Vietnam’s Sovico eyes purchase or management of an airport in KazakhstanVietnam’s Sovico Group is mulling over the purchase or management of an airport in Kazakhstan, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin."Sovico Group earlier bought one of our airlines [which is Qazaq Air]. They visited Kazakhstan recently and are now considering the acquisition or management of one of our airports. The airline needs a base airport. The air carrier [Qazaq Air] is large, it’s rapidly developing and has strong contracts with international airlines; it also concluded a major deal with Boeing," Zhumangarin told reporters in Akorda.Vietnam is one of Kazakhstan’s largest partners in Southeast Asia, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $1 billion in 2023, he added."Last year, our trade turnover amounted to $879 million. We export [to Vietnam] mainly semi-finished products, raw materials, zinc, lead and copper in large volumes, and import from this country household appliances and processed goods," the minister said.On December 24, 2024 Kazakhstan’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna signed a package of binding transaction documents, including a share purchase agreement, with a consortium comprising Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited (part of Vietnam’s Sovico Group JSC) and Kazasia Holdings Limited.Under the agreement, Sovico committed to purchasing at least 20 Airbus and Boeing aircraft for Qazaq Air within five years, with a target of up to 50 planes. Direct investments are projected to exceed $1 billion.Sovico will also pay off Qazaq Air’s debt, previously estimated at 38 billion tenge.Qazaq Air, established in 2015, is fully owned by Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, and holds about 7% of the country’s aviation market. Its fleet consists of five Bombardier DHC-8-Q400NG aircraft.Sovico Group JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest investment conglomerates, has expertise in aviation, banking, financial services, innovation, and renewable energy. It is also the principal shareholder of VietJet Air.Kazasia Holdings Limited, a fully Kazakhstani company, was nominated by Sovico Group JSC to form a partnership for joint management of Qazaq Air alongside Samruk-Kazyna. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX