By evaluating the potential of Kazakhstan as our most important economic partner in the Central Asia region, we hope to open up new transit opportunities and encourage the transportation of the country's cargoes to Europe by rail and through the Klaip da seaport. As trade relations between the countries grow, we can offer a wide range of transport and logistics services and capacities of Lithuanian intermodal terminals. Vice Minister of Transport and Communications J. Ska kauskas said that they wanted to restore direct air transportation between Lithuania and Kazakhstan.
The discussions between the countries in the carriage of goods by road and rail, as well as the issues of air transportation between Lithuania and Kazakhstan were discussed at the meeting with Almaz Idyrysov, Vice-Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan. Vice-Minister J. Ska kauskas talked about Lithuanian transport and logistics capabilities, and invited Kazakhstan to use more transit through Lithuania to transport cargoes to Europe and other countries of the world.
The possibilities for further cooperation were discussed between the Vice-Minister of Transport and Communications and Jerlan Absatov, Director General of the Kazakh Carriers Union Kazlogistics, as well as representatives of Kazakh railways and managers of company Atasu Group, which is currently conducting negotiations with AB LTG Cargo regarding freight transportation.
The advantages and capabilities of the communication system in Lithuania are currently being presented at the international transport and logistics exhibition Translogistika Kazakhstan in Almaty. Lithuania is represented in the exhibition by the JSC Lithuanian Railways, the Klaip da State Seaport Authority and other companies.
In Central Asia, Kazakhstan is the most important economic partner of Lithuania. More and more goods are being transported by bilateral trade between the two countries, in the first half of this year, the carriage of goods from Kazakhstan by road has increased by 7 compared to the 2021 period. The total trade of Lithuania with Kazakhstan in the year 2021 was 1.45 billion.