Russian ministry counts on boosting industrial cooperation projects with Kazakhstan

MOSCOW. March 2 (Interfax) - Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov has discussed the prospects for industrial cooperation with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov on the eve of the 23rd meeting of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan.

"Denis Manturov noted that it is necessary to intensify cooperation on key projects of industrial cooperation between the two countries, as well as to focus on the search for new mutually beneficial and promising areas of cooperation in various industries," the Russian ministry said in a press release.

The Russian Industry and Trade Ministry cited the data according to which in 2021 the trade between Russia and Kazakhstan increased by 34.1% to $25.6 billion. Russia's shipments to Kazakhstan rose by 31.5% to $18.4 billion, while shipments from Kazakhstan to Russia soared by 41.3% to $7.1 billion. Russia again became a major trading partner of Kazakhstan, while China was ranked second, and Italy was in third place. The most important items of Russian exports to Kazakhstan were technological goods, in particular, machinery, equipment, vehicles, chemical products, etc.

The parties discussed cooperation in priority industries, in particular, aircraft building, electrical engineering, timber processing, etc., the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry said in the statement.