The Kyrgyz-British Business Council held its first meeting in London

The first meeting of the Kyrgyz-British Business Council took place on November 28, 2023 at the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London, UK.

The meeting was significant because it was held with the participation of such distinguished guests as Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Akylbek Japarov, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, Minister of State for the Investment Security Unit, and Minister for Industry and Economic Security of Great Britain, Nusrat Ghani, as well as EBRD representatives.

Executive Director of the International Business Council Askar Sydykov led the work of the Council as its co-Chairman from the Kyrgyz side.

“The Council meeting was very successful. Its creation can be called a historical event in bilateral trade and economic relations between Kyrgyzstan and Great Britain, and this was confirmed by representatives of the governments of the two countries. In a short time, we managed to form the Council and hold the first meeting in such a broad composition — more than 20 companies from a wide variety of industries expressed a desire to participate,” said Askar Sydykov.

The new platform was created by businesses of the two countries to coordinate trade, investment activities and cooperation between the business communities of the two countries and develop trade and economic relations between our countries.

The meeting of the Kyrgyz-British Business Council was attended by managers and representatives of KAZ Minerals PLC, Citibank, KRG Resource, Stewart Assay and Environmental Laboratories, Alfred H Knight, as well as Chaarat Gold, Eti Bakir Tereksai, GRATA International, AGRI-HR LTD, Fruitful Jobs, Techno-Centre, Cyber Wales, Sun Mark and other companies.

“We in Kyrgyzstan are proud of the quality of public-private dialogue, openness, activity and high adaptability to the innovations of our business community. It is these qualities that are inherent in the people of both countries – Kyrgyzstan and Great Britain,” said the IBC head.

In the presence of distinguished guests, Askar Sydykov and David Mackenzie, Financial Director of Chaarat Gold Holdings, signed a memorandum on the establishment of the Kyrgyz-British Business Council.

Council members outlined plans for cooperation, exchanged views on already concluded contracts and planned investment projects. The second meeting of the Council is scheduled to be held in Bishkek in the second half of January.

The IBC head, as part of the business delegation of Kyrgyzstan, met with the management of the London Stock Exchange and the London Metal Exchange, got acquainted with the activities of the Centre for Russian and Central EurAsian Mineral Studies (CERCAMS) and also took part in the largest investment forums in the mining industry — Mines & Money @ Resourcing Tomorrow and MINEX Eurasia conferences.