Romania-Kazakhstan, economic cooperation is at the forefront of bilateral relations

By RBJ
These days, the 16th session of the Romanian-Kazakh intergovernmental commission for commercial-economic and technical-scientific cooperation is taking place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
Romania and the Republic of Kazakhstan have a history of over 30 years of diplomatic relations. Kazakhstan is a key partner in Central Asia – a global gateway by definition, which has the potential to become an important transit route between Asia and Europe.
The Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu, together with Marius Budăi, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection, had a working meeting today with Almassadam Satkaliev, the president of CN Samruk-Kazyna Holding, which includes companies from the oil and gas, transport and logistics sectors, as well as from chemical and nuclear industry, metals, energy and real estate.
The two parties discussed future possibilities of strengthening bilateral and commercial relations, of investments in the field of energy, but also in the chemical, pharmaceutical and plastic industries; electronics and electrotechnics; agriculture and food industry and others.
The discussions were attended by E.S. Ambassador Nurbakh Rustemov and Romanian Secretary of State George Niculescu.
Another meeting was with Magzum Mirzagaliev, the president of CN “KazMunayGas” (KMG) and other members of the management of the concern. It is about the national company that, through KMG International, owns the Rompetrol Group in Romania, which operates the largest refinery in Romania and has developed several fuel stations.
The two delegations discussed the future investments that KMG will make in Romania, including those undertaken through the Energy Investment Fund, the intensification of commercial relations and other technical aspects, including those related to the security of the supply of oil and derived products, which are very important during this period.
A Romania-Kazakhstan Business Forum will take place on October 7, in Astana. The event will be attended by several officials and representatives of the Kazakh and Romanian Governments, Akchulakov Bolat – Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Virgil-Daniel Popescu – Minister of Energy from Romania, Corina Martin and Ștefan Gadola – honorary consuls of Kazakhstan in Romania and representatives of 15 companies from Romania: STILO EVORA, ROMARM, ROMGAZ, EXIMBAMK, OIL TERMINAL, ENERGOBIT, CONPET, INSPET, MISTRAL TOURS-EVENTS, ELECTRON SOLAR ALPHA, ECOBIHOR, SPIRAL, GSX VALUE CHAIN, ANTEMIE.
On this occasion, the representatives of the Romanian Government will hold business talks with their counterparts from Kazakhstan in order to identify the optimal solutions in terms of facilitating the access of Romanian and Kazakh businessmen to the two markets. The Astana event will have on its agenda topics of interest to the global economy, such as new ways of sustainable growth, human capital development and capacity building in cities as international centers of knowledge and innovation.
Businessmen from Romania can benefit from tax incentives and benefits in Kazakhstan, as well as access to the markets of member countries of the Euro-Asian Economic Union (Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan).