Astana hosts the Berne union Spring meeting: Kazakhstan strengthens its status as a regional investment hub

Today, the Berne Union Spring Meeting — the world’s largest international association of export credit and investment insurers — officially commenced in Astana. The forum has brought together more than 200 delegates from over 70 countries. Executives of leading export credit agencies, export-import banks, international financial institutions, and global insurance corporations have arrived in Astana to participate in the event. Among the participants are such prominent organizations as Bpifrance, Credendo, Euler Hermes, SACE, SINOSURE, US EXIM, and other major players in the global market.

Strategic Partnerships and New Markets

The series of events opened with a business breakfast hosted by the management of the Baiterek National Managing Holding Group with the heads of global financial institutions. The discussion was attended by Berne Union President and Head of Japan’s NEXI, Yuichiro Akita, CEO of ICIEC Khalid Khalafalla, as well as the heads of Türkiye’s TurkExim, Saudi Arabia’s Saudi EXIM, and Kuwait’s DHAMAN.

The parties discussed the integration of Kazakhstan’s financial instruments into the global export financing system. The key priorities identified included:

• promoting non-resource exports through the implementation of international insurance standards;
• attracting foreign investment into Kazakhstan’s high-tech sectors;
• deepening partnerships with development institutions from the MENA region and Southeast Asia.

Key agreements

During the session, the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan signed two strategic documents:

• Agreement with TurkExim: introduces mutual reinsurance mechanisms to support joint initiatives in third countries and facilitate investment projects in Kazakhstan.
• Memorandum with Saudi EXIM: aimed at strengthening trade ties with the Middle East through co-financing and joint guarantees to promote Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports.

Transformation into a proactive investment hub

On the sidelines of the forum, Baiterek Holding held bilateral meetings with representatives of ICIEC, Turk Eximbank, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA, a member of the World Bank Group). Discussions focused on decarbonization (“green” investments), the development of transit potential between Central Asia and Europe, and the implementation of ESG standards.

“Starting this year, we transitioned to a new operating model by transforming into a fully-fledged investment holding company. Our strategy is focused on proactive capital attraction and comprehensive support for high value-added projects. In 2025 alone, more than KZT 10.4 trillion was directed into the national economy through the Holding’s financial instruments,” said Rustam Karagoyshin, Chairman of the Management Board of Baiterek National Managing Holding.

Global trends and the Berne Union’s 2025 results

During the Berne Union Management Committee meeting, the organization’s 2025 report was presented. The total volume of supported cross-border trade reached a historic high of USD 3.7 trillion. Delegates emphasized that amid global transformation, the following priorities are becoming increasingly important:

• ensuring the stability of critical raw material supply chains;
• long-term financing of nuclear energy projects;
• digitalization of the industry, including the implementation of AI and large language models for data analysis.

Expansion and Aman Union

In parallel, the Executive Council meeting of Aman Union — the association of export credit agencies from OIC member states — took place, focusing on the development of credit bureaus and insurance institutions. The Berne Union also reviewed membership applications from new candidates, including Lloyd’s underwriters, reflecting the organization’s ongoing diversification trend.

The forum will continue on May 12 with the Berne Union Plenary Session, while meetings of профильных committees and the Prague Club are scheduled for May 13–14. Hosting an event of this scale in Astana further reinforces Kazakhstan’s role as a key financial hub in Central Asia.

Source: Export credit agency of Kazakhstan