On December 4 in Bishkek, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov held the 12th meeting of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Council.
The meeting addressed issues of expanding trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as interaction in the field of transport and logistics, industry, water resources, and energy.
The parties noted that the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in January-September 2024 exceeded $1.2 billion, 1.6% more than the same period in 2023.
“[Kazakhstan President] Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays great attention to strengthening partnership with Kyrgyzstan,” Bektenov said. “This year, relations between our countries reached a qualitatively new level as a result of signing the Treaty on deepening and expanding allied relations between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We highly value our relations built on the basis of friendship, brotherhood and good neighborliness. The Government of Kazakhstan will make every effort to further develop Kazakh-Kyrgyz cooperation.”
Japarov also emphasized the importance of further developing cooperation.
The parties stated that the implementation of the project for the construction of the Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex near the Karasu and Ak-Tilek road checkpoints will contribute to achieving the mutual goal of increasing bilateral trade to $3 billion by 2030. The new complex will become one of the largest centers in the region for the consolidation, processing and distribution of cargo flows. Its launch will strengthen industrial cooperation and integration of the economies of the two countries. Land plots have been allocated for the construction of the complex and the regional industrial zone Alatau has been created in the Zhambyl region of southern Kazakhstan.
The meeting discussed implementing the Roadmap for the development of automobile checkpoints on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, which provides for the modernization of seven joint checkpoints. In January-August 2024, the volume of cargo transportation by road between the two countries increased by 4.1% and amounted to 3 million tons.
Both countries also confirmed their interest in the project to build a highway connecting Kazakhstan’s Almaty and Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul. A decision was made to start work on developing a feasibility study for the new 280 km long route Almaty – Uzynagash – Kastek – Mikhailovka – Cholpon-Ata, using a grant from the Asian Development Bank.
A Roadmap was also signed to increase mutual supplies of agricultural products.
Photo: gov.kg
