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Vatican Italy

Kazakhstan President Tokayev Makes First Visit to Vatican

During his visit to Italy last week, Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made his first official visit to the Holy See at the invitation of Pope Francis. During the meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on January 19th, Tokayev expressed gratitude to the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church for his tireless efforts to serve humanity around the world, Tokayev’s press service reported. “Your prayer for peace instilled aspiration and new hope not only in the hearts and minds of thousands of Catholics, but of many of our fellow citizens of other religions. Today, multiethnic and multiconfessional Kazakhstan, which has been historically located at the crossroads of various civilizations, is a proud home to the largest Catholic community in Central Asia,” said Tokayev. “We have managed to form our own model of peace and national dialogue, based on the principles of ‘unity-in-diversity’. People of various faiths have their places of worship in Kazakhstan. Fostering religious freedom is an integral part of my presidential agenda,” the Kazakh leader emphasized. Tokayev stressed that “We should all come together as one, despite our differences, in order to preach and practice peace, facilitate an ongoing dialogue across cultures and religions, and to drive forward development for the benefit of people of all faiths.” The Pontiff thanked Tokayev for his contribution to peace and harmony. The Kazakh president also met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. The Holy See’s press office said that during the meetings with president Tokayev, appreciation was expressed for the good relations between the Holy See and Kazakhstan, with particular reference to mutual collaboration in the sphere of interreligious dialogue. Regional and international themes were also discussed, with special attention to conflicts and humanitarian issues. Pope Francis visited Kazakhstan in September 2022, when he took part in the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions held in Astana. This Congress is held in the Kazakh capital every three years, functioning as a permanent international interfaith platform for dialogue between religions.

pasta Italy Food

Italian Agricultural Holding Enters Kazakhstan Market

The Italian holding Bonifiche Ferraresi, which produces and markets agricultural products, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Agrofirm TNK. This was the result of negotiations between the Kazakh minister for agriculture, Aidarbek Saparov, and the management of Bonifiche Ferraresi in Rome last week, the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture reported. Agrofirm TNK produces agricultural products on 400,000 hectares of land in the Akmola region, northern Kazakhstan. At the first stage of their partnership, the Italian and Kazakh companies intend to exchange experience regarding technology, seeds, and employee training. At the next stage they plan to develop processing, including pasta production. Forty enterprises currently produce pasta in Kazakhstan, the largest of which use durum wheat flour as a raw material, which has a high content of protein and iron. Traditional Italian pasta is made from this type of flour. “Kazakhstan has every opportunity to increase pasta production and exports, since it has its own raw material base. In 2022, Kazakhstan produced 15.6 million tons of soft wheat and 833 thousand tons of durum wheat, of which about 400,000 tons were exported to Italy, which is enough to increase the volume of pasta production, including in order to expand exports,” Mr Saparov said during the negotiations. The minister also told the Italian partners about the favorable investment climate in Kazakhstan, pointing out that investors can directly enter into an investment agreement with the Kazakh government to implement large investment projects, and receive certain benefits and preferences.

Economy Italy Uzbekistan Agriculture Investments

Uzbekistan, Italy to set up industrial park for silk manufacture

TASHKENT (TCA) — The Uzbekipaksanoat (Uzbek Silk Industry) Association and the Italian Silk Association have agreed on the establishment of an Italian industrial park in Uzbekistan, the Jahon information agency reported. The park will house companies specializing in the processing of cocoons, the manufacture of silk products, as well as equipment and necessary components. The parties have already agreed on the creation of the first joint venture to produce finished goods from silk. The emergence of the park, according to experts, will increase the export of silk products to the European Union, as well as enter new markets in European countries. In addition, the association is negotiating with Turkish textile companies to produce new goods – silk carpets and the painting of silk fabrics. Within the framework of the program of measures on integrated development of the silk industry until 2021, approved by the Uzbek government, about 30 mills for the processing of cocoons are currently being modernized in the country. Also, work is underway to organize 11 new specialized enterprises for deep processing of silkworm cocoons worth $83.2 million, most of which are planned to be commissioned this year. As part of the modernization, agreements were signed for the purchase of new equipment from such well-known companies as Van De Wiele, Picanol and Reggiani. As a result, it is planned to double the production of raw silk in three years and increase the figure to 3 thousand tons per year, and also through the deep processing of raw materials to increase the production of silk fabrics eightfold, reaching 11.2 million linear meters per year. Back in 2016, the extent of the use of production capacities of silk-processing enterprises in Uzbekistan was only 17%, and in 2017 it reached 54%. In 2016, products for $20.9 million were exported, and last year the figure reached $37.7 million. Today, Uzbek enterprises produce four types of goods: raw silk, silk wool, silk fabric and finished silk products, while last year the manufacturing process was concentrated on raw silk alone. By 2021, it is planned to establish production and export of at least five types of silk goods.

Italy Kazakhstan Investments

Kazakhstan attracts investors from Italy

ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakh Invest national company for investment support and promotion presented Kazakhstan’s investment opportunities during meetings with the leadership of more than 20 major Italian companies and government agencies in Italy. Italian companies expressed interest in implementing joint projects in the areas of agribusiness, energy and recycling of solid domestic waste, Kazakh Invest reported on May 15. Continue reading

Italy Food Agriculture Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan and Italy agree on agricultural cooperation

ASTANA (TCA) — The 8th meeting of the Intergovernmental Kazakh-Italian Working Group for Industrial and Economic Cooperation and Exchange and an Italy-Kazakhstan business forum took place earlier this month in Rome, with the support of Kazakh Invest national company for investment support and promotion. The Kazakh delegation also included representatives of the agrarian sector, who studied the Italian experience of crops cultivation, discussed ways to develop joint investment projects, and visited Italian agricultural enterprises. Continue reading

Investments Economy Kazakhstan Italy Eurasian Economic Union

Kazakhstan invites Italy to access new markets via Eurasian Economic Union

ASTANA (TCA) — The 8th meeting of the Kazakh-Italian Intergovernmental Working Group for Industrial and Economic Cooperation and Exchange (IWG) was held in Rome on February 16, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported. Continue reading