A meeting of the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov took place in Astana in an expanded format.
Adylbek Kasymaliev noted that Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are actively cooperating within the framework of such integration structures as the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Turkic States and the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia. According to him, these formats allow the two countries to consolidate efforts to ensure stability, develop the economy and strengthen the positions of states in the international arena.
He emphasized that Kazakhstan is one of the key trading partners of Kyrgyzstan; in recent years, there has been a positive trend in the growth of trade turnover between the countries. For example, in 2024, the trade turnover amounted to $1,340 billion.
According to him, the figures inspire a certain amount of optimism.
Over the first nine months of 2024, Kazakh companies invested almost $49 million in the economy of Kyrgyzstan.
To enhance relations, an intergovernmental agreement on mutual encouragement and protection of investments was previously signed, the head of the Cabinet recalled.
«Construction of an industrial trade and logistics complex on the border of our countries will optimize cargo transportation processes, reduce costs for businesses and increase the efficiency of bilateral trade. The construction of a ferroalloy plant in Tash-Kumyr will open up new opportunities for industrial cooperation, increasing production volumes and export of high-value-added products. The approval and signing of an agreement on duty-free oil supplies to Kyrgyzstan is an important step to ensure energy stability and reduce the cost of fuel for Kyrgyzstan’s consumers. The creation of a trade and logistics warehouse for storing fruits and vegetables in Almaty region will ensure uninterrupted supplies of fresh produce, improve trade turnover and increase food security in our countries,» Adylbek Kasymaliev said.
Issues of cooperation in the cultural, humanitarian, educational and tourism spheres, implementation and strengthening of new initiatives in these areas were also discussed during the meeting. Olzhas Bektenov noted that the relationship between the heads of the two states in the spirit of mutual trust and friendship will contribute to raising multifaceted cooperation to a new level, and strengthening and deepening trade relations will have a multiplier effect on the development of the economies of the two countries.
According to him, at the end of last year, mutual trade indicators increased again and amounted to $1.7 billion. At the same time, the Kazakh side stated that serious work will be carried out to further increase trade and economic cooperation.
