Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the anniversary summit of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC), which took place in Moscow.
In his speech, the head of our state expressed gratitude to the Russian side for the brilliant organization of the summit and the warm welcome. He also congratulated Vladimir Putin on his official assumption of office as President of the Russian Federation.
The leader of Kazakhstan reminded the meeting participants that ten years ago the historic Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union was signed in Astana.
– In a relatively short period, our Union has transformed into an important and promising integration association in the international space. Through joint efforts, more than a thousand different regulatory documents were adopted. The correctness of the chosen vector of development of our association is confirmed by the macroeconomic results of the decade. Thus, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the Union member countries increased 1.7 times, reaching $28.5 billion, and exports more than doubled. Cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union contributes to the progressive development of the economy of Kazakhstan. Last year alone, the country's GDP grew by 5.1%. We consider this a good result,” said the President of Kazakhstan.
According to the president, the high level of integration interaction is supported by the joint implementation of large infrastructure projects, the development of industrial cooperation and the formation of a common market for services.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that for further sustainable development in conditions of geopolitical uncertainty, the association must become more flexible and effective. He cited World Bank estimates that global GDP growth rates in the first half of the current decade may be the lowest in the last 30 years.
“If the international community does not take effective decisions, then this period may go down in history as the “decade of missed opportunities.” Undoubtedly, this is a big challenge for the Eurasian Economic Union, which is an integral part of the global economy. We have to use all reserves and solve the tasks set during the creation of the Union. First of all, we are talking about the full implementation of the fundamental principle of the Economic Union - freedom of movement of goods. We need to create a truly unified and systematically functioning barrier-free internal market. It is important to completely eliminate the practice of using hidden restrictions, “point solutions” and any manual control. I believe that this should become an absolute priority for the work of the Eurasian Economic Commission,” the head of our state emphasized.
The President of Kazakhstan called “restructuring foreign trade” another key task.
– It is obvious that our association has enormous opportunities to expand its niche in the global market. I propose to instruct the Eurasian Economic Commission to develop systemic solutions to strengthen the Union’s external potential. It is necessary to create appropriate conditions for more active entry of Eurasian products into foreign markets. It is extremely important to ensure unimpeded transit of goods to third countries. Against the backdrop of the transformation of the world economy, the expansion of the network of free trade agreements with third countries is of particular importance for the Eurasian Economic Union. This will make it possible to simplify as much as possible the access of our exporters to new markets and integrate them into regional and global production chains,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
He said that Kazakhstan welcomes the decision to begin negotiations with Mongolia to conclude an interim trade agreement. At the same time, there are great prospects for cooperation with rapidly developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
– Cooperation with the Global South is of particular interest given the expected contribution of Asia alone to the current global GDP growth of 60%. To enter the markets of the Persian Gulf, we invite the member states of the Economic Union, Kazakhstan is already doing this, to join the Ashgabat Agreement on the creation of an International Transport Corridor,” noted the leader of Kazakhstan.
The head of state believes that the basic condition for establishing long-term integration remains the presence of a stable system of transport connectivity with external markets.
– Today, the Eurasian transport framework provides effective trade links between Europe and Asia, North and South. However, in the coming decades, the deterioration of infrastructure in the Eurasian region will become more noticeable, and the need for its renewal will only grow. Therefore, the priority issue is the modernization and expansion of transport and logistics infrastructure. It is not without reason that they say that where rails are laid, the path to new opportunities opens. Therefore, in Kazakhstan, by 2030, we plan to repair 11 thousand and lay more than 5 thousand kilometers of new railways. As part of the global initiative “One Belt, One Road”, a Kazakh terminal was built in the Chinese city of Xi’an, which accounts for up to 40% of the volume of container traffic on the China-Europe route. There are also plans to launch 5 cross-border transport and logistics hubs on the borders with Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and on the Caspian Sea, the president said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan has begun a large-scale modernization of international automobile checkpoints along the entire perimeter of the country.
These comprehensive infrastructure solutions will contribute to further interconnection and expansion of the capabilities of Eurasian transport arteries.
– The railway industry of Kazakhstan will receive a new impetus for development through the creation of a unified digital ecosystem. We plan to use elements of artificial intelligence in railway transportation next year. The use of advanced technologies will significantly increase the efficiency of transportation and optimize costs, including for our partners. It is important to create “seamless” logistics by harmonizing tariff policies and customs procedures, as well as creating a single Eurasian digital corridor. As a practical measure, we propose to begin implementing a mechanism for remote verification of all shipping documents using QR codes and mutual recognition of digital documents,” the head of state proposed.
The President of Kazakhstan named deepening industrial cooperation as the next priority task. As was said in the speech, today about 90% of the “Eurasian Five” exports are intermediate goods.
– In the context of global technological progress, the issue of increasing the “complexity” of manufactured products is acute. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen technological integration in the real sector of the economy. As you know, starting this year, financial assistance will be provided to industrial cooperation projects from the budget of the Eurasian Economic Union. It is also important to provide support to high-tech enterprises that are setting up the production of high value-added goods. Naturally, an important task is to create a transparent mechanism to ensure equal access to financing. For its part, Kazakhstan will continue a consistent policy aimed at developing industrial cooperation in the Eurasian space. Today, the implementation of more than 150 industrial projects is being worked out with the member countries of the Union,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized.
He noted the great prospects for cooperation in the petrochemical industry, which can become a new point of economic growth.
– With the participation of Russian partners, we are building high-tech plants for the production of polypropylene, polyethylene and butadiene. The production of third stage products will be established, 20 times higher than the cost of the initial raw materials, said the leader of Kazakhstan.
The head of state considers strengthening food security to be another important area of cooperation.
– Everyone knows that the Eurasian region has one of the highest production, resource and export potentials in the world. In conditions of population growth and limited resources in other macroregions, we have the opportunity to provide food for about 600 million people. At the same time, the role of the Union in ensuring global food security will only strengthen. Our strategic vision is to transform the agro-industrial complex into a high-tech industry. For this, it is extremely important to take coordinated measures to introduce breakthrough innovative technologies based on artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and agroscience,” noted the President of Kazakhstan.
According to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, today it is successful digital transformation that is becoming the determining factor in economic progress and technological sovereignty not only of individual countries, but also of entire regions.
– It is important for us to take our rightful place and be at the forefront of the “digital race” at the global level. Cooperation in the field of digitalization should become the driving force for the sustainable development of the integration association. Therefore, Kazakhstan supports the initiative of the Eurasian Economic Commission to develop the “four freedoms” of the Union in the context of widespread digitalization. In turn, we are creating one of the fastest growing digital economies in our part of the world, paying special attention to artificial intelligence,” the Head of State noted.
At the end of his speech, the President of Kazakhstan emphasized that in just 10 years of the existence of the Eurasian Economic Union, the participating states have achieved impressive results in all areas. But given the enormous potential of unification, much more needs to be done. According to him, Kazakhstan will support economic integration based on the principles of equality and mutually beneficial partnership.Taking this opportunity, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated everyone on the upcoming Great Victory Day.
Along with the President of Kazakhstan, the summit was attended by the Prime Minister of Armenia - Chairman of the SEEC Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, as well as heads of observer states - President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Cuba Miguel Mario Diaz -Canel Bermudez, as well as CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Bakytzhan Sagintayev.
By the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
