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ALMATY (TCA) — Economies in Central Asia continued improving their business climate, to create jobs and spur growth, according to the 15th anniversary edition of the World Bank Group’s annual Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs report, released on October 31, the World Bank said.
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ASHGABAT (TCA) — On November 2–4, Ashgabat is hosting the XXII International Exhibition Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan and the conference dedicated to tendencies and perspectives of cooperation in the oil and gas sphere, state newspaper Golden Age reports.
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ASTANA (TCA) — A Kazakh-Japanese business forum on the topic “Regions of Kazakhstan: prospects for Japanese investments” was held in Tokyo on October 31 under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Japan, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
The Kazakh delegation was headed by the Vice Minister for Investment and Development Yerlan Khairov. The Forum was attended by representatives of the Government of Kazakhstan, regional administrations, and entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan. From the Japanese side, political and public figures, diplomats, experts, heads of more than 150 large Japanese companies such as Marubeni Corp, METI, NEC, JOGMEC, Tokyo Rope, NYK Group, and JETRO attended the Forum.
The Forum participants discussed achievements in the Kazakh-Japanese business relations, investment opportunities in the regions of Kazakhstan, issues of Kazakhstan’s investment policy and prospects for developing economic relations with Japan.
Yerlan Khairov noted in his speech that Japan is one of Kazakhstan’s key strategic partners in East Asia. “We have an intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation and a business council. Since 2015, there is an agreement on the promotion and mutual protection of investments. Moreover, a visa-free regime has been introduced for Japanese citizens in Kazakhstan. A regulatory and legal framework has been created to open direct flights between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the cities of Tokyo, Osaka. All these measures help activating business contacts and promoting trade, economic and social ties between our countries. Japan is one of the largest investors in Kazakhstan. Over the past 10 years, the inflow of direct investment from Japan was $5.5 billion,” Khairov said.
Deputy Chairman of Kazakh Invest national investment promotion agency, Zhandos Nurlanov, delivering a presentation on “A New Approach to Attracting Foreign Investors”, said: “Japan is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. And Kazakhstan is interested in cooperation with Japanese companies, attracting the latest technologies and investments in its economy. I hope that today’s business forum will give a new impetus to the direct investment interaction of Japanese companies with the regions of Kazakhstan.”
From 2005 to early 2016, the gross inflow of direct investment from Japan to Kazakhstan was $5.1 billion. In 2015, trade between the two countries amounted to $1.4 billion.
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BISHKEK (TCA) — Russia is reportedly considering a project to export natural gas to Pakistan and India through Iran in an ambitious project that would involve laying an offshore pipeline, Iran’s PressTV news agency reported on October 31.
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KABUL (TCA) — A delegation of 20 Russian businessmen visited Afghanistan on October 30 to discuss investment opportunities and said they want to invest in the agricultural, transportation and manufacturing sectors in the country, TOLOnews reported.
Officials from the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said despite the current problems and insecurity in Afghanistan, Russian businessmen are ready to invest in the country.
“This time a large number of Russian businessmen visited Kabul to investigate opportunities to start companies in this country and most of the businessmen are interested in transport, agriculture and manufacturing plants in this country,” said Dmitry Antonov, the chairman of Russia’s chamber of commerce and industry.
In addition, Antonov said Russians have already invested in the field of construction and manufacturing in Afghanistan, but they also want to invest in the areas of electricity production, railways, and road construction.
“Establishing a home trade for Afghanistan and Russia will provide a platform for the development of trade and investment between the two countries and we are trying to increase our efforts in this regard,” said Atiqullah Nasrat, the Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
Currently Russia’s investment in Afghanistan is nominal but the trade volume between Afghanistan and Russia is around $200 million USD a year.
Officials at ACCI said trade between Afghanistan and Russia will increase as trade and transit relations improve between Central Asian countries and Russia.
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KABUL (TCA) — The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has endorsed a new 5-year country partnership strategy (CPS) to establish a stronger foundation for sustainable growth and poverty reduction in Afghanistan, the Bank said on October 31.
