Kyrgyzstan, European Union sign new expanded partnership deal

AKIPRESS.COM - Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini signed a new expanded partnership deal between Kyrgyzstan and the EU on July 6 in Bishkek.
The deal is a result of joint work with the EU since December 2017, Minister Aidarbekov said.
The new agreement lays the foundation for cooperation in areas in which both sides are interested in the development. "For the last 2 years our country has been actively promoting the policy of digitalization and development of the regions within the framework of national programs, such as "Taza Koom". In addition, Kyrgyzstan needs technical and other support to achieve the UN's sustainable development goals, which is also reflected in the agreement," Aidarbekov said.
The agreement will help boost economic, legal, education, labor and social development relations, he said.
Trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and the EU reached $1 billion in 2018, while Kyrgyz exports to the EU increased threefold to over $750 million, he said.
Federica Mogherini said that Kyrgyzstan is an important country for the European Union. She noted that the European Union will continue to support the development of democracy.
She thanked the team that worked on the document and said it is the new chapter in the EU-Kyrgyz relations.