3rd Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Cross-Regional Cooperation Forum took place in Turkestan
The Forum focused on the current issues of development of bilateral cooperation in trade and economic, investment, agriculture, transit and transport, water and energy, industrial cooperation, tourism, and other sectors.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan represent around 70% of the total regional trade volume of Central Asia. Bilateral trade turnover stood at $2.9bn in the first nine months of 2021 that is 28.5% more than in 2020. The figure is set to rise to $5bn in 2022 and up to $10bn in the next five years. Work is ongoing to establish an international center of trade and economic cooperation Central Asia at the border of two countries.
During the event the Kazakh PM noted the high dynamic of Kazakh-Uzbek cooperation in the sphere of industrial cooperation, with the joint venture Hyundai Auto Asia that operates effectively. Kazakhstan’s company Astana Motors considers constructing a plant for Hyundai car production in the city of Jizzakh, Uzbekistan. Manufacturing of Chevrolet cars has been established between SaryarkaAvtoProm and UZAuto Motors in the city of Kostanay, Kazakhstan, and manufacturing of MAN trucks with MAN Auto-Uzbekistan. This November the joint enterprise producing Nurafshon agricultural equipment was established at the AgromashHoldingKZ localization center in Kostanay.
Launch of textile manufacturing at the joint facility Alliance and garment factory Turkestan Textile is deemed to be a successful example of cooperation in light industry between the countries.
The Head of the Kazakh Cabinet of Ministers highlighted the high level of interaction between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the transit and transport sphere.
The Kazakh PM stressed the importance of cooperation between the countries in the sphere of environmental production, water and forestry.
Mamin and Aripov held a meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on bilateral cooperation and took part in the 3rd Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Cross-Regional Cooperation Forum «Transborder cooperation as new growth points» that brought together around 200 people – heads of government bodies, regions, as well as reps of business circles of the two countries.
Within the Forum, 54 investment and commercial contracts in machinery, agro-industrial complex, manufacture of building materials, electrical products, medical items, infrastructure development, and other sectors to the tune of $611.3mln were signed.