The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has said it will provide $75m in finance towards the cost of building a 920m-long bridge in Tajikistan.

The bridge carries the M41 international highway that links Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The particular section of the road it will serve, near the town of Obigarm, connects the central part of the country with the capital of Dushanbe and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Konstantin Limitovskiy, AIIB’s vice president for local investment operations, said: “The project aligns with two core thematic priorities of AIIB. Firstly, it contributes to cross-border connectivity by establishing vital links with improved road safety along Tajikistan’s essential corridor and ensuring connectivity between regions.

“Secondly, it embraces green finance principles by integrating environmentally and socially responsible practices and promoting resilient sustainable mechanisms in the road infrastructure development.”