DUSHANBE, July 28, 2011, Asia-Plus — Kazakh companies have invested more than 100 million U.S. dollars in Tajikistan’s economy in recent year.
Kazakh Ambassador to Tajikistan Agybay Smagulov remarked this on June 28 while addressing the Tajik-Kazakh business forum in Dushanbe. “Last year alone, Kazakh companies invested some US$20 million in Tajikistan’s economy,” Kazakh diplomat noted.
According to him, 15 Kazakh companies and 32 companies with Kazakh capital now operate in Tajikistan. “Recent global financial crisis has shown that no one country is able to overcome global economic challenges on its own,” said Ambassador Smagulov, “That is why Kazakhstan has always been supporter of integration processes and close economic and investment cooperation.”
He noted that current Kazakh-Tajik bilateral cooperation was at high level due to the Interstate Coordination Council co-chaired by the presidents of the two countries.
“Besides, Kazakh-Tajik Joint Investment Fund is functioning efficiently, investing in projects in Tajikistan,” Kazakh diplomat said.
Smagulov noted that legal foundation of relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan consisted of 72 documents, including economic cooperation agreements.
He expressed hope that ongoing Tajik-Kazakh business forum will be an efficient platform for expansion of business cooperation between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Tajik Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Umed Davlatzod, for his part, noted that Tajikistan has been ranked among the top ten reformer countries on the World Bank’s “Doing Business” index in the investment climate improvement category two years in succession.
The conference of representatives from business communities of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan that opened in Dushanbe on June 28 was organized by Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Kazakh Embassy in Dushanbe and Kazakhstan’s National Agency for Export and Investment, KAZNEX INVEST.
KAZNEX Invest director Askar Arynov says senior representatives from 18 Kazakh companies have arrived in Dushanbe to attend the forum.
Afghan entrepreneurs are also attending the forum, the main objective of which is reportedly in promoting expansion of trade and economic cooperation, attraction of investment for development of Tajikistan’s economy and launch of joint ventures in Tajikistan.
Visit of Kazakh and Afghan business delegation to Tajikistan will last till June 30.
