On February 12, the Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov met with the Uzbek Ambassador Saidikrom Niyazhojaev.
The parties discussed the ways to further advance bilateral ties focusing on infrastructure projects, KURSIV reported.
"Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are working on the creation of the Turkestan-Shymkent-Tashkent high-speed railway passenger service, which will increase the tourist flow between countries. There are also plans to build a new Maktaral - Darbaza railway with further extension to Uzbekistan, which will unload the existing Saryagash crossing point. In addition, the countries are to be connected by a new high-speed highway, which will stretch from Turkestan to Tashkent,” the statement says.
In addition, the parties discussed flights, noting that despite the coronavirus pandemic, flights between countries are operated on regular basis. In the future, it is planned to increase their number, as well as open new routes - from Urgench, Samarkand, Nukus to Turkestan, Aktau and Taraz.
In addition to infrastructure solutions, the parties touched upon industrial projects. The countries are set to set up joint ventures: with a specialization in mechanical engineering in Kazakhstan, as well as for the production of pharmaceutical products in Uzbekistan.
It is also planned to build a plant for the production of medicines and hygiene products in Shymkent.