His Excellency Minister Arman Shakkaliyev, the Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, along with Her Excellency Ambassador Zhanar Aitzhan, addressed representatives from Central Asia and Azerbaijan at the Second Central Asia Trade Policy Forum held in Almaty. The forum serves as a platform for discussing issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) from a regional perspective.
The Director-General of the WTO emphasized the importance of economic integration through WTO accession and membership. He noted that "the more countries are bound by the same set of international rules, the more they tend to trade among themselves." Currently, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan are engaged in negotiations for WTO membership.
Kazakhstan's role in multilateral trading was highlighted with its successful co-hosting of the 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva in 2022. The country has also contributed to accession-related issues by working on an "Accession Reform" proposal aimed at enhancing procedures and promoting transparency within the WTO.
Trade facilitation was another focus area discussed at the forum. The WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement could help reduce trade costs and improve connectivity for landlocked countries in Central Asia. This aligns with President Tokayev's remarks about new supply chains being established due to changing global commodity flows: "The global map of commodity flows is dramatically changing."
The future of trade was outlined as being centered around services, digital advancements, and environmental sustainability. The potential for digitally-delivered services offers opportunities despite geographical constraints: "While countries in this region are landlocked, they need not be digitally locked."
In closing remarks, attendees were encouraged to consider their views on how best to navigate regional and global economic integration through participation in the WTO framework.