Latest news with #EdilBaisalov
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PM welcomes slew of agreements signed with Kyrgyzstan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday lauded the deepening bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, reaffirming Islamabad's commitment to strengthening ties and advancing collaboration across multiple sectors. The prime minister was speaking during a meeting with a high-level delegation from the Kyrgyz Republic, led by Edil Baisalov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. The delegation is currently visiting Pakistan to participate in the fifth session of the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Joint Intergovernmental Commi-ssion (IGC), aimed at deepening collaboration across various sectors, including trade, energy, and connectivity. Sharif expressed satisfaction over the successful convening of the IGC session and described the signing of the protocol and several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) during the meeting as 'significant steps' towards reinforcing institutional cooperation and expanding people-to-people exchanges. Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to the decisions taken during the IGC, the prime minister emphasised the importance of timely implementation of the agreed measures, terming follow-up actions essential to translating commitments into tangible outcomes. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
21 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan sign multiple MoUs to deepen cooperation, enhance trade to $100 million
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have signed multiple protocols and memorandums of understanding to deepen their economic and technical cooperation and take the bilateral trade volume to $100 million, Pakistan's Press Information Department said on Monday. The statement came after the 5th session of the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Islamabad. The meeting marked a significant advancement in the bilateral relationship between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, reflecting a shared commitment to expand cooperation in diverse sectors of mutual interest. Both sides held in-depth discussions at the session, co-chaired by Pakistan's Energy Minister Awais Leghari and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers' deputy chairman Edil Baisalov, and reviewed progress made since their last meeting, with a renewed focus on strengthening economic and technical collaboration. During the talks, Leghari said the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan bilateral trade volume had declined from $11.2 million in 2022-23 to $5.18 million in 2024-25, stressing the need to revitalize trade engagement between the two countries. 'The two sides reaffirmed their resolve to boost bilateral trade, setting a target to raise trade volume to USD 100 million,' the PID said in a statement. 'They agreed to work on diversification of exports and imports, revive the Pakistan-Kyrgyz Joint Business Council, and organize business forums, trade fairs, and B2B (business-to-business) exchanges.' The development comes at a time when Pakistan, faced with an economic slowdown, is trying to leverage its strategic geopolitical position to enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting landlocked Central Asia with the rest of the world, with a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity taking place between officials from Pakistan and the Central Asian nations in recent months. Both sides signed a number of MoUs to deepen their cooperation in key sectors. An agreement was signed between the Kyrgyz National Investments Agency and the Board of Investment of Pakistan to foster investment cooperation, while another MoU, signed between the Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) and Kyrgyzstan's Center for Development of Halal Industry, focused on Halal trade cooperation, according to the PID. In the energy and environment domain, the Kyrgyz side proposed joint participation in a power transmission line project connecting Kyrgyzstan, China and northern Pakistan. Both countries agreed to explore electricity imports, collaboration in renewable energy, mining, hydrocarbons, and technical partnerships between institutions like the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan and the Kyrgyz State Technical University. 'Discussions also focused on enhancing regional connectivity through logistics and transportation. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in postal services, cargo and rail transport, and civil aviation,' the PID said. 'Both countries underscored the importance of strengthening financial cooperation. The central banks of both countries agreed to collaborate on the development of Islamic banking and financial instruments, including training programs through Pakistan's National Institute of Banking and Finance.' The discussions also featured education and scientific collaboration. 'The parties agreed to promote joint training programs, academic exchanges, and institutional linkages,' the PID said. 'Pakistan reiterated its support to Kyrgyz students under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program (PTAP). Both sides also agreed to explore labor cooperation and establish a Joint Working Group to discuss its modalities.'
