KAZAKHSTAN IS A KEY PARTNER OF GREECE IN CENTRAL ASIA
Today, the II Kazakhstan-Greece business forum has taken place in Astana. The forum has involved more than 70 business representatives of the two countries – foreign experts and investors, representatives of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, national companies, financial institutes, Kazakh and foreign businessmen.
Within the framework of the Forum, bilateral meetings were held with such companies as FREZYDERM S.A. (production of pharmaceutical products), “"R&D Cosmetics Department” (FREZYDERM), VIOHALCO S.A. (the leading holding group of metalworking companies in Europe), Upstream (mobile commerce platform that accelerates trading in markets), PHARMEX S.A. (carries out various studies and works on innovative products development), VK Premium (provides advisory services in the private and public sectors), ADELCO S.A. (the largest Greek pharmaceutical company), METKA (construction of large-scale EPC projects (Engineering-Procurement-Construction), SABO SА (brick and tile industry).
In his welcome speech, Vice Minister of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arystan Kabikenov has told on the key tasks and objectives of this event.
“I would like to underline the message that was made in the current State of the Nation Address by the President Nursultan Nazarbayev concerning the implementation of new technologies and digitization of all economic sectors, primarily - the industrial sector with high labour productivity, including: engineering, chemical, petrochemical, oil refining, food, metallurgical and construction industries. Greek companies which arrived to attend today’s event fall under these priorities”, - Vice Minister of MID of the Republic of Kazakhstan said.
During the forum, the participants presented investment opportunities of Kazakhstan and Greece, discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation and the prospects of their development.
For reference:
In 2017, the foreign trade turnover between our countries amounted to USD 980 mln., having increased by 10% as compared with the same period in 2016.
Import from Greece to Kazakhstan increased by 25% and amounted to USD 16,5 mln. (USD 13,2 mln. in 2016).
The main import goods include: medicines USD 5,3 mln. (34,8%), tobacco USD 1 mln. (6,6%), aluminum foil USD 1 mln. (6,4%), clothing items USD 0,9 mln. (6,1%), personal care products USD 0,8 mln. (5,1%), jams, butters USD 0,7 mln. (4,4% ), copper pipes USD 0,6 mln. (3,8%), fresh or chilled fish USD 0,5 mln. (3,4%), plastic ware USD 0,5 mln. (3,1%), elevators and skip winches USD 0,4 mln. (2,6%), kiwi USD 0,3 mln. (2.1%), etc.
Export from Kazakhstan to Greece is USD 963,5 mln., that is 10% higher than for the same period in 2016 (USD 871 mln.) due to increased supplies of aluminum.
Oil accounts for more than 80% of exports, that demonstrates the great unimplemented potential of mutual trade in other sectors, including food and heavy industries.
The main export goods include: crude oil USD 712,6 mln. (81,8%), aluminum USD 111,6 mln. (12,8%), tugboats and push boats (temporary import/export) USD 29 mln. (3,3%), floating lightships (temporary import/export) USD 15,9 mln. (1,8%), internal combustion engines USD 1,1 mln. (0,1% ) etc.
