A loan agreement to finance the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project was signed in Bishkek Tuesday, the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan said today.
The agreement was signed between China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company LLC (a joint project company) and a syndicate of Chinese banks, including the China Development Bank and the China Eximbank.
The project is estimated at $4.7 billion. Approximately $2.3 billion of this amount will be provided by China as a 35-year loan to the joint project company established by China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The loan will be repaid directly by the joint project company.
The remaining $2.3 billion will be contributed by China – 51%, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – 24.5% each.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobaev underscored that, according to one of the key provisions of the investment agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and the joint project company, full financial support for the project must be completed by December 20, 2025. According to him, this condition has been met ahead of schedule.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project is considered one of the most technically complex in the region. The construction plan includes 50 bridges and 29 tunnels with a total length of 120 km, accounting for approximately 40% of the entire route. Within Kyrgyzstan, the railway will extend for 304 km.
