Trans-Regional Connectivity in Eurasia’s Heartland and the Role of Uzbekistan

Abstract

Eurasia has been increasingly integrating mainly due to the Eurasian powers’ collaboration. Uzbekistan occupies the heart of Eurasia’s heartland having borders with all Central Asian Republics including Afghanistan. The land locked nature of the country induces it to search for outlets towards regional and global markets to capitalize upon its tremendous growth for expanded development. Pakistan provides the most economical and historical outlet to Uzbekistan and to the Eurasian heartland via Afghanistan. Despite having a common past the countries of Central and South Asia are least integrated in the contemporary era. Pakistan and Uzbekistan also realize that Central and South Asian connectivity via Afghanistan will help build a solid basis for sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan is part of important transportation corridors linking the Eurasian heartland in all directions. Pakistan has framed “Vision Central Asia Policy” and envisaging Pakistan-Afghanistan-Central Asia Corridor to supplement CPEC in fundamentally changed regional geo-political and geo-economic circumstances. The paper mainly argues that the changed regional and global state of affairs make the regional environment conducive for enhanced connectivity between Central and South Asia via Afghanistan while Pakistan and Uzbekistan have to play leading roles necessitated by their significant geographical locations in respective regions in an altered regional scenario.