A new transport sector analysis published by the Asian Transport Observatory maps out Uzbekistan's ambition to transcend its geographical constraints and emerge as Central Asia's pre-eminent transit hub. With a population of around 36 million and a roadmap aimed at upper middle-income status by 2030, this working paper argues that Uzbekistan is ready to pivot from periphery to crossroads.

Despite contributing nearly 8% to GDP and employing roughly 1 million workers, productivity in the transport sector still lags behind the Asia-Pacific average—though labor productivity has more than tripled in the past three decades. The country has climbed from 129th to 88th in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) over the past decade, a testament to sustained but uneven improvements across infrastructure and soft logistics.

Yet many challenges remain. Uzbekistan still records the highest transport costs in Central Asia, driven by its double-landlocked status, outdated infrastructure, and steep logistics tariffs. The energy-intensive road network accounts for 98% of transport CO₂ emissions, with transport's share in national energy use climbing steeply, along with other challenges such as road safety. Policy initiatives, though, are in progress to tackle these challenges, emphasizing infrastructure expansion, sustainable financing, and promoting inclusive, eco-friendly mobility.

Uzbekistan's future as a true crossroads depends not only on building more, but on building better – connecting people, goods, and opportunities with efficiency, while keeping a keen eye on the environmental compass.

This status report marks the first installment of the "Transport in Review" series, which contributes to shaping the broader knowledge base and dialogue in the lead-up to the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, set to launch in November 2025.

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