BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29. The route
interdependence between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan within the
framework of the Middle Corridor creates a unique foundation for
the joint development of artificial intelligence (AI)-based
solutions in trade and transport logistics, Kazakhstan’s Vice
Minister of Trade and Integration Aset Nusupov told Trend in an exclusive
interview.
“Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are two countries whose digital
ecosystems are developing in similar directions. At the same time,
the route interdependence of the two countries through the Middle
Corridor creates unique ground for joint AI solutions,” Nusupov
said.
According to him, among the most promising areas of cooperation
is predictive management of cargo flows at the intersection of
Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) and the Baku International Sea Trade Port
in Alat, which will help optimize schedules, minimize idle time and
reduce risks for transport and logistics companies.
Other promising areas include the creation of a common platform
for monitoring prices of key commodity groups to coordinate trade
policies, the introduction of AI agents for processing
documentation in multimodal transportation with automatic data
matching from the information systems of the two countries, as well
as the joint development of AI tools for assessing risks in
cross-border trade.
“By synchronizing our AI systems in logistics, we will ensure
that the speed of goods movement along the route increases, while
unpredictability decreases. This benefits shippers across the
entire region,” Nusupov emphasized.
The Vice Minister noted that Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan relations are
experiencing one of the most dynamic periods in their history.
“At the end of 2024, bilateral trade turnover amounted to $536
million, and already in January-May 2026, mutual trade exceeded
$150 million. This pace, if maintained, will allow us to
confidently move toward the $1 billion mark,” he said.
According to him, a specific set of instruments has been
developed to achieve this goal, including the Roadmap for the
Development of Trade and Economic Cooperation.
As the Vice Minister noted, the document provides for
diversification of the commodity basket, in particular, reducing
dependence on a narrow range of export items and expanding access
for Kazakhstan’s non-resource goods to the Azerbaijani market.
Another area is the development of direct B2B contacts through the
organization of business missions and sector-specific exhibitions,
including with the participation of JSC QazTrade.
In addition, the roadmap provides for the introduction of a
digital permit system for international road transportation, which
has already been announced by both countries. The synchronization
of digital customs clearance systems is also planned, which will
help reduce administrative barriers and shorten cargo transit
times.
“Thus, Azerbaijan is a strategic partner for us in logistics,
trade and energy. We are convinced that the potential of bilateral
relations significantly exceeds the current figures, and we have
all the tools to realize it,” Nusupov said.
The Vice Minister noted that digitalization of trade is one of
Kazakhstan’s absolute priorities.
“Our country is among the world’s top 25 countries in the UN
E-Government Development Index (24th place out of 193 countries),
while in the online services sub-index we rank third. This is not
accidental. It is the result of a consistent policy,” he said.
Among the key areas of digital trade, the Vice Minister
highlighted the Product Traceability Information System, which has
been operating normally since December 2025. Around 2,400
participants are connected to the system, 485 agreements have been
concluded, and more than 6,100 electronic invoices have been
issued. According to him, the system ensures full traceability of
goods — from the manufacturer to the end consumer.
In addition, the Vice Minister drew attention to the National
Product Catalogue (NPC), which became mandatory for all trade
participants from January 1, 2026. As of today, more than 30.5
million product items have been registered in the system, and the
unique NTIN identifier has been introduced.
Nusupov also highlighted Kazakhstan’s progress in developing
electronic declaration and paperless document flow, noting that all
airports and airlines in the country have switched to the e-Freight
system in accordance with IATA standards.
He separately focused on the implementation of digital permits
for international road transportation, calling the joint initiative
with Azerbaijan an important step toward eliminating bureaucratic
delays on transport routes.
“For Azerbaijan, we see the greatest potential specifically in
integrating digital product traceability systems and jointly using
electronic document management platforms. This will reduce the time
required for goods to pass through Caspian ports and make the route
even more competitive,” Nusupov noted.
According to him, the first steps have already been taken toward
integrating the digital trade platforms of Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan in order to simplify cross-border trade and reduce
administrative procedures.
“The introduction of a joint digital permit system for road
freight transportation is a clear example of how platform
integration works in practice: queues disappear, waiting times are
reduced, and supply chain predictability increases. I am convinced
that in a world full of instability and shocks, this is exactly
what businesses urgently need,” Nusupov noted.
According to him, the next logical step is the integration of
information systems in the field of customs administration.
