Deepening Alliance: Strategic Collaboration Intensifies Between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic
In a significant move to strengthen their relationship, the leaders of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to increase trade turnover between the two countries and collaborate across various sectors.
During a meeting in Cholpon-Ata on August 1, Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, met with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu. The discussion focused on boosting trade and economic cooperation, as well as deepening political, cultural, and humanitarian ties.
As of the end of 2024, Kazakhstan was among Kyrgyzstan's top three trading partners, with a trade turnover of $1.7 billion. The two ministers have now agreed to increase this mutual trade turnover to $3 billion by 2027.
The comprehensive cooperation plan between Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic for 2025-2027, initialed during the seventh meeting of the High Interstate Council, aims to expand and strengthen bilateral relations across multiple spheres. Key components of the plan include:
- Economic cooperation and trade: Both countries aim to increase mutual trade turnover from $1.7 billion in 2024 to $3 billion by 2027. This includes boosting trade and industrial collaboration, enhanced facilitation of economic ties, and simplifying interaction between producers.
- Industrial trade and logistics: The plan underscores launching the Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex at the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border by 2026 to facilitate faster and sustainable cargo transportation and increase logistics capacity.
- Energy cooperation: Focus on collaboration in energy sectors including hydropower, renewable sources like solar and wind power, nuclear energy, and green technologies development.
- Transport and infrastructure: Coordination to improve transport and logistics infrastructure aiming for efficient intra- and inter-regional cargo movement.
- Cultural and humanitarian ties: Continued promotion of cultural exchanges such as Days of Kyrgyz Culture in Kazakhstan, Days of Kazakh Cinema in Kyrgyzstan, joint youth forums, and symbolic projects like the Golden Bridge of Friendship monument in Bishkek.
- Political and intergovernmental cooperation: Enhancement of political dialogue, inter-parliamentary, intergovernmental, and interregional collaboration based on high-level agreements and strategic partnership foundations.
Murat Nurtleu's visit was an official one, and the meeting concluded with the initialing of a resolution for the seventh meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council and the comprehensive plan of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic for 2025-2027. Nurtleu confirmed Kazakhstan's focus on the comprehensive strengthening and expansion of allied relations with the Kyrgyz Republic.
The traditionally high level of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on multilateral platforms was noted by President Japarov. Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was also highlighted, with Kazakhstan hosting the Days of Kyrgyz Culture last year and planning events like the Days of Kazakh Cinema, the third Kazakh-Kyrgyz Youth Forum, and the grand opening of the Golden Bridge of Friendship monument in Bishkek this year.
The Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex at the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border is scheduled to launch in 2026, marking a significant step towards deeper economic collaboration between the two nations. This comprehensive plan is designed to build a long-term alliance, strengthen strategic partnership, and promote sustainable, multifaceted cooperation across political, economic, cultural, and infrastructural domains between the two fraternal countries from 2025 through 2027.
The agreement made by Sadyr Japarov and Murat Nurtleu includes a focus on increasing mutual trade turnover not only in economic cooperation but also in political, cultural, and humanitarian ties, as they aim to boost trade and industrial collaboration, deepen political ties, and promote cultural exchanges.
The comprehensive plan for 2025-2027, initialed during the seventh meeting of the High Interstate Council, includes a section dedicated to political and intergovernmental cooperation, with a focus on enhancing political dialogue, inter-parliamentary, intergovernmental, and interregional collaboration based on high-level agreements and strategic partnership foundations.
