The First Regional Business Forum “Central Asia - Styria” was held in Graz on June 24 on the initiative of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic was organized jointly with the Austrian company Bit-Media.

The Executive Director of the Agency for the Promotion of the Economy of Styria Christoph Ludwig, Executive Director of the International Center of Styria Robert Brügger, Trade Representative of Austria in the Central Asian countries Clemens Machal delivered a welcoming speech to the participants of the Forum.

Country presentations in the format of the videoconferencing were held on the investment opportunities of the Central Asian states. Kyrgyzstan, as a co-organizer of the forum, was given the right to speak first. The presentation on the investment opportunities of the Kyrgyz Republic was made by Nurlan Aripov, head of the section of the 6^th Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Then Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic in Austria Tolendy Makeyev drew attention to the existing prospects and potential for cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Federal state of Styria, as well as specific areas of mutual interest.

Of great interest were the presentations of Styrian companies - Bit-Media, Andritz Hydro, DIEHL, AVL LIST GmbH – with their own experience in practical cooperation with the Central Asian countries.

Meetings were held during B2B section on establishing practical cooperation with the following Styrian companies:

• DIEHL Metering - on further deliveries of water meters for consumers and the possible organization of their production in the Kyrgyz Republic;

• AXESS AG - about the possibility of using innovative software solutions or modern access systems in the field of sports, leisure, culture and transport. Axess is engaged in a full cycle - from the production of entrance tickets of its own production to individual access control systems and the development of appropriate software for creating a database;

• Hydrophil GmbH - an international consulting and engineering company specializing in the field of water resources and environmental protection;

• Solid Solar Energy Systems GmbH is an engineering company that provides customer-oriented turnkey solutions and contracts for the operation of solar thermal energy systems.

The results of the Forum were summed up at a meeting with acting. Governor (comes into the power of the Governor of Styria from July 1, 2022), the Minister for European and International Relations, Culture and Sports of Styria Christoph Drexler. The head of the land government listened with great interest to the information about the work of the Forum and shared his vision on the prospects for further trade, economic and investment cooperation between Styria and the states of Central Asia.

Ambassador Tolendy Makeev, on behalf of all his colleagues, wished success to the new governor of Styria as the head of the land government and suggested, taking into account the successful conduct and great interest in deepening practical cooperation on the part of representatives of the business and entrepreneurial circles of Styria, to hold a regional business forum in the format of “Central Asia – Styria” on an annual basis.

Christoph Drexler accepted this proposal with great enthusiasm and instructed his assistants to include it in the work plan.