Меню
Economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is developing dynamically. A solid legal and regulatory framework has been established between the two countries, comprising more than 100 interstate, intergovernmental, and interdepartmental agreements covering virtually all areas of economic interaction.
A key area of bilateral cooperation is mutual trade. The general conditions of trade relations are defined by the provisions of the Protocol on the Application Procedure of the CIS Free Trade Agreement dated October 18, 2011, which was signed between its parties and the Republic of Uzbekistan on May 31, 2013, in Minsk.
Kazakhstan ranks among Uzbekistan’s top three foreign trade partners, accounting for 6.5% of the republic’s total trade turnover.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan amounted to $4.1 billion, with Kazakh exports to Uzbekistan reaching $2.8 billion, and imports from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan totaling $1.3 billion.
Kazakhstan’s exports primarily consist of wheat, flour, sunflower oil, as well as ferrous metallurgy products, including steel rolls and semi-finished products. Additionally, beef, copper ores, and petroleum products are exported.
In 2024, an additional 30 Kazakh livestock product manufacturers gained access to the Uzbek market. Previously, 59 Kazakh enterprises had been included in the Register of the Veterinary Service of Uzbekistan. As a result, a total of 89 Kazakh agricultural producers now has certified access to the Uzbek market.
Uzbekistan’s exports to Kazakhstan mainly include fruits and vegetables, textiles, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, machinery, chemical products, plastics, and construction materials.
The presence of Kazakh companies in Uzbekistan is expanding. According to Uzbekistan’s State Statistics Committee, as of January 1, 2025, there were 1,041 enterprises with Kazakh participation registered in the republic.
Regular meetings of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are held. The 21st meeting, chaired by the Prime Ministers of both countries, took place on July 12, 2024, in Almaty.
As part of the expansion of interregional cooperation, the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Interregional Forum was held on October 21–22, 2024, in Samarkand, with the participation of the Prime Ministers of both countries. The forum was attended by the Akim of Turkistan and Mangystau regions, as well as deputy akims of 14 regions of Kazakhstan and representatives from all 12 regions of Uzbekistan.
On the sidelines of the event, 76 documents of various formats (memorandums, agreements, export contracts, and supply contracts) were signed, amounting to a total of $352.1 million. Additionally, 33 interregional agreements on cooperation in trade, economic, scientific-technical, and cultural-humanitarian spheres were signed between the regions of the two countries.
Cooperation in the transport sector is actively developing, opening new prospects for tourism exchange. The airlines Air Astana and Uzbekistan Airways have increased the number of regular flights to 36 per week, connecting Astana, Almaty, and Tashkent. Four passenger trains operate between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: Almaty – Tashkent, Almaty – Samarkand, Astana – Samarkand and Astana – Tashkent. Additionally, 10 regular bus routes connect Tashkent with Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Turkistan, and Kyzylorda.
Overall, Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan trade and economic cooperation has broad prospects for further development.
A key priority in bilateral interaction is deepening industrial cooperation and establishing joint enterprises in sectors such as textile production, fruit and vegetable processing, livestock farming, and construction.
