ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 7. The Mangystau region of Kazakhstan has suggested to Azerbaijan to boost the supply of consumer food products, Trend reports.
The proposal was put forward by Nurdaulet Kilybay, the head of the region, during a meeting with the Consul General of Azerbaijan in Aktau Elchin Mammadov.
"I'd like to propose some collaboration options. Instead of waiting for high-level official meetings, let's initiate joint projects and foster bilateral relations through mutual agreement. As you know, the Mangystau region lacks a variety of fruit and vegetable products, mostly relying on imports. Hence, I suggest that companies in Azerbaijan explore the opportunity to enhance the supply of food and consumer goods, particularly fruits and construction materials, to our region. Additionally, we should bolster tourism ties between Azerbaijan and the Mangystau region," he said.
Mammadov highlighted the robust relationship between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, expressing the Consulate General's keen interest in fostering joint projects to reinforce the fraternal ties between the two peoples.
"The Mangystau region holds significant importance for our nation. Collaboratively, the state maritime companies of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have augmented the fleet of vessels for cargo transportation. We believe that construction materials, textiles, and agricultural products from both countries, as well as the exchange of food items, mutual investments, and joint productions, can substantially boost trade volume. There are promising prospects for enhancing tourism cooperation between our nations. It's worth noting that in 2025, the city of Aktau will be designated as the capital of the Turkic world. Numerous events and official visits from delegations from Turkic-speaking countries are anticipated. This presents an opportunity for us to further strengthen our close cooperation," he elaborated.
To note, in 2023, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan surged to $529.4 million, marking a 14.2 percent increase compared to the previous year's figure of $463.3 million.
Within the trade turnover structure, exports to Azerbaijan during this period totaled $456.3 million, representing a notable 21.6 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Imports from Azerbaijan from January through December 2023 experienced a decline of 17.3 percent, amounting to $73 million. In contrast, imports in 2022 stood at $88.3 million.
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