“According to estimates, the implementation of digital
interaction within the EAEU alone will reduce the duration of
customs procedures by 20–25%. Together with Azerbaijan, as a key
transit partner along the Middle Corridor, the effect will become
even more significant,” he emphasized.
Among the promising areas of integration, the Vice Minister
identified the real-time exchange of data on cargo flows through
the ports of Aktau and Alat, mutual recognition of electronic
accompanying documents, the creation of a single digital “window”
for processing multimodal shipments along the Kazakhstan–Caspian
Sea–Azerbaijan–Georgia–Europe route, as well as the integration of
platforms for monitoring price trends in the commodity markets of
the two countries.
“Our task is to create such a digital environment where the
goods are ‘visible’ to the systems of both countries from the
moment of shipment until delivery. This will allow us to speak the
same language, which, in my view, is especially symbolic given the
Turkic foundation of our nations,” he emphasized.
Speaking about the use of AI, Nusupov noted that Kazakhstan
seeks to use technologies to address specific practical tasks of
business and the state.
“As you may know, our President declared this year the Year of
Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. It is very important
for us that artificial intelligence solves specific practical tasks
of business and the state, including those related to digital
infrastructure. It is enough to provide several specific examples
from recent years,” he said.
According to him, the National Product Catalogue already has
built-in AI that processes hundreds of thousands of applications
for product registration. At the moderation stage alone, there were
749,000 applications, which the system processes automatically.
This represents a fundamentally different level of speed and
accuracy compared with manual processing.
“We should not forget that even virtues have their downsides,
which is why we take a pragmatic approach to cybersecurity issues.
We have introduced an AI agent for processing information security
events. It analyzes the flow of events, identifies anomalies,
filters false positives and forwards only confirmed threats to
specialists. As a result, the number of false alerts has been
reduced by 70%, while the workload of SOC analysts has been reduced
from thousands of events to 10–20 priority incidents per day. This
has allowed us to move from a reactive model to proactive cyber
protection,” Nusupov said.
He added that Kazakhstan is in the process of implementing an AI
agent for attribute-based classification within the General
Classifier of Goods, Works and Services. It independently analyzes
vast volumes of technical specifications, matches product items,
and creates and verifies nomenclature cards. More than 160,000
attribute cards have already been created, and mapping of over
20,000 ENS TRU items with the classifier has been completed.
The Vice Minister added that Kazakhstan is also studying the
experience of countries where AI is already used for risk analysis,
cargo profiling and predictive customs control.
“Kazakhstan has the resources for this: the national Alem.Cloud
cluster, created on the instructions of the Head of State, has
entered the TOP-500 list of the world’s supercomputers (ranked
86th). Once again, I would like to emphasize that our approach is
progressive, but at the same time pragmatic. We are not trying to
replace ourselves with AI agents. They serve us in achieving a
higher goal,” Nusupov said.
The Vice Minister also emphasized that the Middle Corridor, or
the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), has become
one of Kazakhstan’s main strategic assets of the past decade.
“The figures speak for themselves. Over three years, from 2022
to 2025, the volume of transportation along the route increased
more than fivefold. By the end of 2025, total cargo traffic reached
4.5–4.7 million tonnes, of which container transportation amounted
to 76,900 TEU (36% more than a year earlier),” Nusupov noted.
He reported that in the first quarter of 2026, 125 container
trains passed along the route, which is 34.4% more than in the same
period last year. During the same period, 85 trains operated on the
Xi’an–Alat Port route (twice as many as a year earlier). Delivery
times along the route were almost halved, decreasing from 28–32
days to 11–13 days.
“The importance of the corridor for Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan
cooperation can hardly be overstated. It is precisely through
Azerbaijan that the key section of the route on the western leg
passes. The Baku Port in Alat is currently the largest on the
Caspian Sea, with a capacity of up to 15 million tonnes and plans
to expand it to 25 million tonnes. Kazakhstan, in turn, is rapidly
developing the ports of Aktau and Kuryk: the capacity of port
infrastructure is planned to be increased to 30 million tonnes per
year,” Nusupov said.
The Vice Minister noted that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the EAEU in 2026, identified
logistics as the second of five priorities for integration.
“I can say without exaggeration that the Middle Corridor is a
joint project of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, and our interests in
its development fully coincide. I would even say that this is a
shared legacy that we will be able to proudly leave for future
generations,” Nusupov said.
