Almaty Forum Advances Digital Trade Solutions for Landlocked Economies in Central Asia

An Expert Group Meeting on “Leveraging Trade and Trade Facilitation for Sustainable Development in North and Central Asia”, organized by the Subregional Office for North and Central Asia of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), was held on March 6 – 7, 2025, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, with hybrid participation from policymakers and regional stakeholders. Focused on overcoming structural barriers in landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), the forum highlighted stark realities: LLDCs in the sub region account for just 0.64% of global merchandise trade and 0.48% of commercial services trade, despite recent growth. Strategic discussions centered on digital trade frameworks, climate-resilient customs modernization, and regional integration mechanisms to unlock the region’s sustainable trade potential.

Dr. Hans Holzhacker, former Chief Economist and consultant for the CAREC Institute, underscored unfinished priorities in digital trade during his intervention. “While trade facilitation through digital reforms has the potential to cut CAREC economies trade costs by up to 17% ,” he noted, “critical gaps persist, with electronic customs declarations most advanced while automating the submission of certificates of origin and phytosanitary documentation is still lagging.” He also cautioned against uneven trade facilitation impacts because of increased import competition, urging synchronized policies: “Lower trade barriers must be paired with industrial upgrading programs and workforce reskilling to protect domestic sectors from abrupt market shifts.”