AD Ports Group has signed two agreements with Kyrgyzstan to promote trade and strengthen economic ties with the Central Asian nation.

Under the agreement, negotiations are under way for 300,000 sqm of land within Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) to develop and operate a logistics hub and customs area to allow the import and export of cargo from the republic.

A second agreement is for a strategy for the Ministry of Finance to develop a customs and border management solution, infrastructure and digital services for deployment in Kyrgyzstan.

In 2020, Kyrgyzstan exported US$70.9 million worth of goods to the UAE, with key exports including gold, aircraft parts, and refined petroleum, while the UAE recorded $174 million of trade to Kyrgyzstan.

Akylbek Zhaparov, the republic’s Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, said: “Today is a historic day. The Kyrgyz Republic, which is one of the remotest landlocked countries, gets access to the sea.

“This is a big leap forward. The signed agreements will not only give a great impetus to the development of bilateral Kyrgyz-Emirati relations, but will also help our country make a powerful economic breakthrough.”

(Reporting by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Seban Scaria)

imogen.lillywhite@lseg.com