Kazakhstan proposes Spain to implement joint investment projects
ASTANA. November 7. KAZINFORM The prospects for bilateral economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Spain were discussed at the Kazakh-Spanish business council held in Astana, the press service of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan reported.
As Deputy Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Dzhaksaliyev said in his speech, the potential for cooperation of the two countries was still untapped. Thus, the volume of bilateral trade made only 1.28 billion U.S. dollars including export totaling 1.14 billion dollars and import reaching 149.5 million dollars over the last year. Besides, Spain takes the 30th place among the main investors to the economy of Kazakhstan (156.1 mln U.S. dollars were invested by Spain in 1993-2012), the information on the Kazakh PM's official site reads.
"Great work lies ahead aimed at development of the bilateral relations to a new quality level. The program of forced industrial and innovative development of the country should serve as the foundation for strengthening the relations," B.Dzhaksaliyev emphasized.
As earlier reported, Kazakhstan offers foreign investors to establish joint high-tech productions in any of the priority industrial sector within the State Program of Industrialization .
In this regard, the participants of the business council noted that Kazakhstan is interested in implementation of joint projects with Spain in such spheres as construction and infrastructure, alternative energy, information technologies, metal processing, light industry and tourism.
The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies has developed the Road Map on development of economic cooperation between the two states. The Map is expected to be signed within the upcoming visit of Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in Kazakhstan next year. Spanish companies were offered to submit proposals to the Road Map on implementation of investment projects.