A seminar on the use of exchange mechanisms for entrepreneurs from both countries was held in Astana, organized by the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Kazakhstan.

The event was attended by First Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Aizhan Bizhanova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Kazakhstan Alexey Bogdanov, and Chairman of the Board of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) Alexander Osmolovsky. As part of bilateral cooperation, Kazakhstani exporters expressed their intention to sell high-demand products such as wheat and barley through the commodity exchange.

"As Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov noted during his visit to Belarus, Kazakhstan is ready to increase exports of 105 product positions worth approximately $265 million. Cooperation ties are actively developing, with a total of 14 joint projects worth over $278 million already in the pipeline, creating 1,800 jobs. Among them, 11 joint ventures are successfully operating in various regions of Kazakhstan. Another key direction of our joint work should be the formation of a unified exchange market within the Eurasian Economic Union. A well-structured exchange trading infrastructure should significantly boost our trade turnover and enhance economic integration," stated First Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan.

Belarus has shown a strong demand for Kazakhstani metals. By the end of last year, exports of unprocessed aluminum and non-alloy steel tripled. There is also significant interest in Kazakhstani flour-based products in Belarus.

"We plan to register on the Belarusian exchange and start trading. This is very beneficial for us. These platforms are exactly what we need because they ensure transparency—prices are visible, and we can even conduct market monitoring. We are very interested in exports since we are processors. We want to sell more of our products. Currently, we trade with Iran and China, but we would like to enter the European market via Belarus. Our key products are barley and wheat. Today, we heard that there is interest in cooperation and purchasing. This year, we also plan to start constructing an oil processing plant, and the Belarusian side has expressed interest," said Kazakhstani entrepreneur and founder of AR Trade LLP, Rustam Abikenov.

Bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Belarus continues to grow steadily, reaching $900 million in 2024.

Additionally, Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliev met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Kazakhstan Alexey Bogdanov. The two sides discussed the implementation of agreements aimed at increasing trade turnover, reducing trade barriers, and developing exchange-based trade between the two countries.

The Kazakh minister also held a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange, Alexander Osmolovsky, who presented information on the development of exchange trading in Belarus and the introduction of new exchange mechanisms.

Arman Shakkaliev emphasized that the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange could become an important tool for Kazakhstani entrepreneurs by providing them access to one of the leading trading platforms in Eastern Europe, thereby contributing to increased trade turnover between the two countries.