He added that the joint development of logistics structures
between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan remains one of the promising
areas.
“There is no doubt that interest in joint logistics structures
is high on both sides. Already today, maritime transportation of
Kazakhstan’s oil along the Aktau–BTC route (Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan
pipeline) is carried out on a parity basis: on the Kazakh side by
the National Maritime Shipping Company Kazmortransflot, and on the
Azerbaijani side by ASCO. This is an existing model of joint
logistics that needs to be expanded to new segments,” the Vice
Minister noted.
He added that in 2023, KazMunayGas and SOCAR signed a Memorandum
on strategic cooperation for the transit of Kazakhstan’s oil, and
in 2024 they signed an Agreement on the phased increase of transit
volumes through the BTC pipeline. The volume of supplies along this
route is growing: 1.06 million tonnes in 2023, 1.42 million tonnes
in 2024, and 1.3 million tonnes in 2025. From January to May of the
current year, the volume has already reached 0.6 million
tonnes.
“As for the container and dry cargo segments, Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan have signed a Roadmap for the synchronized elimination
of bottlenecks and the development of the Middle Corridor for
2022–2027. The document directly provides for the development of
joint logistics solutions,” the Vice Minister noted.
Among the key areas, he highlighted the development of port
infrastructure. In particular, a new container hub is being created
at the Port of Aktau, which will increase capacity from 70,000 to
240,000 TEU by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, the Port of Alat plans
modernization with an increase in cargo handling capacity to 25
million tonnes.
Nusupov also noted that the European Union’s allocation of €2
billion for the development of Middle Corridor infrastructure
provides additional momentum for the implementation of joint
investment projects.
“Thus, such solutions are a logical next step. Both countries
have infrastructure, benefit from growing cargo flows, but more
importantly, both states are building the future based on their
shared past,” the Vice Minister emphasized.
Nusupov also spoke about the role of the National Product
Catalogue in the development of digital trade.
“The National Product Catalogue is, without exaggeration, a
large-scale infrastructure project for Kazakhstan’s trade. I would
like to emphasize that the NPC is not a one-time control measure.
It is an element of a new trade architecture being formed in
Kazakhstan. The NPC is a unified digital database where each
product receives its own ‘passport’,” he said.
The Vice Minister explained that the catalogue contains product
names and characteristics, as well as a unique national NTIN code
(a 13-digit identifier by which a product can be recognized in any
government or commercial system). Previously, different government
systems used at least five separate reference directories (ENS TRU,
KZ TIN, HS Code, OKED, and KPVED).
“Because of this, the same product could have different names in
customs, statistics and public procurement systems. This
inconsistency led to data duplication, errors and difficulties in
traceability. The NPC solves the problem of this so-called ‘digital
Babylon’. It brings data together in one place, makes it unified
and reliable. This significantly simplifies business operations and
makes the market more transparent,” Nusupov said.
According to him, the implementation of the NPC is especially
important for large product ecosystems, where goods turnover is
rapid and their origin and characteristics are often “blurred.”
“The NPC brings the market to a qualitatively new level of
transparency. A single source of data, unified logic and
identifiers create a trusted environment for everyone — from
manufacturers and businesses to end consumers. As you know, the
catalogue is currently actively developing. More than 30 million
products have already been registered in it,” Nusupov said.
He emphasized that, when implementing the NPC, Kazakhstan is
building the system in a way that ensures digitalization does not
create additional barriers for businesses.
According to the Vice Minister, this includes the phased
introduction of a digital product passport without suspending
companies’ operations, the use of a temporary XTIN code until a
permanent NTIN identifier is assigned, as well as a simplified
registration procedure with the number of mandatory fields reduced
to seven. At the initial stage, an electronic digital signature is
not required for registration.
In addition, Nusupov noted that significant attention is being
paid to interaction with businesses during the development of the
system. According to him, around one hundred meetings have already
been held, and most of the existing solutions are the result of
consultations with manufacturers and industry associations.
He also recalled that in January this year, a memorandum was
signed with the Ministry of Finance and the National Chamber of
Entrepreneurs “Atameken”, providing for transition periods for
various categories of market participants. According to him, this
time is being used for awareness-raising efforts, dialogue with
businesses and registration of participants in the system.
