12 April 2024 – Astana – CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay held a meeting with Mr. Raimbek Batalov, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan "Atameken," who currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the CICA Business Council.
The discussions centered around preparations for the seventh plenary session of the Business Council and the upcoming ninth Business Forum planned for the 4th quarter of 2024 in Bishkek. Notably, the agenda for the forthcoming plenary session was determined by the members of the CICA Business Council, encompassing themes such as Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for SME Development, Enhancing Cross-border Trade through E-commerce Advancements, Navigating New Challenges in Logistics and Infrastructure, Empowering Women in SMEs across the CICA Region, and Prioritizing Sustainable Development in SMEs.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay provided Mr. Raimbek Batalov with comprehensive updates on recent developments within CICA, including Azerbaijan's upcoming assumption of the CICA Chairmanship in autumn 2024. This transition will extend to Azerbaijan assuming the Chairmanship of all CICA advisory bodies, such as the CICA Business Council, Council of Eminent Persons, Youth Council, and Think Tank Forum.
Furthermore, the Secretary General shared insights gained from discussions on Business Council activities with CICA Member States, which have taken place in various locations since the beginning of the year, including Moscow, New Delhi, Colombo, and on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in early March 2024 with high representatives from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Secretary General Kairat Sarybay also highlighted the initiatives of CICA Member States on intersessional activities of the Business Council, such as hosting seminars on SMEs in agriculture in Russia, organizing thematic conferences, and visits of CICA Business Council members to industrial sites, IT parks, etc.
During the meeting, both parties explored the potential organization of a round table of the CICA Business Council under the auspices of the Almaty Investment Forum scheduled for late June 2024. This round table would focus on the pivotal role of SMEs in modern urbanism, the development of "smart cities," and appropriate government incentives for CICA members.
Media contact:
Tahir Kazykhan
Public Relations Officer
Email: tahir@s-cica.org
Phone number: +7 (778) 734-85-61
