Interregional Cooperation Between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: New Steps towards Economic Integration

Tashkent, December 10-11, 2024 – the Ambassador of Kazakhstan H.E. Beibut Atamkulov accompanied with representatives of the Akimat of the Karaganda region paid a working visit to the Surkhandarya region.

The delegation included the head of the Karaganda regional department of entrepreneurship I. Lyubarskaya, deputy akim of Karaganda city D. Kudabayev, deputy head of the regional department of agriculture A. Tyulyubekov, as well as representatives of JSC "QazTrade", SPK "Saryarka" and business circles.

On the first day, the Kazakh delegation held a meeting with the khokim of the Surkhandarya region Ulugbek Kasimov. During the meeting, the parties presented the investment and industrial potential of the two regions.

The ambassador emphasized the importance of developing interregional cooperation and the effectiveness of expanding trade and economic cooperation by establishing direct contacts between the regions.

The head of the region noted the great prospects for establishing mutual supplies of agricultural products and industrial goods. At the meeting, an agreement was reached on signing a Roadmap for cooperation between the Karaganda and Surkhandarya regions, implementing joint projects and organizing mutual visits.

It is worth noting that within the framework of the IV Interregional Forum of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, held on October 21-22, 2024 in Samarkand, an Agreement between the Akimat of the Karaganda region and the Khokimiyat of the Surkhandarya region on cooperation in the trade, economic, scientific, technical and social-humanitarian spheres was signed.

Also Beibut Atamkulov, together with representatives of the Akimat of the Karaganda region, visited key facilities of the Surkhandarya region, including the Ayritom Free Economic Zone, the international multifunctional transport and logistics hub TERMEZ CARGO CENTRE, greenhouses LETO LLC and Gold Agro Fresh LLC, the enterprise for the production of compound feed AfrosiyobParranda LLC, the flour mill AslDon 2024 LLC and the industrial zone of Termez.

During the visit to the Ayritom FEZ, a cooperation agreement was signed between QazTrade CRTP JSC and the zone's directorate, within the framework of which a Kazakh trade pavilion will be opened in the near future. This step will open up new opportunities for the entry of agricultural and industrial goods of the Republic of Kazakhstan into the markets of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

For reference: The center includes retail space for 1,800 retail outlets, a logistics center with a capacity of 50,000 tons, a medical center, hotels, financial and technical services, and a visa-free regime for Afghan citizens for up to 15 days.