Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov on a working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In Tashkent, Head of the Government of Kazakhstan received the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. During the meeting it was noted that Kazakh-Uzbek relations are a vivid example of strategic partnership based on trust and mutual understanding at the highest level. Bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan totalled $4.5 billion last year. The governments of the two countries are working systematically to implement investment and industrial projects to further increase trade turnover.

In turn, talks at the governmental level with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov were devoted to the measures being taken to expand trade and economic, investment, water and energy, transit and transport and cultural cooperation, as well as strengthening interaction in agriculture by expanding the range of goods supplied.

"The Presidents of the two countries have set a task to bring Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan co-operation to a qualitatively new level. We see a significant potential for increasing trade turnover and will make all necessary efforts to achieve high results of our interaction both in bilateral and multilateral formats," Olzhas Bektenov stressed.

For his part, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov reaffirmed that trusting and friendly relations at the level of heads of two states are an important factor in strengthening relations of strategic partnership and alliance.

"The leaders of our countries have identified specific tasks on further expansion of multifaceted relations between the two countries. I express readiness to take all necessary measures to fulfil these tasks," Abdulla Aripov said.

The sides noted significant progress in industrial cooperation and outlined the great potential for further development. Currently, 60 projects totalling $2.6 billion are being implemented within the framework of industrial cooperation, creating more than 13,300 jobs. An additional 43 projects are promising. An important role in further expansion of bilateral trade potential is assigned to the International Centre for Industrial Cooperation "Central Asia". At the same time, the countries have established full mutual understanding in the agricultural sphere.

During the talks, the Head of the Kazakh Government stressed the need to further increase the transit and transport potential in the region. Special attention was also paid to co-operation in the sphere of water use. Along with this, Olzhas Bektenov outlined the readiness of the Kazakhstan side to expand export supplies to Uzbekistan to the amount of almost $500 million on 255 items.

Following the talks, Olzhas Bektenov and Abdulla Aripov reaffirmed the readiness of the governments to make every effort to ensure the progressive development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan across the entire spectrum of bilateral interaction.

During the working visit, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan was also presented the experience of the Customs Clearance Centre in improving administration through the transition to electronic declaration. 

In addition, Olzhas Bektenov visited Texnopark, where he inspected the process of high-tech production of industrial, electronic, construction products, industrial and municipal energy equipment, including lifts and escalators.

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