Commerce extérieur
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The Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce led a trade mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, bringing Luxembourg companies to two of Central Asia’s most dynamic markets. Through business forums, targeted B2B meetings, company visits and networking opportunities, the mission aimed to support Luxembourg companies in establishing local contacts and strengthening their presence in the region.
Central Asia is increasingly attracting international interest as a strategic bridge between Europe and Asia. Three years after its previous mission to Almaty and Astana, the Chamber of Commerce returned to Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, which continues to strengthen its position as a major hub for trade, logistics and investment. The mission then continued to Uzbekistan, where ongoing economic reforms and the country’s growing international openness are creating new opportunities for foreign businesses and investors.
Both countries are investing heavily in innovation, industrial development and digitalisation, making them particularly attractive markets for Luxembourg companies looking to diversify their international activities.
Almaty: At the Heart of the Big Apple of Central Asia
The programme began with the Luxembourg–Kazakhstan Business Forum in Almaty, which brought together more than 40 representatives of the Luxembourg and Kazakh business communities. It provided an opportunity for Luxembourg companies to present their activities and engage with Kazakhstan’s business ecosystem and key local partners, including the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce, Honorary Consul of Luxembourg to Kazakhstan Mr. Marc Bassot, Kazakh Invest and Almaty Invest. A series of targeted B2B meetings complemented the forum, enabling Luxembourg companies to discuss cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations with potential partners.
The delegation also gained first-hand insights into several areas of Kazakhstan’s evolving economic landscape through company and institutional visits. At DAMU Logistics, participants discovered the activities of a leading 3PL operator in Central Asia. A visit to Almaty Hub offered an introduction to the country’s growing IT and innovation ecosystem, where the local start-ups pitched their solutions. A visit to the office of Alatau City, an ambitious new urban development project, gave the delegation a peek into Kazakhstan’s vision for the cities of tomorrow and the opportunities emerging around infrastructure, innovation and sustainable development.
The programme in Almaty concluded with a networking reception, providing an additional opportunity for Luxembourg and Kazakh business representatives to further develop the connections established during the mission.
Exploring new opportunities in Uzbekistan
The delegation then continued to Tashkent for the second part of the trade mission. The Luxembourg–Uzbekistan Business Forum included contributions from the BeNeLux Chamber in Uzbekistan, the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Agency for Promotion of Foreign Investment and EUROUZ, providing participating companies with insights into the Uzbek market. Dedicated B2B meetings were an important part of the programme, allowing Luxembourg and Uzbek companies to establish new contacts.
In addition to business meetings, the delegation visited several companies illustrating the diversity and dynamism of Uzbekistan’s economy.
Visits to JNSLABS and DENTAFILL highlighted developments in the cosmetics, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Luxembourg companies also explored the country’s expanding technology ecosystem through visits to Qualcore and IT Park Uzbekistan, where discussions focused on software development, digitalisation and Uzbekistan’s ambitions in the technology sector.
The programme was complemented by a networking reception bringing together members of the Luxembourg and Uzbek business communities. A visit to the Islamic Civilization Center also offered participants an insight into one of Tashkent’s major educational and cultural projects.
Strengthening Luxembourg’s engagement with Central Asia
Across both countries, the mission highlighted the scale of transformation currently taking place throughout Central Asia. From logistics infrastructure and innovation hubs to advanced manufacturing and technology services, participants were able to witness how Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are positioning themselves as increasingly important economic and technological centres in the region.
At the same time, the mission provided an opportunity to showcase Luxembourg’s strengths as a leading European innovation ecosystem and to explore synergies in areas where both countries can collaborate. It also highlighted Luxembourg’s role as a strategic gateway to the European Single Market for Central Asian companies seeking to expand across Europe.
Cindy Tereba, CTO and Director of International Affairs at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, stated: “Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are becoming increasingly important partners for Luxembourgish businesses seeking new growth opportunities along the Europe-Asia corridor. This mission highlighted the strong potential for closer cooperation between Luxembourg and Central Asia, while giving participating companies valuable insights into these rapidly evolving markets and the opportunity to explore new partnerships.”
The Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all participating companies, local partners and organisations in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan whose support and active involvement contributed to the success of the mission.
Looking ahead, the Chamber of Commerce will continue supporting Luxembourg companies in their internationalisation efforts by creating opportunities to engage with promising markets and develop long-term business partnerships across Central Asia and beyond.
