First Kazakh-Dutch Business Council took place in Astana

Maksat Kaliakparov, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted a significant increase in traffic along the Trans-Caspian route, which is to become a multimodal and profitable one for international commerce in the coming years.

"For 8 months of this year, the volume of cargo transportation along the middle corridor escalated by 69% and amounted to 2.9 million tons. The growth of container traffic on the China–Europe–China route reached 20 thousand TEU, soaring 20 times. By 2030, it is planned to increase the volume of shipments to 10 million tons per year, which underlines the important role of Kazakhstan as a key element of transit routes."

Kaliakparov also noted that Kazakhstan is actively working on the modernization of transport infrastructure. According to him, today, 136 projects worth $21.4 billion are being implemented in the transport and logistics sector, including the modernization of railways, ports and aviation.

"This Business Council not only confirms the importance of cooperation, but also demonstrates our common commitment to making the Trans-Caspian route the shortest, most modern, multimodal and efficient one with the shortest delivery time. For 8 months of this year, the volume of cargo transportation along the middle corridor jumped by 69% and amounted to 2.9 million tons," the Deputy Minister said.

He also added that during the first meeting of the TITR development working group, an agreement was reached to increase the number of container trains to 600 units per year. By 2030, it is planned to expand this figure to 10 million tons of cargo per year, including 500 thousand containers.

Kazakhstan, being a key element of international transit routes, keeps contributing to the active development of infrastructure. According to Kaliakparov, the government is implementing 136 transport projects with a total cost of $21.4 billion, including the improvement of railways, ports, airports and highways.

Assan Zhakishev, Acting Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation, especially in terms of diversification of the economy of Kazakhstan, and stressed that the Netherlands remains one of the largest partners of Kazakhstan for many years.

"The Netherlands is not only a major investor, but also our main partner in the field of innovative technologies. In 2023, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands reached $4.4 billion, and since 2005, the gross inflow of direct investment amounted to $117.7 billion. Dutch companies play an important role in the development of sectors such as agriculture, energy and logistics," Zhakishev said.

He also drew the attention of the council participants to the significant opportunities for cooperation in the field of agro-industrial complex and IT technologies, and also underscored the importance of "green" projects.

"Kazakhstan is actively working to reduce the carbon footprint, so partnership with the Netherlands in the development of renewable energy sources is becoming an invaluable contribution," the representative of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan said.

The Netherlands remains the major foreign investor in Kazakhstan. The total investment is $112 billion. The importance of Dutch companies in the development of maritime infrastructure and logistics was emphasized by Denis Van den Weich, the President of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce.

"The Dutch companies represented here today are world leaders in the field of maritime infrastructure, logistics and port development. And these industries are important for the growth of Kazakhstan as a major transport hub. Their experience is in line with the goals of deeper integration of Kazakhstan's logistics and transport infrastructure into the global supply chain," the speaker said.

He also announced the opening of a new branch of the Chamber of Commerce in Aktau. This allows companies operating in the transport and oil and gas industries to provide better services.

The first meeting of the Kazakh-Dutch Business Council was an important step towards expanding bilateral economic ties, providing the businesses of the two countries with opportunities for new projects and partnerships that contribute to the development of strategic areas such as transport, logistics, innovation and sustainable development.

One of the main conclusions of the event was the signing of the regulations on the Business Council.