Jeenbekov: We need to implement joint investment projects and expand exports to Switzerland

Bishkek, July 11, 2019. /Kabar/. "We need to implement joint investment projects and expand exports to Switzerland," President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov said during the meeting with representatives of big business in Switzerland.
President Jeenbekov noted that trade and economic relations between the countries do not correspond to the existing potential, and expressed interest in cooperation with Switzerland on the basis of the GSP+ (Generalized Scheme of Preferences) status. He expressed readiness of Kyrgyzstan to supply the Swiss market with ecologically clean and high-quality agricultural products, clothing and footwear, as well as jewelry.
"There is importance to establish direct contact between agricultural producers and processing companies of Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland. The only barrier is the lack of necessary certification infrastructure and processing enterprises. Therefore, I invite you to establish joint ventures, logistics centers and quality laboratories in Kyrgyzstan," Sooronbay Jeenbekov said.
The President called the availability of a reliable sphere of services an important aspect of economic development.
"The service sector occupies a special place in the Kyrgyz economy, as it provides almost 47% of GDP and more than 53% of employment. And in Switzerland, services account for about 70% of GDP and more than 75% of employment. Switzerland's financial services industry, as a world-class cluster, is of great economic importance to us. We would like to learn from Switzerland's experience of using innovative approaches in implementing financial instruments, aimed at regional development," President Jeenbekov said.
"We aim to integrate our products into the Swiss value chain. Therefore, I invite you to establish joint ventures based on Swiss technologies in Kyrgyzstan," he added.
The Kyrgyz leader added that Kyrgyzstan has huge reserves of clean energy.
"We offer to combine our efforts in the construction of large and small hydropower plants. Since 2022, we plan to supply electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan at export tariffs under the CASA-1000 project. I invite partners from Switzerland to take part in the implementation of promising projects for the construction of large energy facilities," the President stressed.
Sooronbay Jeenbekov also told in detail about the advantages of the domestic tourism sector.
"Kyrgyzstan occupies the leading places in the ratings of the main tourist destinations and every year improves its position. The tourism sector of Kyrgyzstan is distinguished by its diversity. We have unique opportunities for climbers, skiers, hunters and tourist researchers of historical monuments of the Great Silk Road. We have granted visa-free regime to 52 developed countries, including Switzerland. Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland could effectively cooperate in the use of the Swiss experience in attracting resources for the development of tourism services," the Head of State said.
Jeenbekov expressed confidence that today's meeting will bring the countries' trade and economic cooperation to a new level and give an additional impetus to the increase in the volume of investments in mutually beneficial projects.
The meeting with the Kyrgyz President was attended by executives and representatives of such large companies as Herculis Partners, ABB Schweiz, Tatneft Europe, OBVIAM Investing for Impact, Blue Orchard Finance, Integral Petroleum, SICPA, Switzerland Tourism, as well as the United Chamber of Commerce of Switzerland, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and others.