ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 31. As part of the Astana International Forum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Serik Zhumangarin, met with Serbia’s Minister of Internal and External Trade, Jagoda Lazarević, Trend reports.
During the meeting, both parties emphasized the steady momentum
of bilateral cooperation, which is being fostered at the leadership
level of the two nations. Particular attention was given to trade
and economic relations: from January through March 2025, mutual
trade increased by 30 percent.
In the course of the negotiations, Zhumangarin highlighted that
Kazakhstan views Serbia as an important trading partner in Central
Europe.
Kazakhstan expressed its readiness to expand the range of goods exported to Serbia, including polypropylene, mineral fertilizers, and confectionery products.
"The participants of the meeting noted the importance of leveraging the potential of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Business Council, as well as the implementation of key bilateral projects - particularly the launch of direct air service between Astana and Belgrade. The Kazakh airline SCAT has already begun working on the route, and Kazakhstan is counting on support from the Serbian side, including the possibility of utilizing fifth freedom rights," the press service of the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan stated.
The Kazakh delegation extended an invitation to Serbian
enterprises to engage proactively in investment initiatives,
particularly within the agro-processing and pharmaceutical domains,
underscoring the robust export capabilities inherent in Serbia’s
industrial landscape.
On the preceding day, in the context of the AIF, Serik Zhumangarin
convened a strategic dialogue with Ante Šušnjar, the Minister of
Economy from Croatia. The stakeholders engaged in a dialogue aimed
at enhancing the synergies of bilateral relations and optimizing
economic collaboration, with a particular focus on the energy
domain. They articulated a keen interest in fostering synergies in
infrastructure initiatives, the information technology domain,
agricultural advancements, and the pharmaceutical sector.
By the conclusion of 2024, the bilateral trade turnover between the
nations achieved a milestone of $100 million, reflecting a growth
trajectory of 9.7 percent, while Kazakh exports experienced a
substantial surge of 39.4 percent.