ASTANA (TCA) — Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev took part in the Kazakh-Estonian business forum on November 5 in Astana. Led by the Prime Minister of Estonia Juri Ratas, business representatives in various fields of economy, IT, logistics, investments, architecture, engineering, education, as well as government agencies, attended the forum, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
About 120 business representatives of the two countries participated in the business forum. The main objective of the event was to assist in finding new business partners, informing representatives of Estonian business about the investment climate in Kazakhstan, preferences which the country is ready to provide to investors.
Opening the business forum, Prime Minister Sagintayev noted that Estonia is one of the important trade, economic and investment partners of Kazakhstan in Northern Europe. Kazakhstan is interested in expanding trade, economic and investment relations with Estonia. In particular, in the transit-transport sphere, in the field of environmental and energy-saving technologies, as well as in the IT sphere. In order to exchange experience in IT technology, a Kazakhstani delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Askar Zhumagaliyev was sent to Estonia. The purpose of the training program is to become familiar with the Estonian experience and practice in the field of key elements of e-government.
The Prime Minister also told the forum participants about the work of the Astana International Financial Center and invited Estonian companies to work together, including under the second wave of the privatization program.
Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas said that during the bilateral meeting various aspects of cooperation between the two countries were considered. These are issues of digitalization, education, agriculture.
“Kazakhstan is a huge country with a population of 18 million people, rich in oil fields and important trading links. Estonia is a small country with a population of 1.3 million people. A large number of forests and we have a strong Hi-Tech sector. However, despite these differences, we have many common interests. We have the opportunity to expand our bilateral economic relations in many areas: IT, transport, logistics, agriculture and environmental technology, as well as waste management. I’m sure this list will only expand over time,” said the Prime Minister of Estonia.
During the event, representatives of JSC Kazakh Invest National Company presented investment projects in Kazakhstan. In turn, the investment agency Enterprise Estonia presented the projects of the Estonian side.
Estonia is one of the most important trade, economic and investment partners of Kazakhstan in Northern Europe. Foreign trade turnover between the countries for 8 months of 2018 amounted to $21.8 million. Today in Kazakhstan there are about 70 companies with Estonian capital participation.
Kazakhstan and Estonia intend to intensify bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including in transit and transport industries, in the field of environmental and energy-saving technologies, water saving, IT technologies, where Estonia holds high positions within the European Union. Kazakhstan exports to Estonia petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excluding crude oil), copper, refined and copper alloys, untreated aluminum, LED lamps, iron or steel products, as well as food products, such as flaxseeds, almonds, and fresh melons.
