Under the first agreement, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgystan has entered negotiations with AD Ports Group to secure more than 300,000 m² of land within the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) to develop and operate a logistics hub and customs area.
Based within KEZAD’s Free Zone, the purpose of the project is to facilitate the import and export of cargo to and from the Kyrgyz Republic.
Under the second agreement, Maqta Gateway will initiate a strategy for Kyrgystan’s Ministry of Finance for developing a customs and border management solution, infrastructure, and national single window, among other digital services, for deployment in the country.
Maqta Gateway has demonstrated compelling expertise in this area, having developed and operated the Advanced Trade & Logistics Platform (ATLP), the innovative single-window solution designed to unify trade and logistics services across Abu Dhabi, including sea, land, air, industrial and free zones.
The agreements build upon AD Ports Group’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in Central Asia.
In 2020, Kyrgyzstan exported US$70.9 million to the United Arab Emirates, with key exports including gold, aircraft parts, and refined petroleum, while the UAE recorded US$174 million in trade with Kyrgyzstan.
Akylbek Zhaparov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, commented, “Today is a historic day. The Kyrgyz Republic, which is one of the remotest landlocked countries, gets access to the sea. This is a big leap forward. The signed agreements will not only give a great impetus to the development of bilateral Kyrgyz-Emirati relations but will also help our country make a powerful economic breakthrough.”
A consortium led by AD Ports Group and Invictus Investment has also signed a Heads of Terms agreement with the Government of the Republic of Sudan that provides them with the right to develop, manage, and operate port and economic zone assets in the country.
Under the terms of the deal, the consortium will have the sole right to directly develop, manage, and operate specified port and economic zones assets and to create joint ventures, partnerships, or other business agreements to support the financing, development, construction, management, and operation of the projects.
According to AD Ports Group, the Heads of Terms follows an earlier agreement between AD Ports Group and Invictus Investment to launch a new international dry bulk shipping service to serve as the carrier for Invictus’ dry-bulk trading business, which is a major transporter of commodities to and from the Sudanese market.
Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, managing director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, commented, “AD Ports Group continues to extend its international reach under the guidance and direction of our wise leadership, supporting the development of port and trade assets in key markets around the world. We are grateful and honoured by the trust that the government of Sudan has placed in our consortium by signing this agreement and we look forward to working with them on the development and management of key facilities.”
