CA countries increased trade turnover significantly – Kazakh President
In the Kazakh Head of State’s words, the CA countries together with Russia could fully utilize the existing potential in regional economic cooperation.
Images | akorda.kz
Owing to the joint efforts of the countries of Central Asia it was possible not only to return but significantly increase it above the post-pandemic levels, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told the ‘Central Asia – Russia’ Summit, Kazinform correspondent reports.
In the Kazakh Head of State’s words, the CA countries together with Russia could fully utilize the existing potential in regional economic cooperation.
The most important item on the agenda is to maintain a high level of human connection between our countries. It is necessary to make joint efforts to keep and bolster our centuries-long ties of friendship, good-neighborliness, strategic partnership and alliance. The new format will certainly give an impetus to the interaction in Central Asia," said the Kazakh President during the Summit.
According to him, since the first consultative meeting of the leaders of the Central Asian countries in Kazakhstan in 2018 the cooperation has turned out to be sustainable.
Owing to the joint efforts of the countries of Central Asia it was possible not only to return but significantly increase it above the post-pandemic levels. The data indicate last year the volume of interregional trade rose 34%, exceeding $6bn. I’m sure the agreements to be reached during today’s meeting will strengthen the foundation of six-party cooperation," said Tokayev.
Earlier it was reported that during the meeting the Presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Kazakhstan are to discuss prospects of further cooperation in six-party format.
The meeting is expected to result in the adoption of a Joint Statement of the Heads of State of the Heads of State outlining the current issues of regional cooperation in the Eurasian space.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
relevant news
Government Debt Management Council set up in Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Finance, jointly with the National Bank and the Ministry of National Economy, announced on Monday the establishment of a consultative and advisory body - the Government Debt Management Council, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The decision is part of the implementation of a set of measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of public finances and improve the balance of macroeconomic policy of Kazakhstan for 2025/27.
The Council will focus on developing measures aimed at increasing the depth, liquidity, and efficiency of the government securities market, reducing the cost of public borrowing used to finance the budget deficit, and forming relevant benchmarks for the quasi-public sector and corporate issuers.
The key objectives of the Council include adopting coordinated decisions on government debt management, developing the government securities market, and shaping issuance policies in domestic and international markets, taking into account macroeconomic conditions and debt sustainability.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan and Thailand Strengthen Political Dialogue and Expand Economic Cooperation
Images | gov.kz
Margulan Baimukhan, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Thailand, held a meeting with Eksiri Pintaruchi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. The parties reviewed the current state of bilateral relations, noting the steady growth of cooperation and the high level of trust between the two countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Ambassador emphasized that Kazakhstan and Thailand have built a solid political dialogue supported by active exchanges of visits and the consistent expansion of the legal framework. Over the past two years, the sides have signed agreements on visa-free travel, trade and economic cooperation, and memorandums covering digitalization, tourism, agriculture, and international development.
Both sides expressed mutual interest in further strengthening political contacts and expanding cooperation in 2026, noting the importance of enhancing interagency coordination across key areas of the bilateral agenda.
Economic cooperation was central to the discussion. Kazakhstan remains Thailand’s largest trading partner in Central Asia, accounting for around 70% of Thailand’s trade with the region. Opportunities for expanding trade in agriculture, mechanical engineering, energy, and tourism were reviewed.
The Kazakh side underlined significant export potential in grain and meat supplies, particularly in the context of Thailand’s initiative to establish a regional food hub. The parties also stressed the importance of finalizing agreements on investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, and veterinary and plant quarantine regulations.
Collaboration in subsoil use and rare-earth metals was highlighted as a priority. Kazakhstan, holding substantial reserves of strategic raw materials, proposed exploring joint projects to meet Thailand’s growing demand for high-tech inputs.
Digital cooperation was another important area, including digital trade, fintech, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, and smart logistics. The Kazakh side presented its initiative to establish a UN ESCAP Digital Solutions Center to be located in Almaty.
Transport connectivity was addressed as a key component of the partnership. Currently, 23 direct flights per week operate between Kazakhstan and Thailand, carried out by Air Astana, SCAT Airlines, and Thai AirAsia X. The new Shymkent-Bangkok route launched in December has further enhanced logistical and tourism ties. The parties also noted the potential of the Middle Corridor and future multimodal transport links under the China-Laos-Thailand railway project.
The Ambassador acknowledged the growing tourist flow from Kazakhstan to Thailand and expressed gratitude for the support provided in opening the Consulate of Kazakhstan in Phuket, with the official inauguration planned for January 2026.
The sides reaffirmed their aligned positions on major international issues and their readiness to enhance cooperation across multilateral platforms.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador M. Baimukhan stressed that Kazakhstan views Thailand as a key partner in Southeast Asia and remains committed to deepening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan Strengthens Dialogue with Kuwait in the Energy Sector
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait Yerzhan Yelekeyev met with sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah, Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
During the meeting, Ambassador conveyed a letter of invitation from the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, inviting sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah to visit Kazakhstan. The proposed visit aims to facilitate in-depth discussions on potential areas of cooperation and partnership between Kazakhstan and Kuwait in the oil and energy industries.
The meeting underscored the mutual interest of both sides in expanding dialogue and exploring new opportunities for collaboration, including the exchange of expertise and the development of mutually beneficial projects in the energy sector.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan produces over 1mn tons of meat in 11M2025
Kazakhstan’s livestock industry is showing steady growth across all key areas, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Positive dynamics is observed both in the number of farm animals and in the volume of products manufactured.
The cattle population increased by 2.7% to reach 8.3 million head. The number of calves rose to 2.8 million, which is 17.8% more compared to the same period last year.
The horse population grew by 6.9% to 4.4 million head, with 1 million foals born (an increase of 8.8%).
The number of camels rose by 6.3% to 300 thousand head, with 53.8 thousand camel calves (+5.9%).
The poultry population increased by 8.8% to 48.5 million head.
The sheep population reached 19.6 million head, with 7.7 million lambs born, showing a 5% increase.
During the reporting period, the country produced 1,021.6 thousand tons of meat of all types, which is 3% higher than in 2024. This includes: 358.8 thousand tons of beef (351.4 thousand tons in 2024), 111.8 thousand tons of mutton (109.1 thousand tons), 146.8 thousand tons of horse meat (140 thousand tons), 337.1 thousand tons of poultry meat (326.3 thousand tons), and others.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
President Tokayev Meets with Shingo Ueno, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation
Images | akorda.kz
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Shingo Ueno, Representative Director, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s largest and most influential trading and investment companies, akorda.kz reports.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that our country highly values Sumitomo’s commitment to sustainable growth and responsible business practices, and considers the company a long-term strategic partner.
In turn, Shingo Ueno informed the Head of State about the preparation of a joint project with the national atomic company Kazatomprom in the field of nuclear medicine. The project aims to develop scientifically grounded approaches to the production of medical radioisotopes from by-products of uranium manufacturing.
The interlocutors also discussed prospects for implementing joint investment projects in transportation and logistics, energy, nuclear industry, metallurgy and geological exploration.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.