Kazakh and Mongolian Prime Ministers meet in Kazakh capital

Both have discussed the issues of further developing the cooperation in trade, economic, transit and transport, agricultural, mining, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as the interaction within regional and international organizations.

“Thanks to the policy of first Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the foundation has been laid for the progressive development of Kazakh-Mongolian relations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, adhering to the continuity in the foreign policy, pays great attention to the effective development of cooperation with Mongolia,” Mamin said.

In turn, Khürelsükh marked Kazakhstan’s authority in Asia and the international arena.

“We are interested in the further development of the cooperation between our peoples and states, bringing it to a qualitatively new level,” he said.

The Heads of Government noted the significant potential for further building up the mutual trade turnover, which stood at $80 million in 2018. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for cooperation in the mining industry, construction, processing and production of finished products of animal husbandry, cashmere, leather, and deepening cooperation in the transit and transport sector, including the activation of communications between the two countries under the SCO Agreement on the creation of favorable conditions for international road transport.

The Kazakh Prime minister suggested the development of a 2021-24 draft road map to enhance the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

“It is necessary to unleash the full potential of bilateral trade by mutually expanding trade and economic cooperation. The Kazakh side has prepared a list of 100 potential goods that can be delivered to the Mongolian market from Kazakhstan,” the Kazakh PM said.

He went on to say that the Kazakh diaspora in Mongolia is as an important connecting factor in relations between Nur-Sultan and Ulaanbaatar – over 120 thousand Kazakhs, with 90 thousand residing in Bayan-Ölgii Province. The prime minister noted the need for regular joint cultural and sporting events, exchanges in creative teams and academic institutions. The head of Government proposed to hold the Days of Mongolian Culture in Kazakhstan and a similar event in Mongolia over the next two years, as well as consider the possibility of creating the Abai Cultural Center in Ölgii.

In the follow-up to the talks, documents were signed:

- the protocol amending the Agreement between Kazakhstan and Mongolia on mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters of 22 October 1993;

- the Intergovernmental cooperation agreement in combating terrorism;

- the agreement between the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science and the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture and Science on mutual recognition of education documents, academic degrees and titles;

- the protocol amending the Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of Mongolia on cooperation in education of 6 August 2008;

- the memorandum between the Committee of Veterinary Control and Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the Main Veterinary Directorate – Executive Agency of the Government of Mongolia in veterinary control and supervision;

- the agreement on the establishment of twinning links between Nur-Sultan and Ulaanbaatar;

- the cooperation agreement between the Institute of Plant Growing and Agriculture of Mongolia and the Barayev Scientific and Production Center for Grain Management.

As part of the visit, the Kazakh-Mongolian business forum involving business representatives, a trip to the Astana International Financial Center and the International Center for Green Technologies are planned.

Photo credit: primeminister.kz.