BISHKEK, January 25. /TASS/. Representatives of around 200 companies from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are participating in the joint business forum that started on Wednesday in Bishkek, a source in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan told TASS.

"A total of around 200 companies have applied to participate in the event, and the heads of a number of regions of the two countries are present," he said.

The participants of the meeting, among other things, discuss the prospects of economic cooperation, the issues of cooperation and export, as well as regional integration and economic development, the source added.

The forum is expected to serve as a platform for "establishing new business contacts and possibilities for building an efficient dialogue between representatives of business communities" in the area of agriculture, tourism and the consumer industry, the press service of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported. "Considering the scale of the delegation, domestic entrepreneurs are provided with a unique opportunity to establish partnership ties and expand the network among representatives of the business sector of the Republic of Uzbekistan," the press service noted.

According to official figures, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $543 mln in 11 months of last year, which is almost $93.5 mln higher than in the same period in 2021.