Alexei Overchuk holds a meeting of the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyz Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation

The commission co-chairs reviewed a broad range of issues, including cooperation between the business circles, regions and development institutions of both countries.

Alexei Overchuk at the co-chair meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyz Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation. With Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov

On November 1-2, Deputy Prime Minister
of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk visited the Kyrgyz Republic (Bishkek)
and, together with Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov, held a meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyz Commission
on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation. The
meeting was attended by representatives of the related organisations,
ministries and departments of Russia and Kyrgyzstan.

The commission
co-chairs reviewed a broad range of issues, including cooperation between
the business circles, regions and development institutions of both countries.
They focused on cooperation in industry, finance, energy, tax administration,
cultural and humanitarian ties and other promising areas.

Alexei Overchuk emphasised that
Russia and Kyrgyzstan are strategic partners and allies in Central Asia, that their
cooperation is diverse and oriented towards the development of Eurasian
integration processes. Their bilateral relations are based on a long history, mutual
respect and trust. They maintain intensive contact at the top level.

 “The Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian
Federation are linked by strong trade, economic, social, cultural and
humanitarian relations. Our historical ties, the level of allied relations and
strategic partnership, as well as our common integration association – the
Eurasian Economic Union – are a firm foundation for full-scale use of the
entire potential of bilateral cooperation,” noted Akylbek Japarov, adding that
this year the two countries observed the 30^th anniversary of
diplomatic relations.

Trade and economic relations are
on the rise. From January to August 2022, Russia- Kyrgyzstan trade was up 41.3
percent compared to the same period in 2021 totalling more than $2.1 billion.
Exports from Russia grew by 42.5 percent to $1.8 billion, and imports from
Kyrgyzstan by 34.2 percent to $288.7 million. As of the end of the first eight
months of this year, Russia’s share in Kyrgyzstan’s foreign trade was 27.7
percent. 

Alexei Overchuk pointed out
that Russia is among the key investors in Kyrgyzstan’s economy. “We will
continue to expand investment cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic. Among other
things, as part of the EAEU, we are working on ways to finance integration
projects that are part of our industrial cooperation with the participation of
three or more EAEU member states. This term of financing industrial cooperation
projects in the Eurasian space will provide small EAEU economies with
guaranteed participation in these kinds of industrial cooperation projects and
will allow them to gain access to the related new technology,” the Deputy Prime
Minister said.

The Russian-Kyrgyz Investment
Forum held in Osh on October 8 was pronounced an effective platform for
expanding cooperation between the two countries at the corporate level. As many
as 200 Russian and Kyrgyz companies and 17 regions from the two countries were
interested in its work, with 16 agreements worth upwards of $500 million signed
during the forum.

Alexei Overchuk at the co-chair meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyz Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation

“These are specific investment
projects, and the fact that Russian businesses are heading to Kyrgyzstan means
that investing there makes economic sense, and the Government of that country is
working to ensure a proper investment environment there,” Alexei Overchuk said.

According to Overchuk, the
positive dynamics and the depth of economic interaction between Russia and
Kyrgyzstan rely on bilateral cooperation and integration within the Eurasian
Economic Union.

Russia and Kyrgyzstan are focusing
on the digital economy. Kyrgyzstan has embarked on a course to introduce
digital technologies in all spheres of life.

“The Russian Federation is prepared
to make its own earlier research in digital transformation available to its
partners from Kyrgyzstan. In particular, it includes advanced urban environment
digitalisation solutions such as smart and safe city, public administration
solutions like electronic government, digital education solutions and solutions
for educating IT specialists and ensuring information security. Russian IT
companies boast ample domestic research in digitalisation, which can be used in
Kyrgyzstan both at the state and municipal levels, which will strengthen our
countries’ interaction in information technology,” the Deputy Prime Minister
said.

The parties reviewed progress
in providing technical assistance to the Kyrgyz Republic in tax administration
and the creation of a mechanism for tracking and labeling goods within the
EAEU.

Alexei Overchuk and Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov at the co-chair meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Kyrgyz Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation during the signing of documents

As part of promoting cooperation
in education and culture, discussions continued on building nine schools in the
Kyrgyz Republic that will provide instruction in Russian. An agreement was
signed between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Cabinet of
Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on the functioning of a secondary school built
as part of a Gazprom-sponsored social programme in Bishkek. The agreement lays
out the operational terms for the school, which is implementing education
activities, licensing, the admission procedure and financial support.

Following a meeting of the
co-chairs, a 2022–2026 Programme for Economic Cooperation between the
Government of the Russian Federation and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz
Republic was signed. It was developed to promote cooperation, the growth and
diversification in the mutual trade of goods and services, and to expand
investment and scientific and technical cooperation. The programme covers
Russian-Kyrgyzstani cooperation in trade, industry, transport, ICT, tourism,
fuel and energy, agriculture and related industries, and the financial and
banking sector, including at the interregional level.