The IV Forum of Interregional Cooperation "Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan" took place in Samarkand, attended by the Prime Ministers of both countries, Olzhas Bektenov and Abdulla Aripov, heads of ministries, mayors of several cities, and about 200 businesspeople, reports Atpress.kz.
Uzbekistan is Kazakhstan’s main trading partner in the Central Asian region, noted Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Bektenov. In the first eight months, the volume of mutual trade amounted to $2.5 billion. There is significant export potential in the petrochemical, metallurgical, automotive, industrial, food, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors. Kazakhstan is ready to increase exports to Uzbekistan by over $550 million across 40 types of high-value-added Kazakh products.
In turn, Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov highlighted that the priority in bilateral relations is the development of interregional cooperation. "Border regions have established direct and close connections with each other: the Republic of Karakalpakstan with Mangystau Region, Tashkent with Turkestan Region, and Navoi with Kyzylorda Region. Our other regions are also steadily strengthening ties, developing trade relations, and fostering industrial cooperation. However, there is still great potential yet to be realized," he said.
The forum placed particular focus on developing industrial cooperation, which involves implementing 74 joint projects with investments totaling $3.4 billion and creating 14,600 jobs. Examples of Kazakh-Uzbek industrial cooperation include joint ventures in Shymkent and Turkestan Region, as well as autoclaved aerated concrete production in Angren.
During the IV Forum of Interregional Cooperation, 76 agreements were signed, totaling more than $352 million. These include a Practical Action Plan to accelerate the implementation of agreements reached at the highest level. The document outlines joint projects in energy, mining, and geology. Additionally, cooperation agreements were signed between regions of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in trade, economics, science, technology, culture, and the humanities.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 23, 2024