ASTANA — Kazakhstan and Mongolia reaffirmed their commitment to increasing bilateral trade turnover to $500 million, as Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin met with Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Khassuuri Gankhuyag on Jan. 24.
Khassuuri Gankhuyag and Serik Zhumangarin. Photo credit: Prime Minister’s press service.
Zhumangarin described Mongolia as an important partner for Kazakhstan in the Asian region, noting that bilateral relations have consistently developed in a spirit of mutual respect and trust rooted in deep historical ties, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
The talks focused on trade and economic cooperation as the foundation of the Kazakh-Mongolian partnership, including the shared goal of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $500 million in the medium term. The counterparts expressed confidence that this target can be achieved by expanding the range of mutual supplies, developing cooperation projects, and gradually eliminating trade and administrative barriers.
From January to November 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Mongolia reached $121.5 million, an increase of 5.5%. Kazakhstan’s exports totaled $113 million and included tobacco products, rapeseed, bread, flour, confectionery products, food products, oilseeds, as well as engines and mechanical engineering goods. Imports from Mongolia amounted to $8.6 million and consisted mainly of meat and meat products, cashmere, footwear, carpets, and wool products.
To further increase trade turnover, Kazakhstan plans to send a trade mission to Mongolia to establish direct business contacts and present its industrial and free economic zones, as well as its export potential.
The officials also highlighted the strong potential for cooperation in agriculture. Discussions covered expanding exports of Kazakhstan’s agricultural products and exploring opportunities to supply veterinary vaccines, including the possibility of localizing their production in Mongolia.
Gankhuyag, in turn, emphasized Kazakhstan’s strategic importance to Mongolia as a regional partner and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would intensify this year. He underscored Kazakhstan’s role as a link between Mongolia and Central Asia and voiced interest in establishing a joint working group to identify and remove non-tariff barriers. The Mongolian side also expressed interest in deepening cooperation in standardization, veterinary protection, and livestock farming.
