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Kazakhstan South-West Roads Project                                                                            April 30, 2009




                                                                 Overview
                                                                 Counterparts
                                                                 Task Team
                                                                 Learn More




Overview


A US$ 2.125 billion loan for the Kazakhstan South-West Roads Project will help
upgrade the trade route linking China to Russia and Western Europe through
Kazakhstan, bringing a helpful economic stimulus to some of Kazakhstan’s poorest
provinces. The project will boost Kazakhstan’s competitiveness and bring significant
economic benefits both to Kazakhstan and to the broader Central Asia region.

Much of the road network in Kazakhstan was constructed during the Soviet era and
has significantly deteriorated since then due to lack of adequate maintenance. Half
of the roads in the country’s network need major maintenance or full rehabilitation.
Kazakhstan’s road safety record is poor with road accidents and fatality rates
increasing in recent years. The current unsatisfactory condition of roads in the
country prevents development of international and regional trade and limits access
of rural communities to essential public services and work opportunities.

The World Bank will finance and rehabilitate a 1,062 km stretch of road between
Shymkent and Aktobe/Kyzylorda Oblast border. This will be part of a US$ 7.5 billion
International Transit Corridor development program of the Government of
Kazakhstan to upgrade approximately 2,800 km of the CAREC corridors within Kazakhstan linking China
(at Khorgos) to Russia (at Zhaisan).

"Upgrading this key road will give a major stimulus to the Kazakh economy because construction of new
stretches of the road and rehabilitation of the existing sections will create about 35,000 new jobs and will
generate substantial indirect benefits to most of the population in the Kazakh provinces of Kyzylorda and
South Kazakhstan Oblasts, which are the poorest parts of the country," said Sergei Shatalov, World
Bank Country Manager in Kazakhstan. "The road will improve access to markets for the local
communities living along the Corridor, and stands to benefit some three million people living in the
neighboring provinces. Such a stimulus is very important at this time of the crisis."

The Project comprises five components:

          Upgrading and reconstructing a road section along the Corridor within Kyzylorda Oblast,
          excluding Kyzylorda bypass;
          Upgrading and reconstructing road sections along the Corridor within South Kazakhstan
          Oblast and the Kyzylorda bypass;
          Project Management Consultants to assist the Committee for Roads with the management of
          all activities associated with the Project;
          Institutional development and preparation of action plans to improve road safety and road
          services; and
          Consulting services for supervision of civil works.



Counterparts


Implementing Agency: Committee for Roads, Ministry of Transport and Communications of the
Republic of Kazakhstan

Project Management Consultant: SNC Lavalin International Inc.



Task Team


          Jacques Bure, Project Leader, Highway Engineer Specialist
          Aliya Mukay, Operations Officer
          Daniel Gibson, Lead Social Development Specialist
          Wolfhart Pohl, Senior Environmental Specialist
          Cordula Rastogi, Transport Economist
          Bakyt Arystanov, Consultant, Engineering issues
          Aksulu Kushanova, Team Assistant



Learn More


          Kazakhstan South-West Roads Project
          Press Release
          Project Brief
          Western Europe-Western China International Transit Corridor Program (website)