BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. Finland plans to continue organizing business forums and conducting other bilateral meetings with Kyrgyzstan, a source at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland told Trend.
The source added that Finland also provides development cooperation to Kyrgyzstan, focusing on objectives such as enhancing the rule of law, fostering sustainable economic growth, and enhancing the management of natural resources.
It was noted that Finland is actively enhancing its economic ties with Central Asian countries due to their potential as trade partners. Specifically, Finland maintains good relations with Kyrgyzstan.
When discussing trade turnover, the source said that the overall trade volumes between Finland and Kyrgyzstan remain relatively modest. However, there has been a recent increase in interest among Finnish companies in exploring the Kyrgyz market over the past year.
"The mining industry is one of the main industries where we see potential synergy benefits between Finland and Kyrgyzstan. Waste water management is another field in which Finland has expertise, which can be useful for Kyrgyzstan," the source at the Ministry said.
The source mentioned that approximately 10 Finnish companies participated in the Finnish-Kyrgyz business forum in Bishkek at the end of August 2023.
"Among these companies are those involved in various sectors, including mining, construction, and water management. Finnish companies are also actively exploring opportunities in donor-supported sectors in Kyrgyzstan," the source said.
As per information from the Ministry, the ongoing Aid for Trade Finland initiative in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan is focused on cultivating trade policy expertise and enhancing the competitiveness of local entrepreneurs. Among the businesses receiving assistance is Imron Textile, located in the Namangan region of Uzbekistan. This company has already created job opportunities for a substantial workforce and has recently embarked on the journey of expanding its product exports.
Finland is strengthening its connections with Central Asian countries to help the region become more stable, support their internal growth, and encourage collaboration among these countries. Finland works with the EU and follows the EU's strategy for Central Asia to achieve these goals through development aid, political discussions, and economic cooperation.
Bilateral development cooperation between Finland and Kyrgyzstan, as well as with Tajikistan, was established in 2009.