Kyrgyzstan and Russia to Expand Cooperation Across the Board

photo: gov.kg

On July 10, the 25th meeting of the Intergovernmental Kyrgyz-Russian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Humanitarian Cooperation, was held in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk, co-chaired by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk.

Aimed at strengthening cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Russia, the agenda focused on developing trade and economic relations, increasing bilateral trade turnover, and creating favourable conditions for investments and joint ventures.

The parties also discussed issues related to developing scientific and technical cooperation, expanding humanitarian ties, including in education, culture, and healthcare, as well as joint projects in tourism and transport.

Referencing the fact stated that in 2023, trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Russia reached $3 billion, and in the first four months of 2024, had already exceeded $1 billion, showing an increase of 30%, Akylbek Japarov announced the mutual goal to increase the Kyrgyz-Russian trade to up to $5 billion.

Given the two countries’ intention to increase the share of mutual settlements in national currencies, the head of the Kyrgyz Cabinet invited the largest state-owned banks of Russia, such as Sberbank, VTB, Vnesheconombank, and Gazprombank, to open branches in Kyrgyzstan.

On the same day, Akylbek Japarov also spoke at the meeting of the 11th Kyrgyz-Russian Interregional Conference in Krasnoyarsk.

Regarding Kyrgyz-Russian cultural and humanitarian interaction, Japarov said that the past three years had seen a “breakthrough in the education sector.” In particular, he noted an agreement concluded last year, on Russia’s construction of nine new schools in Kyrgyzstan; one in each of its seven regions and two in the cities.

Further to signing a Decree on the establishment of a branch of the Lomonosov Moscow State University in the Kyrgyz city of Karakol, the president expressed his appreciation of the increase in budget-paid places for Kyrgyzstan citizens studying in Russian universities to 1,000.

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan

Sergey Kwan has worked for The Times of Central Asia as a journalist, translator and editor since its foundation in March 1999. Prior to this, from 1996-1997, he worked as a translator at The Kyrgyzstan Chronicle, and from 1997-1999, as a translator at The Central Asian Post.
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Kwan studied at the Bishkek Polytechnic Institute from 1990-1994, before completing his training in print journalism in Denmark.

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