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Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, who arrived in Kazakhstan on an official visit. They discussed issues of bilateral cooperation with a focus on the development of trade and economic ties, expansion of cooperation in the field of transport and logistics, transportation of oil and oil products, digital technologies, agriculture, tourism and others,
primeminister.kz reports.
Olzhas Bektenov noted that Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attaches special importance to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Georgia. Active dialogue at different levels contributes to further diversification and expansion of bilateral trade turnover. Today Kazakh-Georgian relations are developing dynamically in all directions.
The work on increasing trade turnover is carried out within the framework of the joint Intergovernmental Commission. The Road Map on expanding the nomenclature of mutual trade turnover for 2023-2026 is being implemented. The nomenclature of exported products from Kazakhstan is replenished with new types of non-resource goods. Measures are being taken to promote 35 types of domestic goods worth over $66 million to the Georgian market. The list includes products of petrochemical, metallurgical industries, food, chemical industries and machine building.
During the talks, attention was paid to building up transit and transport interaction by unlocking the potential of the Trans-Caspian international transport route. It is expected that the measures taken will make it possible to increase the throughput capacity of the Middle Corridor to 10 million tonnes per year by 2027. In addition, the importance of continuing work on establishing competitive tariff conditions, reducing delivery times and increasing the volume of cargo transported along the route was emphasised. At the same time, Kazakh companies are also involved in capacity building in Georgia. A new multimodal terminal in the Georgian port of Poti, which is being built by a Kazakh transport and logistics investment group, is scheduled to be launched this year.
Last year, the volume of traffic on TMTM increased by 62% to 4.5 million tonnes. In order to increase the potential of the route, as well as to eliminate bottlenecks, we are working to improve infrastructure, port and terminal facilities, increase rolling stock, remove administrative barriers and create favourable conditions for carriers. The Government of Kazakhstan is determined to continue multidimensional work to ensure the dynamic development of Kazakhstan-Georgia partnership in all areas," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
In turn, Irakli Kobakhidze emphasised Georgia's interest in developing and strengthening bilateral ties with Kazakhstan.
This is my first and undoubtedly important official visit to Kazakhstan, aimed at strengthening economic and cultural interaction. Today there are great achievements between our states in various areas of co-operation. We are interested in further developing a comprehensive partnership with Kazakhstan," Irakli Kobakhidze noted.
In addition, the Prime Ministers discussed cooperation between the countries in the field of transporting oil and oil products to world markets. Thus, last year 1.4 million tonnes of Kazakh oil was shipped through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The goal is to gradually increase the volume of raw materials shipment up to 2.2 million tonnes per year.
Cooperation in agriculture is promising. The volume of trade turnover of agricultural products in 2024 increased by 12.3% to $71.2 million. Kazakh business has the potential to increase supplies of flour and grain, vegetable oils, pasta, mutton and beef, dairy products, confectionery, etc. to the Georgian market.
The sides noted common interests in the development of cooperation in the field of personnel training and scientific support of the agro-industrial complex, including joint scientific research. A successful example of business co-operation is the project implemented by domestic companies QVM Technology LLP, Ordabasy Group and Ervira together with Georgian company Olive Georgia on experimental planting of seedlings of olive trees on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The issues of cooperation and exchange of experience in the field of digitalisation and tourism were also raised.
Following the talks, the Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Georgia confirmed their intention to develop and strengthen trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian partnership.
