BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. Rail freight
traffic between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan increased by 10% in 2025,
reaching 6.8 million tonnes, according to the Kazakh
government.
The figures were announced at the Second Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan
Interregional Cooperation Forum, titled "The Role of Regions in
Developing Strategic Partnership", held in Bishkek with the
participation of Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman
of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential
Administration of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev.
During the first nine months of 2026, rail freight traffic
between the two countries reached 5.1 million tonnes, up 8.3%
compared with the same period last year. The road freight traffic
also increased, rising by 37% in 2025 to 3.7 million tonnes. The
transition to electronic exchange of permits was highlighted as an
important step towards simplifying transport procedures.
The forum noted that the tourism sector also offers considerable
potential for cooperation. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have
opportunities to develop joint routes for mountain, eco-, beach and
business tourism. Mutual tourist flows between the two countries
exceeded 4 million people in the first nine months of 2026.
The parties reaffirmed their interest in further expanding
direct ties between regions and developing joint production, trade,
transport infrastructure and tourism. The planned initiatives are
expected to strengthen the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan strategic
partnership and support sustainable economic development in the
region.
Following the forum, the parties signed a number of documents
aimed at expanding interregional cooperation. These included an
agreement on developing sister-city relations between Almaty and
Bishkek for 2026-2030, establishing sister-city relations between
Turkistan and the city of Manas, and developing cooperation between
the Shchuchinsk-Burabay resort area and the Issyk-Kul resort
area.
Other agreements focused on expanding cooperation with
Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad and Naryn regions. Several
commercial documents were also signed in the areas of trade,
exports, and the promotion of Kazakh products on the Kyrgyz
market.
