On June 20, Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to International Organizations in Paris, Askar Abdrakhmanov, attended the International Transport Forum (ITF) Day at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) headquarters.

In his presentation on “Connectivity in Times of Crisis,” Ambassador Abdrakhmanov focused on Kazakhstan’s measures to further develop its transport infrastructure and international freight transportation, and Astana’s efforts to develop transport cooperation with the country’s neighbouring states.

Regarding the potential of both old and new routes, Abdrakhmanov highlighted the construction of second tracks on the Dostyk – Moynty railway on the Kazakhstan and China border, a container hub and dredging projects at Aktau and Kuryk seaports, a new Darbaza – Maktaral railway line with further access through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, and functioning the eastern branches of the North-South corridor.

Special attention was paid to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), widely known as the Middle Corridor. He emphasized the importance of the recent joint government venture to establish a single, unified operation of cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor, as well as the launch of the TITR Coordination Platform with the participation of Central Asian states, the South Caucasus, and the European Commission.

“The current geopolitical situation has created new economic and logistical challenges for Kazakhstan and other countries in the region, and the answers to them lie in closer cooperation with our neighbours and international partners,” stated the Kazakh diplomat.

The International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD is an intergovernmental organization with 69 member countries which serves as a think tank for transport policy and organizes annual summits of transport ministers. Kazakhstan has been an ITF member  since 2017.

By Vagit Ismailov

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Svetlana Zhakupova, and other officials met with U.S. Trade Representative Catherine Tye. The United States and Kazakhstan reaffirmed their commitment to expanding and diversifying bilateral trade relations. Both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in agriculture and make progress in the near term. This includes increasing U.S. meat and poultry production capacity, optimizing the issuance of digital export certificates, and facilitating increased shipments of U.S. agricultural equipment to Kazakhstan.

Tye noted Kazakhstan’s interest in repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment and expressed support for the U.S. Congress’ efforts to update the Generalized System of Preferences program. She also recognized the program’s importance in diversifying Kazakhstan’s trade. The U.S. and Kazakhstan pledged to strengthen joint work on regional connectivity and increase the capacity of the Trans-Caspian Trade Route. The parties discussed increasing bilateral engagement to create diverse, secure, and sustainable supply chains. They stressed the importance of continuous cooperation in trade facilitation, including the harmonization and digitization of customs processes.

Tye noted the contribution of U.S. companies’ supply of high-quality products and the development of alternative trade routes. She also thanked Kazakhstan for the success of the 15th meeting of the Board of the U.S.-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The working groups noted progress on several issues, including sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, customs procedures, intellectual property protection, women’s economic empowerment, and digital trade. Tye further emphasized the importance of a transparent and consultative regulatory process in regional harmonization.

Kazakhstan and the U.S. reaffirmed their commitment to utilize the TIFA mechanism further to deepen trade and investment ties between the U.S. and Central Asia. The U.S. also expressed interest in working closely with Kazakhstan to support internationally recognized labor rights, including promoting workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. The United States and Kazakhstan pledged to continue working to achieve concrete trade results, maintaining the positive momentum of the bilateral trade and investment relationship.