Mirziyoyev will visit Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit Kazakhstan. This was reported on the Kazakhstan government's Telegram channel.

It was noted that on July 12, a bilateral cooperation meeting of the intergovernmental joint commission, chaired by Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, took place in Almaty.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on pressing issues on the bilateral agenda ahead of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's official visit to Kazakhstan. They also reviewed the implementation of agreements between the two countries' leaders, focusing on strengthening cooperation in trade, economic, investment, water, and energy sectors, as well as discussing projects in transport, industry, agriculture, ecology, and digitalization.

It was reported that 57% of the total trade turnover in Central Asia is attributed to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Last year, the trade volume between the two countries reached $4.5 billion, and in the first four months of 2024, it exceeded $1.2 billion. Industrial cooperation plans include 69 projects worth $3.1 billion, creating over 14,700 jobs. To date, 12 joint projects worth a total of $217 million have been successfully implemented, creating nearly 4,500 jobs. Currently, three investment projects worth $178 million are underway.

"Uzbekistan is a friend, neighbor, ally, and brotherly state for us. The leaders of the two countries have set a comprehensive task for our governments to increase mutual trade volume to $10 billion in the medium term. We are interested in increasing trade volume in the agro-industrial complex and food industry and enhancing the level of industrial cooperation," said Olzhas Bektenov.

In turn, Abdulla Aripov emphasized that relations between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been rapidly developing based on strategic partnership and alliance in recent years.

"Positive growth is observed in all areas. This fully meets the interests of our brotherly people. An important factor in such high-level cooperation is undoubtedly the friendly and trustworthy relationship between the leaders of the two countries. I believe that today's meeting and the agreements reached will give an additional impetus to our cooperation," said Abdulla Aripov.

It should be noted that earlier, Aigul Kuspan, Chairwoman of the Committee on International Affairs, Defense, and Security of the Kazakh Majilis, mentioned that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev would pay a state visit to Kazakhstan in August this year and participate in the first session of the Supreme Interstate Council.