In Үкімет үйі, Prime Minister of RK Bakhytzhan Sagintayev had meeting with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Italian Republic to Kazakhstan Pasquale D’Avino, the official website of the Prime Minister reports, the kapital.kz informs.

During the meeting, the issues of bilateral cooperation and expansion of partnership between Kazakhstan and Italy in different spheres of the trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian development, energy, civil aviation, tourism, transport and logistics were discussed. The promising directions of new investment projects in agriculture, engineering, textile industry, construction industry, mining and metallurgical industry were considered.

Bakhytzhan Sagintayev congratulated Pasquale D’Avino on assuming office of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador and wished every successes and achievements at this high and responsible post.

Italy is among top three trade partners of Kazakhstan (the specific weight in total goods turnover of RK is 15.9%, after Russia and China), ranks first among EU countries in terms of external trade, as well as is one of the largest investors in Kazakhstani economy.

As of today, 228 joint ventures with Italian participation are operating in Kazakhstan. The investment projects in such fields as engineering, textile industry, building industry, mining and metallurgical industry.

In 2017, the goods turnover was USD 9.615 bln (export — 8.669 bln, import — 946 mln) that is by 16% more versus 2016. For January-February 2018, the good turnover was USD 1.824 bln (export – 1.699 bln, import – 125 mln) that is by 25% more than the same period of 2017. For 2005-2017, the volume of direct Italian investments in RK economy was USD 5.76 bln.