Kazakhstan's planned export items for Italy.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has underscored the need to strengthen trade cooperation, particularly in the realms of joint projects and expanding product lines - focusing on high-value, non-resource goods. As part of this effort, he proposed the establishment of an Italian trade house in Almaty.
The Italian trade house, initially a proposal, is seen as a strategic move to deepen bilateral trade ties and increase the export of non-raw material products. This proposed entity is expected to facilitate the export of nearly 100 commodity items, paving the way for closer economic relations.
The idea for the Italian trading house surfaced during the first "Central Asia + Italy" summit held on May 30, 2025. The summit also resulted in agreements regarding investment promotion, industrial development, and financial institutions, providing a supportive framework for the proposed trade house and other projects.
Agricultural products have been identified as a significant focus, with Central Asian countries aiming to increase agricultural exports to Europe. The Italian trade house is expected to act as a key conduit for agricultural goods and potentially related processed items with higher added value.
In addition, there is a strong emphasis on cooperation in agricultural raw material processing and the production of high-tech, high-value non-resource products. This suggests that the trading house would serve as a hub for promoting such goods, bolstering trade both domestically and internationally.
Education and research cooperation were also highlighted at the summit. The idea of a “Central Asia–Italy” Scientific and Educational Consortium was proposed, aiming to promote research, academic exchanges, and training in relevant fields such as biotechnology and water-saving technologies. This initiative, complementing the trading house's goals, links scientific and educational advancements with trade and industry development.
The trading house forms part of a larger strategy to strengthen transcontinental connectivity, revive the Silk Road, and foster green transformation and sustainability efforts. Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Italy reached $20 billion in 2024 and is growing, with Italy being a major investor in Kazakhstan. The trading house is poised to contribute to this growth by facilitating the export of diversified products, especially in agriculture and high-tech sectors.
In summary, the Italian trade house in Almaty, a proposal emerging from recent high-level diplomatic engagement, aims to boost trade, particularly in agricultural products and high-value processed goods. It is designed to strengthen economic, educational, and research ties between Italy and Central Asia, serving as a key node in expanding trade of sophisticated non-resource products and fostering innovation and sustainability collaborations. While specifics on its launch remain forthcoming, it is clearly a focal project underpinning the wider Italy-Central Asia partnership agenda solidified in 2025.
I, as an individual stakeholder, foresee the Italian trade house in Almaty significantly enhancing my lifestyle by offering a wider array of food-and-drink items and other non-raw material products, contributing to a more diverse business environment. The establishment and operation of this trade house will potentially open up lucrative opportunities in the agriculture and high-tech sectors, thereby fostering an increased economic interdependence between Italy and Central Asia.
