"Tajikistan Hopes for Korean Companies' Participation in 2 Trillion Won Urban Railway Project"

Signed MOU with KORAIL at GICC
Additional Agreement Planned with Hyundai Engineering & Construction

"Korean companies have conducted the feasibility study and are well aware of our project's details. We hope they will participate more actively."

Ajim Ibrohim, Minister of Transport of Tajikistan, who visited Korea for the "Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) 2026" hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, requested Korean companies’ participation in the construction of the Dushanbe urban railway in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on the 15th. The Dushanbe urban railway is a 21.5 km project connecting the eastern and southern gateways of the capital to the city center, with a total project cost of 2 trillion won.

Ajim Ibrohim, Minister of Transport of Tajikistan. Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) website

At this year’s GICC, Tajikistan Railways and Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), each represented by their respective presidents, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for mutual cooperation in the rail sector. From last year until July of this year, KORAIL conducted a preliminary feasibility study for the Dushanbe urban railway construction. Tajikistan expects to secure funding for the railway construction, while the Korean side anticipates follow-up work such as design. Based on this agreement, KORAIL plans to participate in the next stages, including basic and detailed design.

Although the feasibility study does not guarantee subsequent contracts, the experience of collaborating with local clients from the project planning stage can be a competitive advantage in the following bidding rounds. Once the main project is underway, the areas of participation for Korean companies could expand beyond design to include construction, rolling stock, signaling, operation, and maintenance.

Regarding the timing of the Dushanbe urban railway project, Minister Ibrohim explained, "We need Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) financing, so I met with officials from Korea's financial authorities and the Export-Import Bank yesterday to discuss it," adding, "We are waiting for the relevant decisions." He continued, "Such reviews usually take a long time, but at this point, a significant part depends on the Korean side."

Minister Ibrohim also stated that during this GICC, he plans to sign an additional memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Engineering & Construction on railway and subway projects. He highlighted that a legal framework is a prerequisite for transport and infrastructure MOUs to lead to actual projects, saying, "We can have discussions, but without legal binding power, it is difficult to move the project forward."

Ibrohim Azim, Minister of Transport of Tajikistan (second from the left), is speaking at the high-level multilateral meeting of the 'Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) 2026' hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th. From the left, Kim Youngtae, Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), who chaired the session; Minister Ibrohim; Leklai Sibilai, Minister of Public Works and Transport of Laos; Shaikh Raviul Alam, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges of Bangladesh; Abdalla Hamis Ulega, Minister of Public Works of Tanzania; and Siraj Musa Ali, State Minister for Public Works at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Uganda. Photo by Seo Yoon Choi

At the high-level multilateral meeting on the same day, Minister Ibrohim said, "As 93% of our land is mountainous, the expansion of roads and railways is urgently needed," adding, "Tajikistan is ready to further strengthen cooperation with international financial institutions, investors, engineering companies, and private enterprises." He continued, "I hope this conference does not remain a mere exchange of opinions but serves as a starting point to actually push forward specific projects."

Ministers from Laos, Bangladesh, Tanzania, and Uganda, in addition to Tajikistan, attended the GICC high-level multilateral meeting. Each country introduced their major infrastructure development plans and requested participation from Korean companies as well as financial cooperation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.