In Afghanistan, the first railway project was inaugurated on Tuesday which will connect the northern city of Majar-e-sharif with Uzbekistan border of Hairatan. <br/><br/>The Afghan Ministry of Finance said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will pay 165 million dollars as the cost for the completion of the project. <br/><br/>With the completion of this 75 km. long project, Afghanistan will be connected to Uzbekistan’s railway network and thus to Central Asia. <br/><br/>Afghan Finance Minister, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal said this is only the beginning of rail projects in the country and several others are under conceptualization and planning stage. <br/><br/>ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda told reporters during a visit to the Afghan capital that the project will be completed by year end in a fast and expeditious way. He said the plan is to eventually extend the connection southwest to the city of Herat and south to Kandahar city, linking the network to Iran and Pakistan. <br/><br/>The official underscored that Afghanistan is located in a very strategically important position and can become a regional hub for freight investment and various economic activities in the region if railway links with surrounding countries are established.