The Penki Kontinentai group of companies Board Chairman Idrakas Dadašovas greets H.E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Lithuania Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov

The Penki Kontinentai group of companies Board Chairman and CEO Idrakas Dadašovas took part in the opening ceremony of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Vilnius this June 12. A Lithuanian businessman, a former MP Jonas Jagminas was appointed the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Lithuania.

The Consulate was opened by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Lithuania H.E. Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov. In his speech, the Ambassador noted that this event was specially timed to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Lithuania, celebrated this June 15. For a quarter of a century, Kazakhstan and Lithuania achieved significant success in all areas of cooperation, which finds its concentrated expression in the actively developing political dialogue at all levels and interaction on the world stage. As a EU member state, Lithuania was one of the first countries to ratify the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union.

"In recent years, cooperation between Lithuania and Kazakhstan, in particular in the field of economics, is developing rapidly, and there are great opportunities for establishing new business relations. This is of interest not only in Lithuania, but also in Kazakhstan – and the opening of an honorary consulate will help the Lithuanian business leaders to find new business partners in this country," Mr Dadašovas said.

Over the past 10 years, the trade turnover between Lithuania and Kazakhstan has more than doubled, and trade flows have increased in both directions. In 2016, the total volume of trade between Lithuania and Kazakhstan amounted to €620 million; exports from Lithuania to Kazakhstan reached €286 million, and imports from Kazakhstan to Lithuania - €334 million.

One of the main goals and tasks of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Lithuania is to promote the development of bilateral economic cooperation.