CASA-1000 to be completed by end of this year 2024: envoy

Ambassador of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan, Ulanbek Totuiaev, has said that CASA-1000 would be completed by the end of this year, 2024, which would also meet Pakistan’s energy needs and also cause regional integration.
“The transmission capacity of the CASA-1000 energy project will be 1300 megawatts, which will be an energy link between Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan to provide clean energy not only to regional countries but also to prove the need of Pakistan’s industrial sector,” Ambassador of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan, Ulanbek Totuiaev, told APP here.
The Ambassador hoped that the CASA-1000 projects would be completed in due time and also to meet Pakistan’s energy needs and enhance bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. He said, “Massive infrastructural projects will be beneficial for all of its stakeholders by fulfilling energy needs and strengthening regional connectivity.”
Kyrgyz envoy said, “Nowadays, the governments of participating states are actively working on the completion of the project.” Replying to question about the future of the Quadrilateral Traffic and Transit Agreement (ATTA) among Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, he hoped that in the near future the potential of the QTTA would be fully utilized.
The ambassador of Kyrgyzstan said, “The mutual trade potential between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan is up to $1 billion, which both countries are moving forward in harmony to achieve.”
“By the end of 2023, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries will be $20.6 million, which is increasing with time.”
He said, “This time, the private sector of both countries should go ahead and continue the process of talking to increase bilateral trade, in which the chambers of commerce of both countries are playing their full role.”
He said, “Currently, “there is an exchange of delegations between the different Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the two countries, and in the next month, many trade delegations from Pakistan will visit Kyrgyzstan and many trade agreements will be signed.”
He said that a business delegation from Pakistan should visit Kyrgyzstan to explore joint ventures and business partnerships.
The Ambassador stressed the urgent need to fully exploit the existing trade and economic potential between the two countries as a priority to further bolster regional economic integration.
He stressed that both countries should develop sustainable business relations as they had good potential to cooperate in many sectors of the economy.
Replying to a question, he said that Pakistan was contributing $100 million to the Kyrgyz economy in terms of student fees and other living expenses for approximately 10,000 Pakistani students.
The Kyrgyz envoy said Kyrgyzstan offered many opportunities for trade with Pakistan as it was the shortest entry point for Pakistani products to the ‘Eurasian Economic Markets’.