Today, the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, held a meeting with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Zhaparov.
Minnikhanov is currently on a working visit to Kyrgyzstan, primarily to participate in the 9th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program.
During the meeting, Minnikhanov expressed gratitude for the invitation and emphasized that snow leopard conservation is an issue of great importance to Tatarstan.
“We greatly value the opportunity to expand our partnership with your country within the framework of friendly Russia–Kyrgyzstan relations,” he said. He noted that bilateral trade between Tatarstan and Kyrgyzstan reached $138 million last year, representing more than a threefold increase in recent years and a diversification of trade flows. Several Tatarstan-based companies are actively operating in Kyrgyzstan, including KAMAZ, which has an extensive dealership network.
“We are interested in expanding the presence of leading Tatarstan companies in your country,” Minnikhanov added, highlighting interest in supplying agricultural machinery, petrochemical products, automobile tires, and halal goods.
He also emphasized the importance of humanitarian ties, pointing out the shared cultural and linguistic heritage between Tatars and Kyrgyz, as well as common religious traditions. He named writer Chingiz Aitmatov as a symbolic figure uniting the two peoples.
President Zhaparov, in turn, described the visit as a meaningful step toward deepening ties between Kyrgyzstan and Tatarstan. “You were the first to respond to our invitation to the snow leopard forum. Your personal participation means a great deal to us,” he said.
He also noted the symbolic timing of the meeting ahead of the important Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayram), and extended holiday greetings to the people of Tatarstan.
Zhaparov fondly recalled his visits to Kazan, particularly praising the organization of the BRICS summit in fall 2024 and the impact of the international economic forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum.”
“KazanForum has become a signature event for Tatarstan. It’s an excellent platform for fostering cooperation between Russia and the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and we actively engage with it,” President Zhaparov said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the Rais RT
Based on materials from the Press Service of the Rais RT