasian Transport Framework key investment mega-project; it also provides for strengthening the transport connectivity of the economic centres in the Kyrgyz Republic and increasing the transit potential of Kyrgyz highways and heightening the neighboring countries’ interest in the road transportation via Kyrgyzstan,” said Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB’s Management Board.
The new automobile route is of great strategic, economic and social importance for the Kyrgyz Republic. In addition to the positive impact it will have on the development of transport infrastructure, the project will help increase the availability of mineral deposits and create new jobs both during the construction of the highway and its operation.
“The existing Bishkek-Osh highway is the main arterial road of the Republic. Its traffic intensity averages from 5 to 18 thousand vehicles per day, and the highway can no longer cope with the growing flow. This public-private partnership project is designed to unclog the major traffic artery connecting Bishkek and Osh, the two largest cities in the country. In addition, it is of strategic importance for the development of the economy and social sphere of the Kyrgyz Republic: the new road will be 164 km shorter than the current route, there will be an alternative route to the southern regions, and the mined deposits will be much more accessible. Also, the construction of the new highway will contribute to the development of international and domestic tourism and trade. A bus service can be launched, and new jobs will appear both during the highway construction and its operation,” said Bekzhan Rysmendeev, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic.
