MINSK, 23 August (BelTA) – Kazakhstan is interested in cooperation with Belarus in the sphere of mechanical engineering. The relevant matters were discussed as First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, co-chairman of the Belarus-Kazakhstan trade and economic cooperation commission Aleksandr Turchin met with Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belarus Yermukhamet Yertysbayev due to the completion of his diplomatic mission, BelTA has learned.
The next session of the Belarus-Kazakhstan trade and economic cooperation commission is scheduled to take place in early October. Aleksandr Turchin and Yermukhamet Yertysbayev discussed preparations for the session and the work of Belarusian companies on the Kazakh market. The first deputy prime minister underlined that Kazakhstan is a strategic partner of Belarus and significant results have been achieved in the sphere of trade and economic cooperation. There are plans to advance interaction in various spheres later on.
The ambassador noted that Central Asia could do with more tractor factories. “We should reanimate this industry, build a tractor factory with Belarus' assistance. It is a powerful technological project. Your human resources, manufacturing experience are of great importance,” he said. “Apart from that, nearly every region of Kazakhstan needs MAZ products, Belarusian automobiles, and what not. Maybe it is necessary to work out some leasing projects. All kinds of opportunities are available.”
According to Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, the discussion of matters concerning the advancement of bilateral cooperation is particularly important in view of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko's forthcoming visit to Kazakhstan. A package of documents is supposed to be signed during the visit.
The Belarus-Kazakhstan legal base of cooperation includes over 65 interstate, intergovernmental, and interagency agreements. The agreement to guide Belarus-Kazakhstan social and economic cooperation till 2026 is the main one. Belarus treats Kazakh goods as its own in line with the free trade zone agreement of 18 October 2011 and the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty of 29 May 2014. In terms of Belarusian export Kazakhstan is one of the top ten trade partners. In 2018 Belarus-Kazakhstan trade totaled $896.1 million (30% up from 2017), with Belarus' export at $783.7 million (32.3% up). Growth has been registered this year as well.
