RUSSIA, November 3 - The commission co-chairs reviewed a broad range of issues, including cooperation between the business circles, regions and development institutions of both countries.

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.

“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.

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.