ASTANA – Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers – Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Zhaparov held the 12th meeting of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Council on Dec. 3-4 in Bishkek.
Olzhas Bektenov and Akylbek Zhaparov. Photo credit: Prime Minister’s press service.
Parties discussed extending trade and economic cooperation, transportation and logistics, industry, water resources, energy, and other topics. The officials noted the stable positive dynamics across the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation. In January-September, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic exceeded $1.2 billion, which is 1.6% higher than the same period in 2023, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
According to the meeting participants, the implementation of the project for the construction of the Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex in the area of the Karasu and Ak-Tilek road checkpoints contributes to the achievement of the joint goal of increasing mutual trade to $3 billion by 2030. The complex will become one of the largest centers for the consolidation, processing and distribution of cargo flows in the region.
The officials also discussed the implementation of the roadmap for the development of automobile checkpoints on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz state border, which provides for the modernization of seven joint checkpoints. In January-August, the volume of export-import cargo transportation by road between the two countries increased by 4.1% and reached 3 million tons.
Following the meeting, a number of documents were signed, including the final Protocol of the 12th meeting of the Intergovernmental Council, the roadmap for increasing mutual supplies of agricultural products, as well as the memorandum of cooperation in the field of tourism development.
As part of Bektenov’s visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, the Kazakh-Kyrgyz business forum took place on Dec. 2 in Bishkek, bringing together representatives of 80 companies from Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The forum program included B2B meetings, as well as a ceremony to sign agreements.
As a result of the event, seven commercial agreements worth $8.2 million were signed, marking a significant step toward strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
