Kazakhstan, a long-standing player in the ECO game since 1992, is right in the thick of things when it comes to shaping the organization's future. The current chairmanship—the second time at the rodeo for the country—marks its comeback to the forefront of regional integration. In a world turned upside down, Kazakhstan isn’t just blowing smoke; it’s rolling up its sleeves and putting its money where its mouth is with real projects and initiatives.
At the top of the list is the building up of transport infrastructure. Kazakhstan is pulling out all the stops to champion the Trans-Caspian route and the North-South corridor, shaking hands and signing roadmaps with Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Iran, and other partners to clear the decks and boost the throughput capacity of these pathways. By 2027, transit volumes on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM) are set to skyrocket—from 4.5 to a whopping 10 million tons. The modernization of the Aktau and Kuryk ports is just around the corner, digital customs solutions are coming into play, and a cohesive space for transit trade is taking shape.
Concurrently, Kazakhstan is strategizing to enhance economic synergies and foster deeper integration within regional frameworks. The nation engages proactively in the formation of the ECO Transport Council, spearheads the digital transformation of trade mechanisms, and cultivates the enhancement of transnational production networks. All these initiatives are designed to mitigate impediments and catalyze the expansion of regional commerce.
As of the conclusion of 2024, Kazakhstan's export metrics culminated at $81.6 billion, while the aggregate foreign trade volume was quantified at $141.4 billion. Food exports exhibited substantial escalation—$2.8 billion—underscoring the nation’s position as a pivotal guarantor of food security for adjacent territories and Middle Eastern states. Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan—integral constituents of the ECO framework—constitute pivotal trading allies for Kazakhstan, highlighting the strategic significance of the ECO as a conduit for economic diversification initiatives.
In conjunction with its economic imperatives, Kazakhstan strategically prioritizes the integration of sustainable development initiatives. The development of the Shaulder photovoltaic facility, engagement in the "sustainable energy conduit" alongside Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, and execution of hydrological infrastructure enhancement initiatives are all in accordance with the summit’s environmental framework and bolster the region’s enduring ecological resilience.
Conducting the summit in Khankendi—a locale emblematic of revitalization and a transformative phase in regional discourse—imbues the gathering with enhanced significance. In this context, Kazakhstan is not merely presiding over the ECO but is actively curating the strategic framework, providing stakeholders with a definitive emphasis on trade digitalization, sustainable investment paradigms, and the enhancement of transport connectivity infrastructures.
Consequently, Kazakhstan is orchestrating a novel framework for regional collaboration. The initiatives act as a pivotal driver for economic expansion, enhanced interconnections, and enduring development, with the Khankendi summit poised to signify a watershed moment in the evolution of ECO into a more efficacious and pragmatic framework.
