ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 21. Kazakhstan is interested in expanding cooperation with Pakistan in such areas as energy, agriculture, petrochemicals, digitalization, etc., Trend reports.
This was stated during a meeting between the Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Alibek Kuantyrov, and the Ambassador of Pakistan to Kazakhstan, Nauman Bashir Bhatti.
In turn, Bhatti said that Pakistan is ready to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation in the designated areas, including in the IT field.
The parties discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation, including specific measures aimed at enhancing mutual trade and establishing mutually beneficial relations between interested companies.
Kuantyrov noted that investment relations between the two countries have great potential.
The parties also discussed issues of developing a “green” economy, including the implementation of a low-carbon policy.
Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Pakistan in 2022 amounted to $73.2 million. Kazakh exports accounted for $35.9 million, and imports for $37.3 million.
From January through June 2023, trade turnover reached $28.3 million.
Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover in 2022 increased to $134.4 billion and exceeded the pre-pandemic level. The trade surplus was $34.3 billion. The export volume reached $84.4 billion. Predictably, oil and metals became the main growth points. Revenues from oil sales by 2022 increased by 51 percent to $46.9 billion (56 percent of total exports), copper by 15 percent to $3.7 billion, ferroalloys by 51 percent to $3.4 billion, uranium by 95 percent to $3.4 billion, and copper ores by 51 percent to $2.4 billion. Also, high growth rates were shown by the supply of wheat (+37 percent), petroleum products (+73 percent), coal (2.4 times), zinc (+43 percent), sulfur (+91 percent), etc.