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The Spring Meeting of the Berne Union — the world’s largest international association of export credit and investment insurers — has commenced in the capital of Kazakhstan. This is the first time an event of this scale is being held in the Central Asian region.

Around 240 delegates from more than 70 countries are participating in this prestigious international forum. Heads of leading export credit agencies, EXIM banks, international financial institutions, and global insurance corporations have arrived in Astana.

Opening the plenary session, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the strategic mission of the meeting. Strengthening the country’s investment attractiveness is inseparably linked to the development of international trade, transport and logistics potential, and export capabilities — the key areas of activity of the Berne Union members.

Olzhas Bektenov noted that Kazakhstan, under the leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is consistently implementing a comprehensive program of political and economic modernization. For the state, building a trusted dialogue with reliable foreign partners remains an integral part of its foreign economic policy.

“The Head of State consistently places special emphasis on improving the business climate. Today, Kazakhstan, as the largest economy in Central Asia, continues the structural transformation of its national economy. Foreign direct investment increased by 14.4% and reached USD 20.5 billion, while investment in fixed capital grew by 13% to a historic high of USD 43.5 billion. In 2025, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover rose to USD 144 billion. The geography and range of Kazakh exports continue to expand. Today, our products are exported to 127 countries worldwide, while the number of active export product categories has approached 4,000,” said Olzhas Bektenov.

Participants of the meeting were informed about the ongoing efforts to develop Kazakhstan’s investment, export, and business potential in line with the tasks set by the President.

Under the Trade Policy Concept through 2030, Kazakhstan aims to increase non-resource exports to USD 52 billion. The country continues expanding its network of international free trade agreements. In addition to existing agreements with Vietnam, Serbia, and Iran, new agreements with the UAE, Mongolia, and Indonesia were added last year. A special role in this architecture is assigned to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, where several major infrastructure projects are being implemented to improve the system of transcontinental economic corridors, increase trade turnover, and enhance the welfare of the populations of participating countries.

Following the President’s instructions, migration policy is being improved to create favorable conditions for attracting highly qualified foreign human capital. A special “Golden Visa” regime is being introduced for investors and highly skilled professionals. Kazakhstan’s foreign trade representatives and offices of the Export Credit Agency located in priority markets are focused on providing targeted support to enterprises and responding promptly to the needs of international business.

The digital agenda has been identified as one of the key priorities for enhancing Kazakhstan’s economic competitiveness and building a modern business infrastructure.

“Special attention is being paid by the President to the development of artificial intelligence and the transformation of Kazakhstan into a fully digital nation. The nationwide Digital Qazaqstan strategy currently being implemented is aimed at the accelerated development of this sector,” emphasized Olzhas Bektenov.

An important institution in this regard is the Astana International Financial Centre, which offers unique conditions under English common law jurisdiction for the development of green and Islamic financial instruments.

The Prime Minister invited delegates to actively cooperate, taking into account the opportunities created in Kazakhstan for business development, trade expansion, and investment presence in the region. Effective mechanisms for insuring cross-border transactions are available through the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan. Financing for strategic international investment projects in Kazakhstan is also provided through the Baiterek Holding.

“We are consolidating financing, insurance, and guarantee instruments into a unified support system, resulting in the creation of new jobs, increased tax revenues, and the inflow of high-quality investments. Currently, Baiterek is transitioning to the model of a proactive investment holding. Together with the Government, a pool of promising projects totaling around USD 170 billion through 2032 has been formed. In implementing this large-scale strategy, the role of Berne Union members in providing insurance and co-financing instruments becomes particularly significant,” said Rustam Karagoyshin, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC National Managing Holding Baiterek.

The high potential of the capital as an investment attraction center was also highlighted by Yuichiro Akita, President of the Berne Union. In his opinion, the choice of Astana as the venue for the spring session recognizes the city’s role as a key link between East and West, where the interests of the world’s largest economies intersect.

“Since the times of the Great Silk Road, Kazakhstan has consistently served as a strategic crossroads for global trade, investment, and ideas. Today, this status is becoming increasingly relevant amid the fundamental transformation of global financial flows. We are witnessing a clear shift of capital toward developed economies, driven by the priorities of green recovery, energy transition, and strengthening defense capabilities. In this environment, the role of export credit agencies as strategic development institutions becomes decisive. The selection of Astana for this Berne Union meeting is deeply symbolic — it confirms Kazakhstan’s status as the leading investment and financial hub of the region,” stressed Yuichiro Akita.

The significance of the forum is further underscored by global figures: as of 2025, the total volume of insurance coverage provided annually by Berne Union members amounts to approximately USD 3.7 trillion, accounting for around 13% of global cross-border trade turnover.

The plenary session continued with panel discussions on the global economic agenda, investment and development strategies in Central Asia, as well as financing and innovation issues. The central theme, “Crossroads,” served as the guiding concept for discussions on the following topics:

• digitalization of the financial sector and AI implementation;
• adaptation of development institutions to geopolitical changes;
• improvement of risk assessment mechanisms;
• creation of conditions for long-term export financing.

Allen Chaizhunusov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan, noted that the Agency is systematically integrating innovative approaches into the non-resource export promotion system, including the implementation of ESG principles into underwriting processes. Hosting such a significant forum in Astana confirms Kazakhstan’s status as a key regional financial hub. The event is expected to positively influence perceptions of the country’s investment climate among OECD member states, whose representatives form the core of the Berne Union.

During the session, strategic agreements were signed between the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan and major international financial institutions — Türk Eximbank, Saudi EXIM Bank, BAEZ, and ASHRA. The signed documents are aimed at developing mechanisms for mutual reinsurance of export risks, co-financing investment projects, and promoting Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports to the markets of the Middle East and Europe.

The implementation of the agreements reached will strengthen support for domestic producers and exporters, enhance the resilience of foreign trade operations, expand access of Kazakh businesses to international financial instruments, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s integration into the global financial and economic system.

At the same time, the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan is a candidate for membership in the Short-Term Insurance Committee, which is regarded as a transition to a fundamentally new level of international integration and recognition of the Agency as a full-fledged participant in the global expert community.

The plenary session concluded with a series of bilateral B2B meetings. The forum will continue on March 13–14 with meetings of профильных committees and the Prague Club. Following the discussions, it was officially announced that the next meeting of the Union will be hosted by Tokyo, Japan.

Background Information:

Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan is a national development institution specializing in the support and promotion of non-resource exports. The company is part of the structure of Baiterek National Managing Holding and is a full member of the Prague Club of the Berne Union.

Berne Union is the leading international non-profit organization uniting the world’s largest export credit and investment insurers. Founded in 1934 in Bern, Switzerland, the Union is currently headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The organization’s activities are aimed at promoting global trade, implementing international standards in export crediting, and creating a platform for intergovernmental exchange of expertise and information.