ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Turkey are planning to establish a joint chamber of commerce and industry, according to the Deputy Chairman of the board of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Nurzhan Altayev.

“The fifth meeting of the Business Council of the Turkic-speaking countries is considering the establishment of a joint chamber of commerce and industry between Kazakhstan and Turkey. It will unite all branch associations and entrepreneurs – from the Kazakh side those who work with the Turkish side and vice versa. To deepen our relations, remove barriers and obstacles, if they exist. The offices will be located in Astana and Istanbul,” said Altayev at a recent meeting of the business council of Turkic-speaking countries.

According to Atameken officials, in mutual trade turnover between the two countries a large share is taken by exports from Kazakhstan to Turkey. But Kazakhstan mainly exports raw materials.

Meanwhile, in the near future it is expected that Uzbekistan will join the business council.

The Turkic Business Council unites the economic world of the Turkic-speaking countries and strengthens the business cooperation of the participants. The recent meeting discussed economic relations, trade and business opportunities, as well as the activities of the council, in particular the organisation of a special business forum on alternative energy within the framework of the EXPO 2017 exhibition.

The Turkic Business Council, which includes Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, was established in 2009, and it meets annually in one of these countries. This year, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the council met in Astana.

Chairman of the Board of the Atameken Chamber of Entrepreneurs Ablai Myrzakhmetov, President of the Turkey’s Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Chairman of the Customs and Tourism Enterprise Arif Parmaksiz, President of Azerbaijan’s National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Mammad Musayev, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan Marat Sharshekeev, as well as representatives of the Kazakh and Turkish business community attended the meeting.