Русский
Russian Railways (RZD) CEO Oleg Belozerov has said that the company is planning new projects in countries in the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. He was speaking at the Znanie educational event in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday (September 16).
Belozerov said that “Not only does RZD transport freight to friendly countries, but it also develops their infrastructure. Over recent years, we have implemented over fifteen projects overseas, developing unique competencies. For example, we built the Balkan region’s first high-speed railway line in Serbia, where trains can travel at up to 200 km/h. We manage railways in Armenia and Mongolia and are collaborating with Belarus, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and many other states. We plan to enter the markets of countries in the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. We hope that the upcoming Russia-Africa summit, which will be taking place next month, will provide impetus for new joint projects.”
Russia has one of the largest railway networks in the world. By both the volume of freight hauled and passenger volume, they are second only to China. In total length, they are third largest after China and the United States and have a total of 92,000 km of track.
RZD actively manages international cooperation and infrastructure projects across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Key regional partnerships & projects include expanding the border crossings, such as between Zabaikalsk and Manzhouli and developing multi-modal infrastructure to improve connectivity and handle growing trade volumes.
RZD manages the railways in Armenia (through its subsidiary, South Caucasus Railway) and in Mongolia (through trust management of the shareholding in the Ulaanbaatar Railway), and also cooperates with the railways of Belarus, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. In particular, joint projects are being implemented with the Belarusian Railway to develop passenger services and harmonize schedules, as well as to jointly modernize infrastructure to facilitate the movement of transit cargo.
RZD also participates in consultative bodies such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) rail group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to harmonize transport law, digital tracking, and international corridors. It is a core participant in the Organization for Cooperation Between Railways to coordinate transcontinental freight and passenger traffic spanning Eurasia.
