Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said trade turnover between member states of the Eurasian Economic Union is expected to surpass the $100-billion mark this year, despite ongoing instability in global markets.Speaking at an expanded meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana on Friday, Tokayev said mutual trade among EAEU countries exceeded $95 billion last year and is projected to grow by more than six percent in 2026.“According to forecasts, the growth rate of the combined GDP of the Union member states in 2026-2027 is expected to be around 2.5 percent,” Tokayev stated.
He stressed that the EAEU must adapt to new global realities by strengthening internal resilience and boosting competitiveness amid structural shifts in the world economy.Tokayev highlighted digitalisation and artificial intelligence as key drivers of future economic growth, saying success would depend on the speed of data processing, automation, and innovation adoption.
The Kazakh president also called for expanding the Union’s ties with the Arab world, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while noting that negotiations on a free trade agreement with India were actively progressing.The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and Eurasian Economic Forum meetings are being held in Astana on May 28-29, with leaders from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan discussing trade, industry, energy co-operation, transport corridors, and digital transformation within the bloc.
