The Business and Investment Forum of the Turkic states was held on 27 June 2024 in Issyk-Kul. The event was organized in close partnership by the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) with the Union of Turkic Chambers and Commerce and Industry (TCCI) and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Forum was attended by the OTS Secretary General, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, the President of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Board Members of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as more than 200 business representatives from the Member states (Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) and observers (Turkmenistan and Hungary). Turkmenistan was represented at the forum by the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mergen Gurdov.
In his opening speech, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev, highlighting the progress made by the Turkic-speaking states in various sectors, noted that these countries are becoming key centers of trade, energy and transport connecting East and West, North and South.
He added that the OTS Secretariat and Member States should play a crucial role in the economic integration of the region, in particular, in strengthening support for small and medium-sized businesses, reducing bureaucratic barriers and optimizing procedures for starting and running a business, including simplifying customs procedures and reducing tariffs.
In addition, Ambassador Omuraliev emphasized the need to continue activities on standardization of goods and services to meet international and regional quality standards, to conclude “Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Services and Investment” under the OTS, which aims to promote trade and investment by reducing barriers such as tariffs, quotas and regulatory restrictions, and “Partnership Agreement on Digital Economy (e-commerce)”, which will facilitate end-to-end digital trade among the Turkic states.
The speakers expressed their readiness to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Turkic states, enhance the role of women entrepreneurs, take further measures to promote trade and investment, as well as integrate and transform their economies through the use of new digital solutions.
Presentations on the topics “Export of products to the countries of the Turkic states”, “Investment potential of Kyrgyzstan” were held on the sidelines of the Forum, as well as meetings and discussions in the B2B format were organized.
The event also included an exhibition of artisans and goods produced in Kyrgyzstan. The exhibition was visited by the heads of chambers of commerce and industry of the Turkic states. The guests got acquainted with the presented products and tasted national dishes.