Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan target US$200 million in bilateral trade

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan reached an agreement to significantly increase bilateral trade. The two nations aim to raise annual trade from approximately US$16 million in 2025 to US$200 million within the next two years.

President Sadyr Japarov and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that economic cooperation should serve as the foundation of their partnership. The joint statement outlines plans to expand industrial and investment cooperation across several sectors, including mining, agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, the halal industry, and digital technologies. The agreement also focuses on establishing joint ventures, localizing production, and promoting the Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory as a hub for fintech and global business.

The SCO summit also marked the 25th anniversary of the organization. Since its inception, the SCO has evolved from a focus on border stability and combating the ‘three evils’ of terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism toward a broader multilateral partnership aimed at fostering a multipolar world order through cooperation in energy, transport, and infrastructure.