MANILA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday that it has approved a sovereign-guaranteed loan of 400 million U.S. dollars to Kazakhstan's national road company KazAvtoZhol for the construction of a new road in southern Kazakhstan.
The project will design and construct a 102-kilometer highway that bypasses Saryagash city in the Turkistan region. Equipped with a smart traffic management system, the new road is expected to divert transit traffic from urban areas, reduce congestion, shorten travel times, and improve mobility.
ADB said the road will strengthen Kazakhstan's role as a regional transit hub by improving links between the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Corridors 3 and 6, which connect the country with neighboring countries.
The project also promises to boost KazAvtoZhol's capacity in road safety, performance-based maintenance, and climate resilience, while promoting inclusive development, including support for women and girls. ■
