DUSHANBE, March 19, 2015, Asia-Plus -- The 12th session of Tajik-Kazakh intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation is being held at the National Library of Tajikistan in Dushanbe today.

Co-chaired by Qosim Qodir, Chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management of Tajikistan and Talgat Akhsambiyev, Deputy Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, the session has  brought together representatives of relevant ministries and agencies as well as business communities of the two countries to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in sectors like agriculture, energy, transportation, industry, tourism, and sports.

A two-way trade between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan last year reportedly valued at more than 700 U.S. dollars, which was 23 percent more than in 2013.  This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Kazakhstan estimated at 181 million U.S. dollars (2.5 percent more than in 2013) and Tajikistan’s imports from Kazakhstan worth 518 million U.S. dollars (4.4 percent more than in 2013).

The meeting participants noted that issues of air communications between the two countries had been solved in recent years – the number of flights between Dushanbe and Astana was increased to four per week and the Dushanbe-Almaty flight became daily.

Mr. Qodir, however, noted, “There is still considerable room for expansion economic ties between the two countries, despite of positive dynamic in development of bilateral relations between them.”

The meeting participants also discussed issues related to mutual settlement of debts between companies and economic entities of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, training of medical personnel for Tajikistan in Kazakhstan, etc.