BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 25. Kazakhstan and
Russia continue to expand bilateral trade, investment and
industrial cooperation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
According to the press service of the President of Kazakhstan,
Tokayev made the remarks at the 22nd Kazakhstan-Russia
Interregional Cooperation Forum in Omsk.
Tokayev said that practical cooperation between the regions
gives bilateral relations concrete substance.
"Relations between our countries have reached an unprecedentedly
high level. This is the result of the great efforts made by the
heads of state, governments, regional authorities and, of course,
the parliaments of both countries," he said.
The president noted that documents signed during recent state
visits had laid a new foundation for further cooperation.
"Russia is a major trading partner of Kazakhstan. Bilateral
trade approached $28 billion last year. Thanks to our joint
efforts, this figure continues to grow steadily: during the first
five months of this year, mutual trade increased by almost 10%,"
Tokayev said.
He added that Russia remains one of the key investors in
Kazakhstan's economy.
"Over the past 20 years, Russia has invested more than $30
billion in our country's economy. In the first quarter of this
year, the inflow of Russian investment increased by 45%," he
noted.
Tokayev said that more than 20,000 companies with Russian
participation are currently operating in Kazakhstan, while Kazakh
investment in the Russian economy has exceeded $9 billion.
The president also highlighted industrial cooperation.
"Our countries have built up a broad portfolio of 177 major
projects worth more than $52 billion. Of these, 122 have already
been implemented, creating more than 30,000 jobs," Tokayev
said.
