Abu Dhabi, UAE— AD Ports Group has signed two major agreements with the Government of Kyrgyzstan to promote trade and strengthen economic ties with the Central Asian nation.
Under the first agreement, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce has entered negotiations with AD Ports Group to secure more than 300,000 square meters of land within the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) to develop and operate a logistics hub and customs area.
Based within KEZAD’s Free Zone, the project will facilitate the import and export of cargo to and from the Kyrgyz Republic.
Under the second agreement, Maqta Gateway will initiate a strategy for the Ministry of Finance for developing a customs and border management solution, infrastructure, and national single window, among other digital services, for deployment in Kyrgyzstan.
Maqta Gateway has developed and operated the Advanced Trade Platform (ATLP), the innovative single-window solution designed to unify trade and logistics services across Abu Dhabi, including sea, land, air, industrial and free zones.
The agreements build upon AD Ports Group ongoing strategy to expand its presence in Central Asia. In 2020, Kyrgyzstan exported $70.9 million worth of merchandise to the United Arab Emirates, with key exports including gold, aircraft parts, and refined petroleum, while the UAE recorded $174 million in trade to Kyrgyzstan.
Akylbek Zhaparov, Kyrgyzstan 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.”
Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said, “These dual preliminary agreements – which highlight AD Ports Group’s leadership in free zones and digital services – are an opportunity to advance relations between our two nations.”