Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan hold sessions of business council and business forum
23/05/2018 23:25
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan hold sessions of business council and business forum
23/05/2018 23:25
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Kazakhstan is one of the most important trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan. In order to further increase bilateral trade, the sides pay special attention to intensifying interregional business contacts aimed at effective use of the existing trade and economic potential of the two countries.
The first meeting of the Business Council "Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan" and the Kazakh-Uzbek business forum, which was held in Shymkent on 22 May, became an additional stimulus for further strengthening of economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. This was reported by the press service of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.
The delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and as part of the heads of the economic-forming ministries and departments of the republic took part in the work of the above-mentioned events. The delegation also included over 130 business entities from all regions of Uzbekistan.
Within the framework of the first meeting of the joint Business Council, the parties discussed current issues of trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, as well as proposals for its further development.
The decision to create this structure was achieved within the framework of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Republic of Kazakhstan in March 2017 and the corresponding agreement was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan.
Participants in the meeting put forward proposals for development of Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation, particularly in the field of green technologies and renewable energy, improving the procedures for transit transportation of Uzbek products through the territory of Kazakhstan, possible creation of infrastructures on the borders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for temporary storage of products, attracting mutual investment in free economic zones of two countries, continuing work on establishing partnerships between business circles Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
"The business council is a platform to which the enterprises of the two countries are involved for a free exchange of opinions, visions and projects," Adkham Ikramov, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, said.
In his speech, the Director of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the South-Kazakhstan region A.Abubakirov said the high interest of the South-Kazakhstan companies to establish cooperation with entrepreneurs of Uzbekistan by creating joint ventures, developing technological cooperation, creating joint clusters, and further expanding bilateral trade in goods.
"In South Kazakhstan region, there is the largest number of small and medium business in Kazakhstan, and this region borders on the capital of neighboring Uzbekistan, we should take advantage of this potential," he said.
Within the framework of the visit, the Kazakh-Uzbek business forum and the cooperation exchange in the "B2B" format were organized. More than 300 enterprises from South Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, North Kazakhstan, Zhambyl and other regions of Kazakhstan took part in the work.
The forum was opened by the akim of South Kazakhstan region Zh. Tuimebayev, the ambassadors of two countries, the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan A.Ikramov, the vice-minister for investments and development of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Uskenbaev, as well as the deputy minister of foreign trade of the Republic Uzbekistan S. Saifnazarov.
In his speech, the akim of the South-Kazakhstan region underlined the great role of entrepreneurs and representatives of the business community of the two countries in achieving a sustainable growth in the volume of mutual trade, which allows to reach the trade turnover to US$3 billion in 2018 and US$5 billion in the near future.
During the business forum, promising joint projects in the field of tourism, investment cooperation, transport and logistics, electrical industry, as well as electronic commerce were presented. The Kazakh side was also acquainted with the results of economic reforms in Uzbekistan, created by favorable conditions for investing and doing business in the country.
During the cooperation exchange between the enterprises of the two countries, direct negotiations were held to establish business ties in the fields of the textile and pharmaceutical industries, the construction industry, the production of fruit and vegetable and dairy products, agriculture, food processing, tourism, and transport and logistics.
Within the framework of the visit, a meeting with the Akim of South Kazakhstan region was organized. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the State Committee for Investments, the State Committee for Tourism Development, the State Customs Committee and others took part at the meeting.
During the meeting, further directions and steps to establish and expand Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation in the trade, economic and investment fields were discussed.
As a result of the business forum, 7 bilateral documents worth US$62 million were signed between the business community.
In 2017, the trade turnover amounted to US$2.06 billion, in the first quarter of 2018 the turnover reached US$579.0 million (1.6 times higher than for the same period in 2017). The leaders of two countries put task to increase the volume of trade to US$5 billion.
Currently, there are 281 enterprises with participation of Kazakhstan capital (238 joint enterprises and 43 enterprises with 100% of Kazakhstan capital) in Uzbekistan, 14 companies of Kazakhstan are accredited.
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