On October 22, a joint inter-regional forum of the governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan took place in Samarkand, where the Akim of the Mangystau region, Nurdoulet Kilibay, presented a number of proposals to expand trade and economic relations between the Mangystau region and Uzbekistan here.
According to Nurdoulet Kilibay, the majority of wholesale market food products, vegetables, fruits, and dried fruits in the region are supplied from the fields of the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Nukus, and Syrdarya in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Through the "Tashken" customs post, about 250-300 cargo vehicles pass daily, with an average of 25-30 of them being sent to the Mangystau region. This amounts to nearly 11,000 tons of products.
– Our delegation includes the founder of one of the largest wholesale distribution centers in our country, "ORC Aktau" LLC. They are fully ready to provide the necessary trading spaces and are waiting for concrete steps from Uzbek entrepreneurs. We plan to open a "Made in Uzbekistan" trading space there and organize agricultural fairs, – said Nurdoulet Kilibay.
Furthermore, during the inter-regional forum, the Akim of the Mangystau region proposed organizing a special duty-free trading zone in the border area between the two states, similar to the "Khorgos" trade complex, with the aim of further developing trade relations. The opening of the trade and economic zone would increase the volume of trade between the Mangystau region and the Republic of Uzbekistan by four times.
Additionally, the meeting discussed cooperation in the fields of tourism and agriculture. In particular, it was noted that tour packages for visiting historical, cultural, and tourist sites in the Mangystau region have already been developed for tour operators of the Republic of Uzbekistan and are ready to start operation in 2025.
As a result of the meeting, a cooperation agreement was signed between the administration of Mangystau region and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Beyneu, and Khodjeyli districts.
