The Strategic Partnership and Alliance Program for the next ten years adopted in Astana during the state visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will a give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Today, the heads of state attended the first Supreme Interstate Council meeting of the two countries. According to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the states have all the opportunities to boost mutual trade turnover to $5 billion in a short period of time and double this figure in the near future. Kazakhstan is ready to increase its product exports by $550 million.
«To date, around 70 joint projects worth over $3 billion are underway, spanning industries such as machine building, metallurgy, automotive, household appliances, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and other spheres. All this will allow our countries to create over 14,000 new jobs. There are promising opportunities in energy, communications, space technologies, and digitalization. We prioritise strengthening partnerships in this area,» Tokayev said.
The meeting also addressed the integrated and rational use of transboundary river water resources and the strengthening of cultural and humanitarian ties. The leaders agreed to support each other within international and regional structures. Then Tokayev and Mirziyoyev took part in the ceremonial arrival of a container train on the China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan route from the dry port in Xi’an, which covered a distance of almost 4,500 kilometers in record five days. Last year, the volume of cargo transportation between the countries increased by 17 percent to over 30 million tonnes. Integration in this direction will also open up new opportunities for strengthening cooperation.
«We agreed to step up work on developing interregional ties, which are one of the most important areas of our interaction. An initiative has been put forward to reformat the current Interregional Cooperation Forum into a Council of Heads of Regions with the involvement of all regions of our countries,» Mirziyoyev noted.
Tokayev awarded Mirziyoyev with Kazakhstan’s highest state honor, the Order of Altyn Kyran, for his contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The talks concluded with the signing of 15 agreements aimed at expanding collaboration in agriculture, healthcare, economics, and cross-border trade.
Editor: Гайни Жумабек
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