Actual issues on bilateral trade of Kazakhstan and Russia were discussed in a new format

April 30 this year a video conference was held on the current topic "Trade and economic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the EAEU in the context of the KVI pandemic and in the post-crisis period: risks, challenges and opportunities". The event was organized at the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan Embassy in the Russian Federation and was the first such event in the context of restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

The event was attended by Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation Ermek Kosherbayev, representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, JSC “NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy”, Russian Railways, Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Center for Trade Policy Development “QazTrade” JSC, Russian Export Center JSC, Moscow Export Center ANO, National Research University High school of Economics, etc.

The participants of the conference discussed the impact, threats and risks of the coronavirus pandemic on trade between two countries, the possibilities of digitalizing tools and mechanisms for bilateral trade, with particular attention to transport logistics and supply chains.

In his speech, Pavel Sokolov, Deputy Chairman of the Logistics Management Board of JSC “NC“ Kazakhstan Temir Zholy”, informed the participants that favorable conditions are created for carrying out cargo transportation in order to support Kazakhstan producers in a state of emergency. Thanks to the optimal tariff policy and the proposed integrated transport solutions, it was possible to increase the volume of transit traffic. Active cooperation with Russian Railways on various logistics projects and the development of transit traffic from China and Central Asian countries to Russia are being conducted.

“For the 1st quarter of 2020 the cargo turnover amounted to 54 billion ton-kilometers, the volume of transportation was 68 million tons (+ 2%), the volume of container transportation amounted to 264 thousand TEU, an increase of 13%,” - noted P. Sokolov.

According to the conference results, it is planned to develop measures to overcome the negative consequences of the pandemic on mutual trade, to analyze the existing practices during the crisis period and to form a system to counter new challenges and threats.