Brussels Talks Explore New Business Opportunities Between Belgium and Kazakhstan

Brussels, 4 June 2025 — The third meeting of the Belgium–Kazakhstan Business Council was held at the headquarters of Beci – Brussels Chamber of Commerce, marking a significant step in strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

The event was organised by the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan with the support of BECI, Belgian Chambers, and the regional export and investment promotion agencies AWEX, Flanders Investment & Trade and hub.brussels. The meeting brought together representatives of government bodies, business associations and the private sector interested in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Opening remarks were delivered by BECI CEO Thierry Geerts, the Ambassador of Belgium to Kazakhstan Mr Henri Vantieghem, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium Mr Margulan Baimukhan, the President of the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan Mr Denis Van den Weghe, and the Chairman of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan Mr Murat Karimsakov. They underlined the importance of sustained business dialogue and the role of the private sector in developing foreign economic ties.

A panel discussion on trade and investment prospects featured representatives of leading regional agencies — Yves Richard (AWEX), John Verzele (FIT) and Arne Artbelien (hub.brussels) — who outlined current trends and support instruments. Didier Duponcelle, Head of the Business Unit at Ahlers Logistics, shared the company's experience operating in Kazakhstan, highlighting the importance of logistics reliability and local presence. The panel concluded with a presentation by Murtaza Arifov, shareholder of Artex Holding and Honorary Consul of Belgium for Mangystau Region, who offered a practical business perspective on developing the partnership.

The second part of the event addressed institutional mechanisms aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation. Deputy Chairman of the Baiterek Holding Timur Onzhanov, Credendo export credit agency representative Wim Bosman, KazakhExport department director Askhat Abay, and Anna Sussarova, partner at the law firm Pravolex and Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Walloon Brabant, covered issues of financing, export credit insurance and legal support for foreign trade contracts.

Participants of the Kazakh trade mission — the companies New Generation, Emerging Markets Group, Batys WoodWorks Production, Artex Holding and Astana NAN — presented their projects, demonstrating strong export and investment potential. Their participation confirmed the Council's practical focus and interest in establishing direct business contacts with Belgian partners.

Holding the meeting in Brussels confirmed the relevance of the Business Council format as an effective platform for promoting mutually beneficial partnership and expanding cooperation between Belgium and Kazakhstan in key sectors of the economy.