The World Bank will fund about US$2.12bn to Kazakhstan South-West Roads Project for upgrading a 1,062km stretch of the international trade corridor.

The project mainly focuses on increasing transport efficiency and improving road management and traffic safety in Kazakhstan.

It will also boost the country’s competitiveness and bring significant economic benefits to Kazakhstan, as well as to Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

World Bank vice-president for Europe and Central Asia Shigeo Katsu said that the traffic along the newly reconstructed corridor will increase as this route is 3,000km shorter than any other transport corridor connecting Europe and China.

This project is part of a US$6.7bn International Transit Corridor development programme of the Government of Kazakhstan for upgrading about 2,800km corridors connecting China and Russia.

The project will be carried out by the Committee for Roads of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.