Almaty, Kazakhstan —–  Uzbek exporters will supply to Kazakhstan their horticultural products valued at more than $1 million as a result of the round table on Ways to Increase Trade between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which was held in Almaty last week. At the forum Kazakh and Uzbek entrepreneurs signed several trade contracts and more than ten agreements stating the intention of businesses from the two countries to buy and sell fresh fruits and vegetables as well as textile products.

The round table was organized by the USAID Regional Economic Cooperation project in partnership with the Atameken National Economic Chamber of Kazakhstan. The forum was attended by fifty Kazakh and thirty Uzbek entrepreneurs and representatives of the governmental bodies of Kazakhstan, trade promotion agencies from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and business associations. The contracts for supplying Uzbek fresh fruits and vegetables will come into force once they are registered with the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade.

Anne Aarnes, USAID Central Asian Republics Mission Director noted her support for this event. “Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are traditional trade partners. We are pleased the round table was a successful platform for networking between business people from the two countries. It is encouraging to see several trade contracts concluded as a result of this event.”