QazTrade: OTS countries are becoming one of the key growth drivers
of Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports
Astana, May 13, 2026
A business forum titled “Economic Integration and Cooperation of the OTS
Countries: New Opportunities in Industry, Agriculture, Logistics and
Digitalization” was held in Astana, bringing together representatives of
government agencies, development institutions, chambers of commerce, business
associations, the private sector, logistics companies, investment organizations,
international partners, as well as Turkish cooperatives and foreign business
communities.
As part of the forum, a panel session titled “Launching a Unified Industrial,
Agricultural, Logistics and Trade Cooperation Platform as a Practical Mechanism
for Attracting Investments” was held.
Participants discussed practical mechanisms for strengthening industrial,
agricultural, logistics and trade cooperation among the member states of the
Organization of Turkic States, as well as issues related to the development of
sustainable international production and trade chains, export infrastructure, and
investment attraction.
The panel session featured a speech by Aitmukhammad Aldazharov,
Director General of QazTrade. During his remarks, he presented export support
measures and QazTrade’s practical approaches to promoting Kazakh products in
international markets.
According to Aitmukhammad Aldazharov, the OTS countries are currently
among the fastest-growing and most strategically important export destinations for
Kazakhstan.
“Our goal is not only to increase export volumes, but also to build
sustainable export chains where Kazakhstan becomes a reliable partner offering
products of consistent quality,” he noted during the session.
In 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the OTS countries reached
USD 12.9 billion, marking a 13.2% increase compared to the previous year.
Kazakhstan’s exports grew by 19.9% and totaled USD 9.49 billion. The main
growth drivers included value-added products such as wheat, sunflower oil, metal
products, confectionery, processed foods, and mineral water.
The presentation also highlighted key state support measures for exporters
implemented by QazTrade, including partial reimbursement of exporters’
expenses, the “Export Acceleration” program, trade and economic missions, B2B
matchmaking formats, digital export tools, and the promotion of domestic
companies on international marketplaces.
Special attention was also given to the National Exporters Alliance
“QazTrade Alliance,” launched in 2025. The alliance brings together
manufacturers, retailers, industry experts, and government institutions to provide
comprehensive support for domestic companies entering foreign markets — from
marketing and certification to logistics and partner search abroad.
QazTrade emphasized that cooperation among OTS countries should be
built not only around trade, but also around the development of shared
infrastructure, unified digital solutions, coordinated logistics approaches, and
sustainable production linkages.
During the forum, participants also discussed the prospects of creating a
unified cooperation platform for OTS countries, which could become a practical
mechanism for connecting manufacturers, farmers, processors, logistics operators,
retail chains, and investors.
QazTrade expressed its readiness to share its own methodology and
platform solutions for implementing this initiative — from export readiness
diagnostics to digital support for export transactions.