Astana today hosted the 3rd General Assembly of the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry, bringing together representatives of government bodies, business communities and development institutions from the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), DKNews.kz reports.
The assembly has become an increasingly important platform for shaping a shared economic agenda across the Turkic world — from trade and investment to industrial cooperation and logistics.
Kazakhstan sees OTS as a strategic economic platform
A key address was delivered by Asan Darbayev, Vice Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan. He emphasized that Kazakhstan views the Organization of Turkic States as a strategic platform for deepening economic integration, expanding investment ties, developing industrial cooperation and strengthening transport and logistics corridors.
“The Turkic region today has significant economic potential. Our common task is to unlock it fully by building sustainable value chains and creating new growth points for business,” Darbayev said.
Trade figures show steady growth
According to Darbayev, trade dynamics clearly confirm the resilience and growing relevance of economic cooperation within the OTS.
Over the first 10 months of 2025, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with OTS countries reached $10.4 billion, representing a 10.9% increase year-on-year.
- exports rose by 17.1% to $7.6 billion
- imports totaled $2.8 billion
- the resulting positive trade balance stood at $4.8 billion
Export growth was driven by higher shipments of copper and copper cathodes, crude oil, wheat, petroleum products, sunflower oil, as well as metallurgical and agro-industrial products. This trend highlights not only the continued role of raw materials, but also a gradual expansion toward higher value-added goods.
Investment attractiveness in focus
Special attention was given to Kazakhstan’s investment climate. The country consistently ranks highly in international ease-of-doing-business assessments, including the World Bank’s Doing Business study and the Business Ready 2025 ranking.
As part of the national goal set by the President to double the size of the economy by 2029, the government aims to:
- attract at least $150 billion in foreign direct investment
- increase the share of investment in fixed capital to 23% of GDP by 2029
Building a comprehensive investment support system
To achieve these targets, Kazakhstan is developing a comprehensive investment support framework. The Investment Policy Concept through 2030 has been adopted, and approaches to capital attraction have been revised with a strong focus on competitive, high value-added production.
Investors are offered both financial and non-financial state support measures, designed to reduce risks and improve long-term returns.
Logistics, digital platforms and regional connectivity
As Darbayev noted, Kazakhstan — as an active member of the OTS — is consistently advancing initiatives aimed at:
- improving the business climate
- reducing trade barriers
- strengthening transport and logistics connectivity
This includes support for the Turkic Investment Fund, as well as the launch of digital and trade platforms intended to simplify cross-border business operations across the Turkic region.
About the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry
For reference, the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry was established in 2023 on the basis of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Its members include:
- Kazakhstan
- Türkiye
- Azerbaijan
- Uzbekistan
- Kyrgyzstan
Hungary and Turkmenistan hold observer status. In 2025, Azerbaijan served as the chairing country.
Why this matters
The discussions in Astana made one thing clear: economic cooperation among Turkic states is moving beyond declarations toward practical trade growth, investment flows and industrial cooperation.
For Kazakhstan, this means expanded export opportunities, stronger logistics positioning and a growing role as a regional economic hub. For businesses, it signals that the Turkic region is evolving into a more integrated, dynamic and opportunity-rich market — one that is increasingly difficult to ignore.
