Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 5
By Kamila Aliyeva – Trend:
Uzbek businessmen were offered to enter the EAEU and EU markets through Kyrgyzstan.
This idea was voiced by Kyrgyz Economy Minister Artem Novikov during the Kyrgyz-Uzbek business forum, Kabar news agency reported.
Uzbekistan takes 4.4 percent in the trade turnover of Kyrgyzstan, with exports making 6.6 percent and imports - 3.6 percent, according to the minister.
Novikov noted that Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the development of closer trade and economic relations with Uzbekistan.
"To further strengthen the already established trade and economic relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and to use the existing potential, we should jointly carry out the necessary measures to develop trade, investment as well as scientific and technological cooperation. It's time to make our relationships more meaningful," he said.
In particular, the minister urged businessmen from the neighboring state to consider the possibility of investing in priority areas for the two countries, namely, garment industry, processing of agricultural products, tourism, engineering and medicine.
He noted that Kyrgyzstan has significant experience in developing trade relations and participation in integration associations of regional and global importance.
The minister recalled that in 2015 Kyrgyzstan officially joined the Eurasian Economic Union with a population of over 180 million people, where a zone of unimpeded movement of goods, services, capital and labor operates.
Currently, the EAEU makes 3.2 percent of world GDP being one of the world's largest markets, he noted.
In addition, in January 2016, the European Union officially granted Kyrgyzstan the right of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+), according to the minister.
Kyrgyz products for more than 6,000 commodity items that meet the requirements of the EU can be imported from Kyrgyzstan to the EU member countries without customs duties, Novikov said.
The EAEU is an economic union of states located primarily in northern Eurasia. It provides for the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor within the member states.