On March 12, 2025, in Astana, the Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Arman Shakkaliev, met with William Tompson, Head of the Eurasia Division at the OECD Global Relations Secretariat. The parties discussed key aspects of bilateral cooperation and prospects for further collaboration. Arman Shakkaliev expressed his appreciation to the OECD for its constructive partnership and support of Kazakhstan’s initiatives aimed at enhancing trade integration, boosting competitiveness, and ensuring sustainable economic growth.

The Minister emphasized that the Ministry of Trade and Integration aligns its policies with OECD standards and implements best international practices through participation in strategically important initiatives such as the Trade Facilitation Index, the Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, working groups on export credit agencies, and the Eurasia Competitiveness Programme, in which QazTrade actively participates. Particular attention during the meeting was given to the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) and the implementation of the EU project "Enhancing the Competitiveness of the TITR."

Kazakhstan continues to improve its logistics infrastructure and encourage the use of the route by domestic exporters. In 2024, freight volumes along the TITR reached 4.5 million tons, marking a 62% increase compared to 2023, while container shipments surged 2.7 times to 56,500 TEUs. The China–Europe route accounted for 35,600 TEUs, a 27-fold increase from the previous year. The target for 2025 is to achieve a freight volume of 5.2 million tons, including 70,000 TEUs of container traffic.

The meeting also focused on future cooperation prospects. In particular, discussions covered upcoming events, including a workshop on critical raw materials scheduled for March 13, 2025, in Astana. Additionally, William Tompson invited the Minister to participate in the "Emerging Market Economy" forum, set to take place on April 10, 2025, in Istanbul. Following the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade and economic cooperation and continuing engagement within the OECD framework.