Bishkek, Feb. 25, 2025. /Kabar/. As part of an official visit to Astana, a meeting was held between the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev and Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov in an expanded format.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers, 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. He said that 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.
The head of the Cabinet 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 volume of trade turnover amounted to 1 billion 340 million US dollars.
"These figures inspire a certain amount of optimism in us. Especially, in light of the achievement by the governments of the two countries, of the task set by the heads of our states to bring bilateral trade to 3 billion dollars by 2030. Also, over 9 months of 2024, Kazakh companies invested almost 49 million US dollars in the economy of Kyrgyzstan. In order to intensify investment ties, an updated intergovernmental Agreement on mutual promotion and protection of investments was signed last year. All these once again confirms the existing potential for the systematic expansion of bilateral trade and economic relations," he said.
The head of the Cabinet continued that it is important not only to maintain this positive trend, but also to increase the pace in certain sectors of interaction. In this context, he focused on a number of pressing issues.
"The 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 exporting high-value-added products. The approval and signing of the Agreement on duty-free oil supplies to Kyrgyzstan is an important step to ensure energy stability and reduce the cost of fuel for Kyrgyz consumers. The creation of a trade and logistics warehouse for storing fruits and vegetables in the Almaty region will ensure uninterrupted supplies of fresh produce, improve trade turnover and increase food security in our countries," said Adylbek Kasymaliev, adding that the successful implementation of these initiatives will serve as an additional incentive for strengthening economic cooperation, creating new jobs and attracting investment in the economies of the two countries.
Also during the meeting, issues of cooperation in the cultural, humanitarian, educational spheres, in the field of tourism, the implementation and strengthening of new initiatives in these areas were discussed.
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan 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 Olzhas Bektenov, 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.
The meeting was also attended by the heads of state bodies of the two states in the field of borders, digitalization, transport, economics, energy, customs, taxes, investment, industry, agriculture and culture.