Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On the eve of the 20th meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Trade and Integration, together with QazTrade JSC, held a trade mission of Kazakhstani producers and service providers in Tashkent on 3-5 May 2023.

The main goal of the mission is to establish direct contacts, intensify trade relations between Kazakhstani enterprises and potential buyers, as well as conduct bilateral meetings in the B2B format. The event was attended by 26 Kazakhstani companies in such industries as food and construction industry, medical devices, IT services. From the Uzbek side, representatives of the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, JSC UzTrade and more than 100 Uzbek partners visited the business mission.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan today demonstrate exemplary relations aimed at mutually beneficial cooperation. The countries pay special attention to the integration of the Central Asian region and the development of economic ties. For Kazakhstani participants, field meetings were organized with retail chains, large manufacturers of household and electronic equipment, confectionery, and other industrial enterprises.

Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Torebayev noted that Uzbekistan is a strategic trading partner of Kazakhstan, and cooperation between our countries plays an important role in the development of bilateral relations, as well as in the formation of regional policy and relations with the countries of Central Asia.

“Commodity turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in January-December 2022 amounted to US$5.0 billion, which is 29.8% higher than in the same period of the previous year (US$3.8 billion). The governments of the two countries are faced with the task of bringing the volume of trade to US$10 billion. A key element of the practical action plan to achieve this indicator is the project to create the Central Asia International Center for Industrial Cooperation. It should become the main platform for the Central Asian Economic Corridor "North-South" to create a joint product intended for export to the markets of third countries," Kairat Torebaev said.

In his speech during the official part, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan Beibut Atamkulov spoke about the state of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In particular, he noted that the established fraternal relations are predetermined by the centuries-old common history and common spiritual and cultural heritage. One of the ways to expand mutually beneficial trade and establish interregional production cooperation was a trade mission. Beibut Atamkulov noted that “Today, cooperation between the two states should develop in the field of food security and energy. The structure of Kazakhstan’s exports is mainly wheat, copper ores and concentrates, semi-finished products from non-alloyed steel, cars, cars, hot-rolled flat steel from non-alloyed steel, wheat or wheat-rye flour, sunflower oil and others.

The ambassador also noted that the next 20th intergovernmental commission will be held on May 5, which will be aimed at further development of interregional cooperation.

Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Badriddin Abidov emphasized the new dynamics and nature of relations between the two countries.

“Imports of Uzbek goods have also grown. Kazakhstan today imports car bodies, internal combustion engines with spark ignition, fresh or dried grapes, clad flat rolled products from unalloyed steel, and others. The launch of the joint organization "UzKazTrade" is a new milestone in relations between the two states. This is an important tool for resolving issues of mutual supply of agricultural products,” said Badriddin Abidov.

In the medium term, Kazakhstani companies are ready to additionally supply more than 100 types of goods to Uzbekistan in such areas as the food, construction, chemical, metallurgical, petrochemical industries in the amount of US$500 million.

As a result of the trade mission, export contracts were signed for the supply of building materials, confectionery, IT services, and dairy products to Uzbekistan in the amount of more than US$44.1 million.