At the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Askar Mamin, the draft Concept of the State Program for Trade Development in 2021-2025 was considered.

The concept was introduced by the Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov, reports on the relevance of the issue and approaches to the development of trade in Kazakhstan were made by the World Bank Representative Sjamsu Rahardja and First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Finance Alikhan Smailov.

Trade occupies 17% of Kazakhstan's GDP. At the end of 2019, the industry grew at a rate of 7.6%, and the number of employees reached 1.4 million. Kazakhstan's foreign trade turnover amounted to $96.1 billion, including export of $57.7 billion and import of $38.4 billion. Domestic trade turnover exceeded 37.5 trillion tenge, which is 11% more than in 2018.

The goal of the developed state program is the creation and improvement of a modern trading system that ensures saturation of the market with quality products and the competitiveness of exported goods and services.

The key objectives are to improve the quality and safety of products, the formation of high-quality human capital in the trade sector, the provision of an optimized digital trading process, the creation of a multi-format trade and distribution infrastructure, a comfortable consumer environment, diversification of the import and export of non-primary goods and services, and the creation of favorable conditions for domestic producers domestic and foreign markets.

According to preliminary estimates, the implementation of the state program will require about 285 billion tenge, including private investment. Fulfillment of the planned tasks will allow by 2025 to increase the average annual real gross value added of trade by 106.2%, raise the level of application of national standards from 41% to 75%, increase non-resource exports of goods and services to $41 billion, and increase the share of electronic commerce from retail turnover to 10%.

The state program will provide for measures to form a commodity distribution system, develop exchange, cross-border and electronic commerce, improve technical regulation instruments and protect consumer rights.

The head of government instructed the Ministry of Trade and Integration by July 1, 2020, to ensure the introduction of the draft state program in the Government, and central and local executive bodies — to take an active part in the development of the document.

“The document should establish guidelines for creating a favorable consumer environment, providing the population with high-quality and safe products, as well as increasing the competitiveness of Kazakhstani goods and services in foreign markets. The protection and promotion of national interests in the framework of international cooperation should also be one of the main goals of the program being developed,” said Mamin.