Kyrgyzstan, Germany mull environmental diplomacy issues
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Kyrgyz and German foreign ministers have discussed environmental issues as part of the Green Central Asia initiative, which is to be implemented in line with the new EU strategy in Central Asia.
The meeting was held during Chingiz Aidarbekov’s visit to Berlin, according to the information published on the ministry’s official website.
The sides discussed implementation of agreements achieved during the official visit of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to Germany in 2019. The talks also focused on regional cooperation issues.
The sides further underlined the importance of implementation of joint projects in the framework of the German initiative in the field of green economy.
Aidarbekov invited Maas to participate in the first economic forum EU - Central Asia, which will be held in summer 2020 in Kyrgyzstan.
In the end, the Ministers praised the development of Kyrgyz-German cooperation.
Kyrgyz FM will participate in the conference on the new initiative of the Foreign Ministry of Germany "Green Central Asia" of the new EU strategy on Central Asia.
Foreign Ministers of Germany, Central Asian countries and Afghanistan will attend the conference. Aidarbekov plans to hold a number of talks on Kyrgyz-German cooperation.
Diplomatic relations between Germany and Kyrgyzstan were established on 3 February 1992. The German Embassy in Kyrgyzstan was opened in September 1992, and the Kyrgyz Embassy in Germany - in January 1995.
The volume of mutual trade of Kyrgyzstan and Germany amounted to $52.92 million, or 1.2 percent of the Kyrgyz total volume of trade in January-August 2018.
Germany’s principal exports to Kyrgyzstan are motor vehicles, machinery and chemical products (pharmaceuticals and cosmetics). Kyrgyzstan’s main exports to Germany are agricultural products.
The volume of direct foreign investment from Germany to Kyrgyzstan totaled to $8.13 million in January-June 2018. The main part of direct investment from Germany was in manufacturing industry - $7.2 million, in trade - $576,300, in agriculture - $297,200.
As many as 152 Kyrgyz-German joint ventures operate in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyz-German companies operate in various sectors of the economy such as trade, industry, tourism, energy, services, and others.
Germany after the U.S. and Japan is one of the largest donors in Kyrgyzstan, providing bilateral support.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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