The 23rd meeting of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation was held
On March 2, 2022, the 23rd meeting of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation was held in Moscow.
The IPC is co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Turlykhanovich Sultanov from the Kazakh side, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Logvinovich Overchuk from the Russian side.
The sides discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation in the field of trade and economic cooperation, fuel and energy complex, industry, transport, agriculture, healthcare, environmental protection, education and science, social and labor relations, information technology, culture, tourism, youth policy, development of interregional and cross-border cooperation, as well as interaction between business circles of the two countries.
Kazakhstan and Russia traditionally have a high level of bilateral cooperation across the entire spectrum of interstate relations, supported by the intensity of meetings both at the level of heads of state and at other levels. Russia remains Kazakhstan's largest trading partner. This year, the countries celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia in 2021 amounted to 24.2 billion US dollars, which is 29.1% more than in 2020 (18.8 billion US dollars).
During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov noted that the volume of trade between our countries could reach $30 billion in the coming years.
Kazakhstan and Russia have extensive experience of successful industrial cooperation. To date, 8 major joint projects worth about $2.6 billion are being implemented. in such industries as mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical industry, etc. According to Bakhyt Sultanov, 11 more projects worth about $1.4 billion are under development.
"Mechanical engineering is a key area of industrial cooperation. We are interested in implementing new cooperative projects in the field of oil and gas engineering, creating an automotive component base. We are determined to expand cooperation in the automotive industry by mastering the production of components and spare parts," Bakhyt Sultanov said.
Also, at the initiative of the Kazakh side, the issue of access of high-voltage equipment to the market of the Russian Federation was considered. An agreement was reached to ensure mutual non-discriminatory access to each other's markets, including the use of the "calculation method" instead of real destructive tests during equipment certification and the use of this experience in order to sign the EAEU technical regulations "On the Safety of High-voltage Equipment" as soon as possible, to study the issue of equal access to government and procurement of individual legal entities and recognition of tests performed in Kazakh laboratories on most indicators for access to large grid energy companies in Russia.
The Russian side expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the field of metallurgy, scientific and industrial sphere. The parties also discussed issues of the digital agenda, cooperation in order to improve customs and tax administration, and intensification of cooperation in the field of hydropower and renewable energy sources.
In conclusion, Bakhyt Sultanov confirmed his readiness to further increase cooperation across the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
Following the discussion, the Protocol of the XXIII meeting of the Kazakh-Russian Intergovernmental Commission was signed. The next XXIV meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission will be held in 2023 in the Republic of Kazakhstan.