Ben-Eliezer visited Kazakhstan last week for bilateral trade talks

During his visit the Israeli Minister met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Karim Massimov and several ministers in talks about bilateral political and economic relations
 
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Benjamin Ben-Eliezer made an official visit to Kazakhstan last week for the fifth session of the Joint Israel-Kazakhstan Economics Committee. The committee held meetings in the capital, Astana.
 
According to press release issued by Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, the talks focused on bilateral political and economic relations.
 
Topics for discussion during the visit include telecommunications, science, water, agriculture, space and tourism. In the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan - Minister of Industry and Trade Aset Isekeshev The sides discussed prospects of economic cooperation between the two countries.
 
Ben-Eliezer said that Israel is interested in joint projects in sectors such as agro-industry, alternative energy and engineering.
 
The two sides discussed prospect of development of the bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture, in particular, poultry breeding, livestock breeding, technologies of sustainable use of water resources and drop irrigation as well as the issues of development of agricultural science.
 
Ben-Eliezer was scheduled to meet Kazakhstan Prime Minister Karim Massimov, Minister of Industry and New Technologies Aset O. Issekeshev, Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Akhylbek Kurishbayev and Minister of Transport and Communications Abelgazy K. Kusainov.
 
He will also meet top business leaders, including executives of Samruk Holding Company for State Assets Management, and KazAgro National Holding JSC. Samruk handles investments in the country's oil and gas, metal, chemicals, and infrastructures industries,and KazAgro is responsible for agriculture projects, including raising capital from domestic and international banks.
 
Israel-Kazakhstan trade has been growing steadily, rising from $40 million in 2004 to $162 million in 2008.