Euronews
05-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Kyrgyz deputy leader touts rising cooperation between EU and Central Asian 'tigers'
ADVERTISEMENT EU and Central Asian are set for historic new impulse in their relationship, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov told Euronews, as the two regions' leaders convened more than 5,000 kilometres away in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for the first EU–Central Asia Summit. Baisalov was interviewed in Strasbourg where he was meeting MEPs and the Council of Europe to promote closer cooperation between the European Union and the increasingly assertive Central Asian states, which he described as the future 'tiger economies' of the region. Speaking to Euronews between meetings, Baisalov welcomed the momentum generated by the Samarkand summit, which brought together high-level officials from both blocs. 'In today's changing world, where the whole current world order is being shaken with these great tectonic shifts in geopolitics, we need reliable partners,' he said. 'This historic summit in Samarkand will give a new impulse to bilateral relations of each Central Asian country, but also region to region, our continents, Europe and Central Asia. The whole region will be closer, and this will benefit all the people inside our regions,' he added. New transport corridors and deeper ties Among the opportunities for collaboration, Baisalov highlighted plans for a new transcontinental railway that would link Kyrgyzstan to China, potentially transforming trade routes between Europe and Asia. 'It will provide the shortest route for tens of millions of tonnes of railroad cargo. It will provide a shortest route between Paris and Shanghai,' he said. He said Kyrgyzstan sees the EU as a partner of choice due to its 'privileged position' and because it 'remains a very active source not only of technologies but also ideas'. The deputy prime minister also underlined the EU's appeal in the education sector, noting Europe's 'high-level education with top universities' as particularly attractive for Kyrgyz students. He called for a relaxation of visa rules for young people, saying: 'They do want to come and experience the great culture of European capitals.' A region open for investment Baisalov made a strong pitch for greater EU engagement in Central Asia, positioning the region as a promising partner for trade, investment and innovation. 'We believe that in the next decade, the quality of life, our GDP, will grow five or six times at least,' he told Euronews. 'It's not only because we are reaching mineral resources, critical minerals and a young population, but also because we have experienced some good learning, and we are ready to make the leap.' In a nod to the region's economic ambitions, he added: 'In Kyrgyzstan our national animal is the snow leopard. Together with the five Central Asian countries, we have the ambition to become the tiger economies of Southeast Asia.' Shared democratic challenges Asked whether democratic processes and the rule of law would be part of the discussions in Samarkand, Baisalov said such issues were not a major concern in Kyrgyzstan, shifting the focus to Europe's internal struggles. 'There are many concerns here in European capitals. I think our democracies are experiencing the same problems with the rise of social networks,' he said, adding: 'We need to review the concept of free speech. We need to review the concept of freedom of rallies.' ADVERTISEMENT Baisalov argued that both established and emerging democracies are facing common dilemmas in the face of rapid digital transformation. 'This new world of artificial intelligence… I think old democracies and new democracies – we are facing the same challenges and we will be seeking answers to that together.'
Euronews
03-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Watch: Euronews is live at first ever EU- Central Asia summit
ADVERTISEMENT Following years of reform and European assistance, the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - are embarking on a strategic pivot towards Europe. The EU is seeking reliable partners in the current rapidly changing geopolitical reality. This is for political and also economic reasons, such as trade, investment and energy. On Thursday and Friday, the Uzbek city of Samarkand will host the first-ever high level meeting between the EU and the Central Asian countries. Euronews' is on the ground bringing you the latest updates from the summit, which Uzbekistan's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the summit's host, called a "historic chance" for the region. He said that over the past seven years, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled and now totals €54 billion. Over 1,000 companies with European capital are already working in Uzbekistan with a joint investment project portfolio of €30 billion. Speaking to Euronews, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov described the event as "truly a historic moment for Central Asia." "We've been independent for 34 years. We celebrated this as a new step," he said. "Where the current world order is being shaken with these great tectonic shifts in geopolitics, we need reliable partners." One key area of cooperation lies in the ongoing project to create a Green Strategic Corridor through the Caspian and Black Seas to Europe. The implementation of this initiative will lay a solid foundation for what both sides are looking for; mutually beneficial energy connectivity.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Central Asian countries embark on strategic pivot towards Europe
Following years of reform and European assistance, the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - are embarking on a strategic pivot towards Europe. The EU is seeking reliable partners in the current rapidly changing geopolitical reality. This is for political and also economic reasons, such as trade, investment and energy. On Thursday and Friday, the Uzbek city of Samarkand will host the first-ever high level meeting between the EU and the Central Asian countries. In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Uzbekistan's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the summit's host, called the gathering a "historic chance" for the region. He said that over the past seven years, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled and now totals €54 billion. Over 1,000 companies with European capital are already working in Uzbekistan with a joint investment project portfolio of €30 billion. Speaking to Euronews, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov described it as "truly a historic moment for Central Asia." "We've been independent for 34 years. We celebrated this as a new step," he said. "Where the current world order is being shaken with these great tectonic shifts in geopolitics, we need reliable partners." A major area of cooperation lies in the ongoing project to create a Green Strategic Corridor through the Caspian and Black Seas to Europe. The implementation of this initiative will lay a solid foundation for what both sides are looking for; mutually beneficial energy connectivity.
