Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S.Umurzakov met with Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan B.Sultanov in Nur-Sultan city.

Measures for further development of bilateral trade and implementation of joint initiatives in this direction were discussed. It was noted that over the past four years, the volume of trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has grown by 60 percent, exceeding $3 billion in 2020. As of November this year, the volume of mutual trade amounted to $3.1 billion with an increase of 37 percent compared to the same period last year.

Further steps were agreed for implementation of the task set to increase the volume of mutual trade up to $10 billion within the next 5 years. It was agreed to continue work on elimination of existing trade barriers and increasing of transport-logistic and transit potential of the two countries. In this regard, priority projects on development of road and railway infrastructure linking the two states were discussed.

Prospects for Kazakhstan’s joining to the Agroexpress logistics project, through which a system of regular and prompt delivery of agricultural and food products between Uzbekistan and Russia has been established, were discussed. It was agreed that the parties will create a joint working group to work on the harmonization of certification processes, customs clearance and border crossing procedures.

The existing issues related to the implementation of the project to create an International Center for Industrial Cooperation on the border territory of the two countries were considered. Further steps for the practical implementation of this initiative with the involvement of relevant ministries and agencies of the two countries were identified.

Separately, the issues of water use and introduction of water-saving technologies, restoration of ecological balance in the Aral Sea region and overcoming the consequences of the Aral Sea desiccation were also touched upon. Among other issues on the agenda was the prospect of Kazakhstan's participation in the 1st Aral International Forum, which will be held in Nukus in 2022.

As a result of the meeting, separate agreements were reached on the considered issues of bilateral cooperation.