On April 30, 2024, a meeting of the Special Working Group on Trade Facilitation of the SCO Member States (SWG) was held in Astana under the chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for cooperation in the field of trade facilitation.

The Vice Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Janel Kushukova, delivered a welcoming speech, highlighting the important role of joint efforts in simplifying trade procedures to deepen regional cooperation, develop national economies and create comfortable conditions for doing business.

During the meeting, the heads of delegations informed about the current situation on facilitation of trade procedures in the SCO member states and exchanged views on further steps to simplify trade procedures in the SCO.

The National Report of Kazakhstan on trade facilitation, prepared in 2023 by the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan and QazTrade, was also presented. This report reflects progress in the field of simplification of foreign trade procedures since Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO.

As part of the working group meeting, thematic sessions were held on trade and logistics connections using the example of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as well as on measures taken in the SCO countries for the smooth functioning of markets.

For reference: Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the SCO countries in 2023 amounted to 66.0 billion US dollars, which is 6.8% more than the previous year (61.8 billion US dollars). Moreover, over the past 5 years, mutual trade between the SCO countries has increased 1.5 times from $336 billion in 2019 to $490 billion in 2023. The main trading partners in the region are China, whose share is 64.6% of all mutual trade, and Russia (26.2%). Kazakhstan's share was 3.3%.

gov.kz