Kazakhstan, EU, International Trade Centre launch regional project on trade facilitation

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) This week the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva Zhanar Aitzhanova took part in the high-level online event, organized by the International Trade Centre and dedicated to the launch of the regional project for Central Asia 'Ready4Trade Central Asia in Kazakhstan, [To enable links contact MENAFN] Trend reports citing [To enable links contact MENAFN] Kazinform.

The project 'Ready4Trade Central Asia will be implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan and the International Trade Centre with the support of the European Union and aims to support development of trade and digitalization in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia countries. The event was conducted to present to the key partners in Kazakhstan – to the representatives of the ministries and state agencies as well as to the representative offices of international organizations - the key priorities of the project and planned activities for implementation of the project.

The Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan B.Sultanov opened the event. The Minister Sultanov thanked the ITC and the EU for their support in building a strong partnership with the countries of Central Asia. The Minister Sultanov emphasized that the implementation of the regional project would help to Kazakhstan business and entrepreneurs of neighboring countries to boost regional trade as well as provides opportunities for E-commerce.

Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan Aitzhanova highlighted existing a long-standing productive cooperation between Kazakhstan and the ITC and underlined that mutual partnership with the Organization expanding by implemention of a new project for Central Asian countries aimed at developing trade in the region. Ambassador Aitzhanova also commend the EU for the support and emphasized that the on-going project will significantly contribute to progress the priority areas of bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU on strengthening mutual trade under the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which entered into force this year.

Ambassador Aitzhanova also informed that one of the key areas of the 'Ready4Trade Central Asia project is the development of comprehensive legislation of Kazakhstan on E-commerce, which is planned to be implemented with the assistance of the ITC and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The development of national regulation is important in light of Kazakhstan's participation in the WTO negotiations on a new global E-commerce rule.

Head of the European Union Delegation to Kazakhstan Sven-Olov Carlsson and Executive Director of the ITC Pamela Coke-Hamilton also delivered welcoming remarks at the meeting. The event was attended by a high-level officials of the ministries of Kazakhstan on digital development, innovation and aerospace industry, industry and infrastructure development, finance, national economy, as well as international organizations of the Directorate of Trade of the European Commission, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the representative offices in Kazakhstan of the United Nations Development Program, UN women, the European Bank and Reconstruction.

MENAFN06122020000187011040ID1101241653