Swiss Companies Urged to Invest in Kyrgyzstan by Foreign Minister Kulubaev
Swiss Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis Visits Kyrgyzstan to Boost Bilateral Relations
Bishkek – On July 3, 2024, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeenbek Kulubaev in Cholpon-Ata city during his official visit to Kyrgyzstan.
During the meeting, the officials discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations between Switzerland and the Kyrgyz Republic. Ignazio Cassis expressed the importance of his first visit to the country in fostering cooperation and friendship. Switzerland has been a reliable partner of Kyrgyzstan for 32 years.
The Swiss delegation was briefed on the current economic development and reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic. The existing cooperation program includes projects amounting to 80 million Swiss francs in areas such as economic development, human rights, governance, climate change, and water resources.
Plans for the development of a new cooperation program for 2025-2028 were also discussed. In 2023, the trade turnover between the two countries reached $1.1 billion, and both parties expressed their commitment to maintaining and increasing this figure through mutual cooperation.
Additionally, it was agreed to hold the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, as well as organize a business forum in Switzerland. The Minister of Foreign Affairs invited Swiss companies to invest in Kyrgyzstan, highlighting the success of Swiss company Sut Bulak in the Issyk-Kul region.
Furthermore, there were discussions on intensifying cooperation in the banking sector, particularly in establishing correspondent accounts between the banking institutions of both countries. The visit of Ignazio Cassis was seen as a positive step towards enhancing the partnership between Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan.
