DUSHANBE, January 29, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Chairman of Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Sharif Said yesterday received Kazakh Ambassador to Tajikistan Agybai Smagulov.

According to the CCI press center, the sides discussed issues related to further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Sharif Said outlined sectors like energy, transportation, and agriculture as areas of which could drive the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

Tajik official and Kazakh diplomat also discussed the delivery of high-quality vegetables, fruits, honey and dried fruits from Tajikistan to Kazakhstan and the supply of current technology and high-quality seeds to Tajikistan.

Said and Smagulov reportedly pointed to the necessity of expanding cooperation on implementation of projects aimed at promoting development entrepreneurship, including small and medium-sized enterprises, in Tajikistan.

Kazakh diplomat noted that opening of a direct air communication between Astana and Dushanbe would promote further expansion of cooperation between business communities of the two countries.

Ambassador Smagulov said that Astana would host Expo 2017 and he invited Tajikistan to participate in that international exposition.  He also noted that Tajik nationals could participate in construction exposition pavilions and complexes.

Expo 2017 is an International Exposition scheduled to take place in 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan.  EXPO-2017 will focus on the theme "Future Energy".  The theme is aimed to concentrate on both the future of energy, but also on innovative, but practical energy solutions, and their global impact.  EXPO-2017 will be the first time that a major international exhibition of this kind is coming to a country from the former Soviet Union.  More than 100 countries and 10 international organizations are expected to participate.  Around 2-3 million people are expected to visit the international pavilions from June to September 2017.

25 hectares is planned for the pavilions of Expo 2017.  Construction of the pavilions will begin in April 2014 with 20 companies from Kazakhstan and 49 companies from around the globe.  Currently, designs are being considered for the grounds of Expo 2017 from architects in the UK, USA, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and China.