Uzbekistan is set to conclude a contract with Hyundai Rotem for the supply of six high-speed trains, according to plans disclosed in a presidential decree concerned with reforming railway transportation in the Central Asian country.
It is proposed that the project will be funded by the South Korea Economic Partnership Development Fund (EDCF). The expected loan provision at 0.1% will be €185mn, with a term of 35 years.
Previously, a contract for the purchase of 30 electric trains from the Czech Republic's Skoda was signed on October 11. For this acquisition, Tashkent intends to obtain a €350mn loan from Czech lenders at a rate of 5.5% per annum for 15 years.
The presidential decree also approved a roadmap for rail reform through to 2026. As part of that, officials have been ordered to simplify the procedure for renting freight cars.
To help improve the financial health of state-owned Uzbekistan Railways, loan agreements related to its subsidiaries are to be renewed.
Another aspect of the ongoing reform is that no later than June next year, a transparent tariff policy is to be presented. The methodology for calculating prices should clearly indicate the accounting procedure used for infrastructure costs and locomotive and wagon maintenance.
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