“Thus, we are not simply exercising control, but building a
system that is convenient for businesses, applying an
industry-specific approach so that product data is reliable and
immediately applicable,” Nusupov emphasized.
He stressed that the NPC is the foundation on which the entire
architecture of digital trade is being built. Its impact is
multi-layered. Within the country, it serves as a “single digital
passport”: from the manufacturer to the point of sale, the state,
businesses and consumers can see the full chain.
According to him, this forms the basis for the traceability
system, which has been actively developing since December 2025.
“For trade digitalization, the NPC has become a point of
integration: its connection with electronic invoices, cash
registers and the public procurement portal ensures seamless data
transfer between all participants. No transaction remains in the
‘shadow’. I would like to emphasize that this regulatory measure is
aimed not at excessive control, but at creating a safe and trusted
environment for trade,” Nusupov noted.
He also emphasized that the NPC creates new opportunities for
cross-border interaction.
“A unified product identifier is a universal ‘language’
understood by any trading system. When a product is exported from
Kazakhstan, its NTIN accompanies the shipment, simplifying customs
clearance in the destination country, provided that identifiers are
mutually recognized. Belarus and Uzbekistan have similar
experience, having introduced comparable systems earlier,” Nusupov
noted.
According to him, the system is continuously improved both
through dialogue with businesses and industry communities, as well
as through cooperation with international partners, which
represents another step in Kazakhstan’s adaptation to changing
global trade rules.
He emphasized that the integration of the NPC with the digital
platforms of partner countries, including Azerbaijan, is considered
a strategic direction.
“The logic here is simple: if Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are key
partners along the Middle Corridor, then synchronization of product
identifiers means that cargo leaving our port is already ‘visible’
in the Azerbaijani side’s system before crossing the Caspian
border,” Nusupov said.
He added that integration of the NPC with the digital platforms
of partner countries will make it possible to implement a number of
practical solutions.
In particular, these include automatic advance notification of
customs authorities about incoming cargo, which will reduce
processing times at ports, mutual recognition of product
identifiers to eliminate duplication during document processing, as
well as joint efforts to combat counterfeit products and parallel
imports.
According to the Vice Minister, a unified database will reduce
opportunities for unscrupulous market participants to manipulate
product descriptions during customs procedures.
“Kazakhstan is actively cooperating in this area with EAEU
countries, and integration with Azerbaijan is a special priority.
Especially since our countries already have experience in linking
digital solutions in the transport sector. This creates a strong
institutional foundation. We believe that the road is mastered by
those who walk it, and therefore we still have much to accomplish
together,” Nusupov emphasized.
In conclusion, the Vice Minister noted that Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan, in general, have significant potential to expand
cooperation in industry, energy, the agro-industrial sector, the
digital economy and logistics.
“The prospects for Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan cooperation are broader
than is commonly perceived. We see several key areas, each of which
can make a significant contribution across a range of sectors,”
Nusupov said.
According to him, one of the key areas remains the transport and
logistics sector. The Middle Corridor continues to gain momentum:
cargo traffic growth in the first quarter of the current year
amounted to 34.4% year-on-year, while the joint development of
port, railway and digital infrastructure remains a shared priority
for the two countries for years to come.
He noted that significant potential also remains in the energy
sector. Kazakhstan continues to transport oil through the
Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline: in 2024, the volume of supplies
reached 1.42 million tonnes and is expected to increase in line
with the agreement on the phased expansion of transit volumes. At
the same time, interest in cooperation in the field of green energy
is growing, where both countries have significant potential.
In addition, the Vice Minister identified the agro-industrial
sector as a promising area. According to him, Kazakhstan is one of
the largest producers of grain, oilseeds and meat, while Azerbaijan
represents a growing market; therefore, the potential for mutual
food trade remains significantly underutilized.
Nusupov also emphasized that both countries are actively
investing in digitalization, and joint projects in the fields of
artificial intelligence, digital trade and e-government open up
almost limitless opportunities for growth.
He separately highlighted the prospects for industrial
cooperation. According to him, Kazakhstan produces metals, chemical
products and processed raw materials, while Azerbaijan is actively
developing its non-oil industry, creating real opportunities for
the formation of joint production chains.
“Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are two states that are looking in
the same direction: toward a modern, technology-driven and open
economy. Our path toward $1 billion in trade turnover is a path
toward a qualitatively new level of relations,” he said.
