ASTANA, Kazakhstan, November 10. Kazakhstan and Russia reached an agreement to jointly assess prospective cargo volumes passing through their shared border checkpoints and to support the further development of the North–South corridor to increase bilateral and transit freight, following the 26th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Russia Intergovernmental Commission in Astana, Trend reports.
The meeting, co-chaired by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, focused on expanding railway shipments, including prospects linked to the September launch of double tracks on the Dostyk–Moynty section and growing China–Europe–China transit.
Kazakhstan also raised concerns about the reduced stay period for foreign drivers in Russia, and the Russian side confirmed readiness to facilitate restoring the 180-day allowance for Kazakh international transport operators.
Furthermore, the two countries agreed to expand trade in agricultural products, including exploring the removal of phytosanitary restrictions on flax and lentil seeds and enabling grain transit through Russia. Discussions covered cooperation in energy, finance, oil and gas, nuclear power, industry, IT, tourism, education, and standardization.
The delegations signed the session protocol, with the next Intergovernmental Commission meeting scheduled for 2026 in Omsk, Russia.