The representatives of Kazakhstan and Russia discussed the issues of cross-border cooperation during the plenary session of the international forum "Orenbug - the heart of Eurasia", Kazinform correspondent reports.

According to the press service of Akim of the Aktobe region, the forum gathered more than 3,000 participants from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and other countries.

Denis Pasler, Governor of the Orenburg region, noted that there are close cooperation and implementation of projects with colleagues from border regions.

Akim of the Aktobe region Ondasyn Urazalin stressed that Kazakhstan and Russia are deepening regional integration. Russia is the largest foreign trade partner of the Aktobe region.

"Close and mutually beneficial relations have been established in the sphere of big business, cooperation in SME, agriculture and social sphere is developing. Trade turnover of the Aktobe region with Russia amounted to 676.3 million dollars in the first 8 months of 2019, including exports of 245 million dollars, imports - 431.3 million dollars. Trade turnover with the Orenburg region amounted to $48.2 million: the share of export account for $18.2 million and import - $29.9 million. Every year the number of productions with the participation of Russian capital is growing, 534 out of 1,084 foreign companies from Russia are operating in our region," Urazalin said.

At the same time, the potential for further development of cooperation is still great, and the development of transport and logistics ties between the regions is of great importance in its implementation.

"The "Roadmap" for the implementation of the Agreements on trade-economic, scientific-technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the Government of the Orenburg region and the Akimat of the Aktobe region for 2020-2022 has been updated for this forum. It is important that the regional authorities are actively involved in the implementation of this program with specific projects, ideas, and initiatives," Ondasyn Urazalin said.

In the course of the forum, a joint action plan was signed to increase the capacity of the border sections of the Sagarchin-Zhaisan road.

It was also noted that the Kazakh side is interested in deepening the common border industrial cooperation, establishing joint ventures. The projects on development of transboundary Vesenne-Aralchin zinc deposit, Aschisay and Novomikhailovsky deposits with the prospect of construction of mining and chemical complex on the basis of Shokash deposit in the Aktobe region were presented as a positive experience.

At the end of the plenary session, an agreement on cooperation between the regions was signed.

Samal Yendibayeva