President Tokayev Receives Belarusian PM Alexander Turchin in Astana
Astana, The Gulf Observer: President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin on his first official visit to Astana, with discussions focusing on bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and cultural and humanitarian collaboration, according to media reports.
Welcoming Prime Minister Turchin, President Tokayev noted that the visit underscores the strategic and friendly nature of relations between Kazakhstan and Belarus, as well as their shared commitment to further strengthening their long-standing partnership.
“I consider this visit very important, given the level and depth of cooperation between our countries. Trade between Kazakhstan and Belarus is successfully developing, reaching between $900 million and $1 billion. As far as I know, Kazakhstan is Belarus’s second-largest trading partner,” President Tokayev stated.
He also expressed high regard for Belarus, adding, “We have deep respect and warm feelings toward your country, your people, and your unique culture. I would also like to take this opportunity to convey my greetings and best wishes to President Alexander Lukashenko. We are committed to constructive, results-oriented engagement to ensure the continued success of our bilateral cooperation.”
Prime Minister Turchin conveyed President Alexander Lukashenko’s greetings and reaffirmed Belarus’s commitment to strengthening cooperation across various sectors.
“I had a detailed discussion with President Lukashenko before departing for Kazakhstan. In Belarus, we closely follow Kazakhstan’s impressive progress and economic achievements. As you rightly noted, our mutual trade turnover continues to grow,” Turchin said.
He assured President Tokayev of Minsk’s readiness to maintain the momentum of mutually beneficial dialogue and to coordinate the practical implementation of initiatives agreed upon by the two heads of state.
Over the first eight months of 2025, bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Belarus increased by 20% year-on-year. Within the framework of industrial cooperation, 12 joint projects worth a total of $204 million have been successfully implemented, while three additional projects are currently under development.
The meeting reaffirmed the two nations’ shared commitment to expanding economic, technological, and cultural ties, advancing their strategic partnership in support of sustainable growth and regional cooperation.
