ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic signed a historic agreement on deepening and expanding allied relations that unlocks broad opportunities for the advancement of interaction, fully meets the two countries’ interests and contributes to the preservation of long-standing fraternal bonds, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a joint media briefing with President Sadyr Japarov on April 19, reported Akorda.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Sadyr Japarov at a joint press briefing. Photo credit: Akorda
Tokayev reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to bring mutual trade to $2 billion, expressing Kazakhstan’s readiness to boost exports to the Kyrgyz Republic across 195 commodities worth $260 million.
The parties agreed to fully utilize available opportunities, intensify the activities of the Intergovernmental Council and the Interregional Forum, and promptly launch a trade and logistics industrial complex along the border.
Speaking of the agro-industrial sector, which experienced a 10% increase in trade turnover, reaching $300 million last year, Tokayev emphasized that both governments were directed to develop a roadmap to boost production volumes, foster the establishment of joint ventures, and facilitate connections between research institutes.
Mentioning an agreement signed between the governments on the promotion and mutual protection of investments, Tokayev highlighted the contribution Kazakh investors make to the development of important sectors of the Kyrgyz economy. A project for the construction of a solar power plant in the Issyk-Kul Region is underway and negotiations are ongoing for a ferroalloy plant in the Jalal-Abad Region.
The parties agreed to implement and advance the e-government system, exchange experience in digitizing the economy, and bolster information cooperation.
Tokayev spoke about modernizing border checkpoints, which will be equipped with digital technologies by 2028.
Addressing the water and energy sector, he revealed ongoing efforts to approve and implement the work schedule of interstate water management structures.
According to the President, cooperation is also flourishing in the cultural, humanitarian, tourism and sports fields. In particular, a branch of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University began to operate in Bishkek, a branch of Gumilyov Eurasian National University – in Osh. The Kazakh government has also allocated 50 grants for Kyrgyz students.
Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic have common positions on current international issues. Both leaders will participate in the next sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, which will be held in Astana this year.
Following today’s events, the parties also signed a decision on the sixth meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, a protocol on amendments to the agreement on checkpoints across the state border, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry and the Kyrgyz State Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, a MoU and cooperation between the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction and the Kyrgyz State Agency for Architecture, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, as well as a roadmap for the development of automobile checkpoints on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border for 2024-2027.
