On February 5, the Mazhilis, the lower house of Kazakhstan’s parliament, approved an agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on regulations for the Central Asia International Center for Industrial Cooperation.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the industrial center will be built along the border of the two countries, near the Gulistan checkpoint in Uzbekistan and the Atameken checkpoint in Kazakhstan. The complex will include:
- Industrial production facilities
- Warehouses
- Transport infrastructure
The center aims to:
- Accelerate cargo transportation
- Reduce logistics costs
- Streamline supply chains
- Lower product costs for consumers
- Enhance industrial cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as part of the North-South corridor
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, informed parliament that the industrial center will cover 100 hectares, with 50 hectares on each country’s side. Part of the center will receive regional industrial zone status.
Construction is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026, with an official opening planned for the first half of 2027. Uzbekistan is one of Kazakhstan’s largest economic and trading partners, and both countries aim to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion annually in the medium term.
