Indonesia-Kazakhstan to boost trade cooperation

Astana, wapresri.go.id – Indonesia and Kazakhstan are committed to enhancing cooperation between the two countries particularly in trade sector.

This commitment was revealed when Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Abdiruly Sagintayev at his office on Mangilik Yel Avenue No. 6 Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday (Sep. 9), the day before the opening of the first Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)Summit on Science and Technology.

“Indonesia hopes the joint commission on economic sector can encourage the increase of trade balance between the two countries,” said the Vice President.

At the meeting, the Vice President, who was accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Muhamad Nasir, Deputy Chief of Police Comm. Gen. Syafruddin, Indonesian Ambassador in Astana Rahmat Pramono, and Head of Secretariat the Vice President Mohamad Oemar, also proposed cooperation in the field of sharia financial development. Currently, the Vice President said, there are more than 15 sharia banks developing in Indonesia.

Responding to this, Prime Minister Sagintayev said that one of the reasons for the low trade volume between Indonesia and Kazakhstan is the distance between the two countries. However, he added, this obstacle can be overcome by building economic corridors by utilizing the Kazakhstan-China railway so as to reduce logistics costs.

“Kazakhstan is ready to hold the second meeting of the joint economic commission in Astana,” Sagintayev said.

Kazakhstan, he added, welcomed the cooperation proposed in the field of sharia banking since Kazakhstan is currently preparing itself to become the center of Islamic finance in the sub-region of Central Asia. (RN/FM, KIP Setwapres).