A number of joint documents for the development of cooperation in the mining and chemical industries, railway transport, joint research and other projects were signed following the talks.
Mikhail Mishustin’s working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan. With Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin in the control room of the digital government office in Kazakhstan. Left: Kairat Kelimbetov, Governor of Astana International Financial Centre and Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan. Right: Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko
Documents signed following the talks
Excerpt from the transcript:
Askar Mamin: Mr Mishustin, colleagues.
Welcome to the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan.
I would like to note that relations between our countries are developing quickly in all areas. We meet on a regular basis and have opportunities to discuss all topical issues of bilateral cooperation.
Also, I would like to point out that, after the difficult past year, the dynamics of trade and economic relations between our countries is recovering. As of 2020, trade between Russia and Kazakhstan went down 9 percent, according to our data. Yet, over the months between January and June of 2021, we have noted a 27-percent increase in trade.
There is another important factor. Compared to the pre-pandemic period of 2019, the volume of trade between our countries grew 19 percent between January and June. This means that we have already exceeded the results of 2019 in bilateral trade. With the current dynamic, we may be able to show $23 billion worth of trade by the end of the year. We have all the resources for that, and we must actively use this potential in its entirety.
Last April, we signed a comprehensive programme for economic cooperation in 2021-2025. I am confident that this document will significantly contribute to intensifying our economic contacts.
I would like to point out several areas where we enjoy particularly great progress with a high level of bilateral cooperation. One such area is industrial projects. We are working on several essential projects with our Russian partners. Overall, these projects are estimated at over $5.5 billion.
Transiting and transport is another area of cooperation. We have seen fast development of our countries’ transiting potential. The container shipments moving from China through Kazakhstan and Russia to Europe and back are growing by over 50 percent, which is excellent.
We enjoy extensive cooperation in the energy industry in the form of several major projects. Kazakhstan hopes to develop this cooperation further.
We have noted increasing mutual trade of agricultural products. I am certain that we will be able to fulfill our potential in this industry as well.
Investment cooperation in these spheres is also growing. We believe all these areas will show great performance this year and beyond.
Mr Mishustin, I hope that your visit will give an extra impetus to our bilateral relations and will be very productive.
Mikhail Mishustin: Mr Mamin, meeting participants,
First of all, please accept my heartfelt thanks for the warm welcome provided to our delegation, as always,
For me, every visit to Kazakhstan is special. We highly appreciate our friendship and the fraternal and allied relations with our Kazakh partners. We are deeply invested in bringing our cooperation to an even higher level and filling it with new promising joint projects. Today, we have reviewed a number of such projects.
I am ready to discuss with you, as well as with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the first President - Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev, the most important areas of joint work of the Government of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan.
Overall, as you said, our trade and economic cooperation is moving at a good pace. Our numbers show that mutual trade grew by more than a third - that's about 34 percent - to about $12 billion in the first half of the year. According to forecasts, as our colleagues reported to me today, this should reach about $20 billion by the end of the year, which is good.
We believe the mining industry, conventional energy, including renewable energy sources, peaceful use of atomic power, as well as information and communications technology, hold much promise if we want to increase our trade volumes. Here, I would suggest directing the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation (headed by Alexei Overchuk on our side) to prepare specific proposals.
We will continue to build up cooperation in the investment sphere. Russian business is involved in 32 major projects in Kazakhstan. In turn, our Kazakh colleagues are heavily investing in the Russian economy.
We are also working together to fight the coronavirus infection. Joint production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine has been established at Karaganda Pharmaceutical Plant. Since the beginning of the year, 5 million doses of the vaccine have been produced. I am confident that mass immunisation will help protect everyone’s health and leave the coronavirus infection behind in our countries.
I would also like to thank you and the entire leadership of Kazakhstan in general for your kind treatment of the Russian language. The Russian language in Kazakhstan enjoys the status of an official language. It is a key tool in interstate and interethnic communication alike. It also contributes to the strengthening of multifaceted ties between our people and families.
Following the talks, we will sign a number of important joint documents. They provide for advancing cooperation in the mining and chemical industries, rail transport, joint research, and a number of other projects.
I am confident that these agreements will give a new boost to the strengthening of fraternal relations between Russia and Kazakhstan.
Thank you.
Documents signed following Russian-Kazakhstani talks
- Agreement between the Government of
the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the
specifics of economic activities in the border area at the Tarutinskoye (Russian
Federation) and Vostochno-Tarutinskoye (Republic of Kazakhstan) fields
Signed by: Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Alexander Kozlov and Minister of Environment, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan Magzum Mirzagaliyev - Action plan (road map) for cooperation
between the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russian Federation) and
Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
Signed by: President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and AIFC Governor Kairat Kelimbetov - Memorandum
of cooperation between open joint-stock company Russian
Railways and joint-stock company National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy in
organising transport of agricultural produce by rail
Signed by: Russian Railways Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Oleg Belozerov, and Acting Chairman of the Executive Board of National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Anuar Akhmetzhanov - Road
map to step up the transition in transporting goods and rail cars between open
joint-stock company Russian Railways and joint-stock company National Company
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy / limited liability partnership KTZh – Freight
Transport using paperless technology
Signed by: Russian Railways Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Oleg Belozerov, and Acting Chairman of the Executive Board of National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Anuar Akhmetzhanov - Memorandum
of cooperation on sustainable development in the Republic of Kazakhstan between
Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, state institution Agency for Strategic
Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and joint-stock company
Administration of Astana International Financial Centre
Signed by: Rector of Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO Yury Levin, Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kairat Kelimbetov, and Board Chairman of Administration of Astana International Financial Centre, Yernur Rysmagambetov - General
agreement on cooperation between joint-stock company Bashkir Soda Company and joint-stock
company Caustic
Signed by: General Director of Bashkir Soda Company Eduard Davydov and Board Chairman of Caustic Ermek Tokmagambetov