Central Asian countries and Japan develop economic cooperation
Astana hosted a business forum in the framework of the dialogue "Central Asia + Japan" with the participation of Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov. The event, organized by JSC "NC "KAZAKH INVEST" and Japanese association "ROTOBO", became an important platform for strengthening trade, economic and investment ties between the countries of the region and Japan.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek Kuantyrov noted that the volume of mutual direct investments between the countries of Central Asia is growing at a faster pace with an average annual growth rate of 9.2% over the past 7 years. Nevertheless, there is significant untapped potential for expansion and deepening of economic ties between the countries of the region and Japan.
"First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Japanese side and brotherly countries of Central Asia - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and business communities of all countries for your contribution to strengthening interaction in the region. I would like to emphasize that Central Asia has a huge potential for cooperation in various industries. Joint projects with Japanese companies in agriculture and agro-technology, transportation, logistics, green economy, engineering, education and mining and metallurgical industry can benefit both our region and Japanese consumers," A. Kuantyrov emphasized.
During the forum, the prospects for the implementation of infrastructure projects, which are one of the important tools for strengthening logistics links and trade flows in the region, were discussed. The speakers emphasized that in order to achieve effective interconnectivity between the regions, it is first of all necessary to ensure the necessary connectivity between the countries of Central Asia.
"Central Asia is located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, which makes the region an important transportation and logistics hub, and the development of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative strengthens CA's role in international trade. In recent years, the countries of the region have been actively investing in the development of transportation, energy and communication infrastructure. In turn, the Kazakhstan transport corridor allows to reduce the time of cargo delivery between Asia and Europe up to 12 days and reduce the cost of production", - said the Chairman of the Board of JSC "NC "KAZAKH INVEST" Yerzhan Yelekeev.
In addition, participants from 6 countries discussed the development of human capital and financial systems. In this regard, it was noted the need for international cooperation and exchange of experience to strengthen financial stability in the countries of the region.
At the conclusion of the event, Central Asian countries and Japan signed 37 documents in sectors such as energy and ecology, transportation and logistics, mining, digitalization, education, engineering, medicine, and tourism.
The forum provided a unique opportunity for exchange of experience and best practices between representatives of different sectors of the economy. The participants of the event expressed confidence that the results of the Forum will give a new impetus to further strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and Japan, contributing to economic growth and sustainable development in the region.
