Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26 October, in Astana, as part of the visit of the Government delegation of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Jamshid Khodjaev held a series of meetings with government members and heads of key ministries and departments of Kazakhstan.

During the meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, topical issues of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries were discussed. The Kazakh side emphasized the confidential nature of regular contacts between the leaders of the two states, which is a solid foundation for bilateral strategic relations between the two countries at all levels. During the conversation, mutual commitment was expressed to further interaction in all areas of mutual partnership.

Issues of development of joint investment projects in the field of energy, engineering, textile industry, industrial cooperation, mining, joint management and use of transboundary water bodies were discussed with the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar. An agreement was reached on taking specific practical measures to create a textile cluster, form a Working Group and prepare a network schedule for further work on joint exploration, extraction and processing of minerals in the territories of both countries.

Topical issues regarding the creation of the International Center for Industrial Cooperation (ICIC), as well as the implementation of joint investment projects, including 34 projects worth US$3.3 billion approved by the Roadmap following a high-level visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan and 37 new projects worth US$2.5 billion. An agreement was reached to intensify work on the preparation of a feasibility study and further implementation of projects based on the approved network schedules, as well as to place promising investment projects on the territory of the ICPC.

The prospects for cooperation in the automotive industry were considered. An agreement was reached to extend the quotas for the supply of 10,000 Hyundai and JAC cars for 2023 and the signing of an investment agreement providing for the organization of full-cycle car production in Uzbekistan was agreed.

During a conversation with Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Jumangarin, the prospects for taking specific practical measures to increase the volume of mutual trade, expand cross-border and regional transport and logistics corridors were considered. An agreement was reached on the participation of Uzbek producers in public procurement in Kazakhstan, as well as the adoption of specific measures to simplify the mutual supply of meat and meat products by exporters of the two countries.

As a result of the meetings, the responsible heads of ministries and departments were given relevant instructions as part of the accelerated implementation of the discussed projects and initiatives, and all organizational issues of holding this year’s Forum of Regions and the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission were agreed upon.