Minnikhanov in Kazakhstan: ‘There are a lot of plans, the support is full’

Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov talked about the implementation of investment projects and plans for expanding the cooperation with Kazakhstani partners at a meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

This is the first meeting of the Kazakhstan president and the head of the Russian region after the January protests in the country.

Tokayev noted that Tatarstan occupied an important place in multi-faceted relations with Russia. During the meeting, the sides discussed joint projects. Director General of Tatneft PJSC Nail Maganov and Director General of KAMAZ PJSC Sergey Kogogin presented prospects of further cooperation in their areas, says the press service of the Tatarstan president.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that despite the change in the government in Kazakhstan, succession is conserved, and the management of the country will keep supporting KAMAZ and Tatneft’s projects. At the same time, the president of the country informed Rustam Minnikhanov about large-scale economic reforms in the country and some development programmes, which will open new opportunities to do joint projects with Tatarstan.

“We closely worked on those projects that are implemented. In general we have a long history of relations [with Kazakhstan], there are a lot of contacts. Today we have considered a few big projects that are implemented today by KAMAZ in foundry, ring locker production and discussed a number of promising areas in logistics, a further processing stage. Tatneft has big plans too, which is the completion of the construction of a tyre plant, work with KazMunayFaz in production, work at fields, both new and exhausted ones. We consider the possibility of production of bitumen. There are a lot of plans, the support is full. We thank the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, prime minister, government, akimats. There is full understanding everywhere, all projects run in a routine mode,” the Tatarstan president claimed.

Rustam Minnikhanov arrived in Kazakhstan on 24 January. On 25 January, the Tatarstan delegation visited the Akmola car centre of KAMAZ. Also, Minnikhanov met with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov. The head of the republic said that in 9 months of 2021, the Tatarstan and Kazakhstan commodity turnover reached $441 million. He called energy, industry, agriculture, petrochemistry and gas fuel production as key spheres of cooperation between the two republics.