On November 13, 2025, the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade and Investment of Central Asian States and Azerbaijan was held in Tashkent. Arman Shakkaliyev, Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, represented the Republic of Kazakhstan at the event.

In his speech, the minister emphasized that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan remain the main drivers of economic growth in Central Asia. The two countries account for approximately 80% of all mutual regional trade. In the first nine months of this year, bilateral trade turnover reached $3.4 billion, representing an increase of more than 18%. According to Shakkaliyev, these figures confirm the sustainability of the dynamics and the effectiveness of the systematic work of the governments and business communities of the two countries.

The minister outlined the strategic objective of increasing mutual trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to $10 billion. He stated that achieving this goal requires a shift from traditional commodity trade to the development of joint ventures, deeper industrial cooperation, and the creation of export-oriented value chains. Currently, over 2,400 enterprises with Uzbek capital operate in Kazakhstan, including nearly 500 joint ventures. The bilateral cooperation portfolio comprises 78 projects worth over $1.7 billion, of which 13 projects worth $220.9 million have already been successfully implemented.

Particular attention was paid to the development of the agro-industrial complex. Kazakhstan proposed the development of complete production chains, including feedlots, meat and milk processing, the development of the oil and fat industry, and the creation of cross-border agro-clusters. Kazakhstan also expressed its readiness to expand its export basket of agricultural products to approximately 14.5 million tons, including grains, legumes, oilseeds, flour, and vegetable oil. The implementation of such initiatives will strengthen food security and expand joint production to markets in China, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Transport and logistics projects were identified as an important area of ​​cooperation. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan view the development of transit corridors as a strategic factor in growing regional trade. Last year, the volume of cargo transported along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route through Kazakhstan amounted to approximately 2.8 million tons, a 35% increase compared to the previous year. Kazakhstan proposed strengthening tariff policy coordination, accelerating the digitalization of logistics processes, modernizing infrastructure, and implementing paperless trade mechanisms to reduce business costs and increase corridor capacity.

Special emphasis was placed on digital transformation. Kazakhstan is a leader in the region in terms of IT industry development: IT services exports increased from $50 million in 2020 to $600 million in 2024. The international startup tech park, Astana Hub, which unites over 1,300 IT companies from 30 countries, makes a significant contribution to the development of the tech ecosystem. The country is actively developing artificial intelligence: the national Alem.AI cluster has been created, biometric digital identification systems have been implemented, and Kazakh technology companies Biometric.Vision and Alaqan Technologies are entering international markets with biometric and digital identification solutions. The minister noted that digital integration between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan can accelerate trade transactions, facilitate the movement of goods and people, and create a unified digital space for government and business services.

Following the Council of Ministers meeting, participants also took part in the international forum "Great Silk Road Business Cooperation Forum – 2025," held in the Bostanlyk district at the Chimgan Resort complex under the motto "Cooperation without Borders." The forum brought together representatives of ministries, chambers of commerce, and major companies from six countries in the region, discussing issues of developing cooperation, logistics, and investment. Kazakhstan is represented by approximately 50 companies participating in the forum, part of an organized business mission led by the national operator QazTrade.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/1105615?lang=kk