Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a new international transport corridor connecting Central Asia with Pakistan through Afghanistan.

The proposed CASA corridor would follow the route Kazakhstan → Uzbekistan → Afghanistan → Pakistan, providing access to the Arabian Sea through the ports of Karachi and Gwadar.

The project could create new opportunities for international trade, offering Central Asian exporters an alternative route to global maritime markets and reducing their dependence on existing transport corridors.

The potential cargo volume is estimated at up to 10 million tonnes, although the project is still at an early stage. The next steps include feasibility studies, infrastructure planning and coordination between participating countries.

For international logistics, this is an important development: Central Asia is actively exploring new connections to southern seaports, which could eventually reshape trade routes between Asia, the Middle East and global markets.