Kazakhstan / Turkey - Otokar* of Sakarya, Turkey attended Busworld Central Asia held in Almaty, Kazakhstan at the end of June to showcase its products in a country and region where it sees considerable potential for export growth. Representatives at the show stated Otokar had already sold buses in Azerbaijan, and it currently has vehicles on trial in Georgia, and it is keen to expand into other countries in the region.

Emre Sarp, commercial vehicles sales and marketing group manager at Otokar said it was still evaluating its strategy for the region, but would work on the basis Central Asian Republics would, under incentives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), move towards adopting European emissions and safety standards. Should this happen, Sarp said, Otokar would be well-placed to make inroads into the market. Turkey, he added, has pre-existing bilateral free trade agreements with the constituent countries of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), of which most Central Asian states were members. Reduced trade barriers with and between ECO nations would put the Turkish Otokar at an advantage over other European manufacturers, which do not enjoy the same ease of access. Central Asian adoption of European standards would also help Otokar compete with Chinese and Russian companies, which historically have dominated the region, stated Sarp.