ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have discussed expanding bilateral trade, agricultural cooperation and transport connectivity at the 14th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan Intergovernmental Council in Bishkek on Oct. 30, reaffirming their goal of increasing bilateral trade to $3 billion.
From L to R: Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Chairman and Presidential Administration Head Adylbek Kasymaliyev. Photo credit: PM’s press service. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Chairman and Presidential Administration Head Adylbek Kasymaliyev attended the meeting, held in restricted and expanded formats.
The talks covered trade and economic relations, agriculture, water management, transport and transit, space, aviation, digitalization, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Bektenov described Kyrgyzstan as a friendly neighbor, a brotherly nation and an important trade and economic partner.
According to him, expanding transport cooperation, agricultural ties and collaboration across other economic sectors would help achieve the leaders’ $3 billion trade target. “Thanks to joint efforts and the direct support of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, allied relations between our countries have reached a new level,” Bektenov said, adding that Kazakhstan was ready to deepen cooperation across all areas of bilateral relations.
Kasymaliyev highlighted the countries’ historical and cultural ties, saying that cooperation in political, trade, economic and humanitarian affairs had developed constructively in recent years. Agriculture remains an important area of bilateral cooperation. Mutual trade in agricultural products increased 41.5% in 2025 to more than $500 million, according to the Kazakh government.
Under a bilateral roadmap, Kazakhstan plans to expand the range of agricultural products supplied to Kyrgyzstan, including grain, oilseeds, oilseed meal, sunflower oil and ice cream. Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, also said mutual trade rose nearly 20% in January-August 2026 to $1.75 billion.
“We are ready to increase supplies of food products and goods from the chemical, petrochemical and metallurgical industries,” he said. The two sides also discussed the planned development of a cross-border industrial, trade and logistics complex, which is expected to support trade flows and strengthen economic cooperation between neighboring regions.