Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The Border Customs Post “Karasu” in Kurgantepinsk district of Andijan region, located on the border with Kyrgyzstan, resumed its operations on 12 September 2024, after a 14-year hiatus. This was reported by the press service of the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan.

The reopening of the post was made possible due to previously achieved agreements between the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The “Karasu” post has been fully reconstructed and now covers an area of over 3 hectares. Its capacity exceeds 12,000 people per day. Pedestrian border crossings are facilitated through covered facilities, while passport and customs controls are conducted in an expedited manner.

The reopening of the checkpoint will ease the movement of Kyrgyz citizens, as the route from the Osh region to the Jalal-Abad region through Uzbekistan has been reduced to 19 km from the previous 120 km, significantly simplifying transportation between the regions.

The Customs Committee also noted a significant increase in trade turnover between the two countries, which has tripled over the past seven years. The number of people crossing the border has increased sevenfold, from 2.3 million in 2017 to 18 million in 2023. Additionally, the number of entrepreneurs involved in exporting and importing goods between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan has also grown.

On the same day, the “Uchkurgan” checkpoint in Namangan region was also opened. Since 2023, citizens of both countries have been able to cross the border using both passports and ID cards.