President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei said on Sunday that the future of economic relations between Iran and Kyrgyzstan is bright.
Shafei made the remarks during a meeting with a visiting Kyrgyz delegation led by the governor of Osh city of Kyrgyzstan and the country’s ambassador to Tehran Turdakun Sydykov.
He regretted that the two countries have failed to take constructive measures to define the standards needed for economic cooperation which he said would pave the way for future investments.
Referring to Iran’s limited water resources and the good status of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia considering water resources, he said that the two countries can have good cooperation in agricultural area.
President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafei and a visiting Kyrgyz delegation led by the governor of Osh city of Kyrgyzstan and the country’s ambassador to Tehran Turdakun Sydykov meet in Mashhad, Iran July 24, 2022.
The Iran Chamber of Commerce chief also said that one of the most important problems hindering economic cooperation between Iran and Kyrgyzstan is the lack of banking relations, adding that Iran has repeatedly proposed that an Iranian bank opens a branch in Kyrgyzstan so as to resolve the problems of Iranian traders investing in the country.
Shafei also voiced support of Iran Chamber of Commerce for launching direct flights between Iran and Kyrgyzstan.
He said that the electricity costs, workers’ wages and the tax rates are low in Kyrgyzstan which are good incentives for investments. He however said that the travel of investors should also be facilitated and investor security should also be upgraded to help foreign investment in the country.
The Kyrgyz ambassador, for his part, said that a joint trade committee used to be operating between the two countries, adding that he favors the establishment of a joint chamber of commerce between Iran and Kyrgyzstan.
Sydykov said that his country has facilitated that issuance of visa so that visa can be issued upon arrival at the airport. He also called on Iran to do the same.
The ambassador added that agreements have been made with an airline to operate a flight between Iran and Kyrgyzstan once a week.