Kazakhstan’s PM about trade and economic cooperation with Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, July 12, 2019. /Kabar/. "Relations between our countries are characterized by interaction, based on a high level of trust and mutual support," Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin said during the extended-format talks with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev.
Note that Mamin has arrived in Kyrgyzstan for an official visit.
The Kazakh prime minister stressed that this meeting is held on the eve of the expected state visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Kyrgyzstan, which will be held this fall.
"This is a good opportunity to discuss topical issues of bilateral cooperation and identify promising areas of interaction. As you have rightly noted, today's agenda is saturated, and during its existence the intergovernmental council has become an effective platform and a link in building a constructive dialogue between our countries. At these meetings, we are considering a wide range of issues of bilateral interaction, and we have an opportunity to exchange views on all emerging issues. I am convinced that the decisions made today will make a significant contribution to the further deepening of interaction between our countries, and give a serious impetus to the development of bilateral economic cooperation," he said.
In addition, Askar Mamin noted that despite the active interstate cooperation, there is still a significant potential for trade and economic cooperation, which should be used by the sides.
"During the meeting, the heads of our states repeatedly were noting the need to focus on increasing the volume of mutual trade. Last year we had mutual trade in the amount of almost $850 million with a growth of 13%. But at the same time, we believe that bringing the volume of trade turnover up to $1 billion in 2020 is a feasible task. We are ready to work actively in this direction. The Ministry of Trade and Integration has been established in Kazakhstan. Minister Bakyt Sultanov will be directly responsible for the development of bilateral relations within the EAEU format, for the development of relations between our countries," he added.
Besides, the prime minister of the neighboring state noted the development of industrial and investment cooperation.
"Kazakhstan is among the top three largest investors in the Kyrgyz economy. The accumulated volume of direct investments from 2005 to 2017 amounted to $670 million. We are ready to further develop investment cooperation. This was discussed at the narrow-format meeting. Our delegation includes a large group of businessmen, who are ready to work actively with their colleagues from Kyrgyzstan, and a number of such promising areas of investment cooperation were identified. I am sure that in the framework of today's meeting we will find and propose new projects for the development of investment cooperation between our countries. A number of our companies actively work, and I am sure that in order to further expand investment cooperation it is important to create favorable conditions for business between the two countries," Mamin added.