Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan to deepen trade, economic cooperation
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Representatives of 14 Kazakh enterprises take part in a business forum at the first meeting of the Kyrgyz-Kazakh Business Council, which is being held in Bishkek on October 3.
Following the first meetings, a memorandum on the establishment of a Kyrgyz-Kazakh business council was signed between the Kyrgyz Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Kazakh Foreign Trade Chamber. The purpose of the formation of the council is to assist in expanding and strengthening trade and economic cooperation.
In addition, agreements have been signed between the enterprises of the two countries, and new contracts are expected to be inked between other companies as part of the B2B negotiations. The Kazakh delegation includes representatives of export-oriented enterprises of the construction, engineering, medical, chemical, automotive industries.
Kazakhstan is interested in intensifying cooperation in such priority areas as water and energy, agriculture, transport and communications, mining, manufacturing and tourism.
The president of the Kyrgyz Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marat Sharshekeev, stated that in 2017, the bilateral trade between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan amounted to more than $ 750 million.
At the same time, Kazakhstan is one of the leading trade, economic and investment partners of Kyrgyzstan. Kazakh exports are dominated by plant products, flour, grain, flour and confectionery, metal products, coal, household appliances. In turn, agricultural products, fruits and vegetables, textile products are supplied from Kyrgyzstan.
As Adviser Counselor of the Kazakh Embassy to the Kyrgyz Republic Almat Toekin noted in his speech, the Kazakh side is interested in raising the current level of trade to $ 1 billion a year, and there are all possibilities for that.
The current meeting will make it possible to take another step towards the development of bilateral relations, the diplomat added.
Director of the Agency for the Promotion and Protection of Investments of the Kyrgyz Republic Adilbek Uulu Shumkarbek, in turn, spoke about the sectors of interest to Kyrgyzstan.
“We are interested in projects not just for the extraction of minerals, but also for their processing. Also, investments in the field of deep processing of crops with further exports to China and the EEU countries are of great interest. Today there is an urgent need and activity in projects in the field of new innovative products. This direction can be an excellent opportunity for the Kazakh business. We need to deepen cooperation. I am sure that holding such forums will allow doing this,” he noted.
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