the challenges facing landlocked developing countries: a case study ...

Second, the border with Uzbekistan suffers from similar geopolitical disputes, as boundaries
are fiercely disputed. Uzbekistan also defends its border with particularly stringent border
regulations, and sometimes even physical boundaries. In one recent case, Uzbekistan is
reported to have placed cement blocks on a bridge at the Karu-Su border crossing.
Finally, transit to China has the option of passing through two routes: either the tortuous
Torugart Pass, which at 3900m presents serious physical obstacles, or the Irkeshtam crossing,
which is new and presents other difficulties. As of January 2002, the border was still closed
to vehicular traffic; freight needed to be unloaded and reloaded at the border. Such
restrictions are largely a product of Kyrgyzstan’s failure to develop adequate border
facilities, although the Chinese have already built a modern border facility.
Internal transport in Kyrgyzstan faces the same difficulties as international transport: poor
infrastructure, geographic constraints, and geopolitical difficulties. The 600 km journey
between the countries’ two main cities, Bishkek and Osh, for example, is reported to take 16
hours. Mountains divide the country into distinct north-south regions, severely limiting
transport between the two. Moreover, the presence of surrounding countries’ enclaves in
Kyrgyzstan often requires internal transport to pass through international borders subject to
the same strict control as the other borders.
Kyrgyzstan has begun road rehabilitation projects with assistance from international donor
agencies. Attempts to streamline regional border crossings have faltered as a result of
ongoing geopolitical tensions and corruption. The TIR Carnet, for example, which allows
freight to journey to its final destination (often Russia) without undergoing intermediate
customs procedures, was suspended in Russia on December 24, 2002. The suspension was
levied by the International Road Transport Union in response to Russian customs officials
who were using the system as “an effective tool for protecting organized crime.” (FT 2002)
Rail
Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous terrain makes rail transport particularly difficult. Moreover, the
rail network was constructed during the Soviet era and presents two problems: first, the
international rail corridors only provide links north through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to
Russia, not to China; second, the rail network is not appropriate for the current political
boundaries, as domestic transport through Kyrgyzstan now often requires passage through
parts of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, complicating internal transport. Both problems are
presently being addressed. Kyrgyzstan has recently reached an agreement with China to
construct a railway from Fergana (Uzbekistan) to Kashgar (China), which is linked to the
Chinese rail network. Plans for an internal north-south railway in Kyrgyzstan are also being
discussed.
Ports
Kyrgyzstan’s freight is mainly shipped from the eastern Black Sea ports. Trade also passes
through the northern Baltic Sea ports. These ports do not present any serious constraints to
Kyrgyzstan’s freight transit.
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