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According to the Kazakh government, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze have discussed the expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation during talks held in Astana. In general, cooperation in trade, investment, transport and logistics, energy, and digitalization was the main focus of the discussions. Meanwhile, implementing agreements … Read more

As Serbian Minister Nenad Popović told the media following the 13th meeting of the Belarusian-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, Serbia is interested in developing innovation-driven cooperation with Belarusian companies.
Nenad Popović characterized the commission’s work as highly constructive and businesslike. Nevertheless, he admitted that not all planned goals were fully achieved. The main reason is the European Union’s economic sanctions against Belarus, which have complicated logistics and the transportation of many types of goods. However, Popović promised to ensure that as many Belarusian products as possible will appear on the shelves of Serbian stores.
According to the Serbian Minister, cooperation between companies working in innovation, new technologies, digitalization, robotics, and artificial intelligence have the greatest potential for collaboration between the two countries.
Other perspective fields of Belarusian-Serbian cooperation are agriculture and the food industry, particularly the dairy sector.
Also, Popović mentioned the 85th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War. Serbian and Belorusian representatives laid wreaths together at the Trostenets memorial complex. The Minister said that Serbia, Russia, and Belarus defeated Nazism and fascism together.
Particularly, Nenad Popović thanked Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko for having flown to Serbia in 1999, despite the NATO bombings. According to some information, NATO considered the possibility of shooting down his plane. Nevertheless, Lukashenko was not afraid. As Nenad Popović said, the President showed exceptional courage and flew in at that most difficult time for brotherly Serbia to offer his support, to meet with the president, and to speak with ordinary people. He also added that the Serbian people held on thanks to that invaluable support and did not lose that struggle against NATO. Popović said that the Serbian people love Aleksandr Lukashenko, and his name will be written in large letters in the history of the Serbian nation.
The sides signed a number of documents within the framework of the intergovernmental commission. The list includes a protocol of the meeting, an action plan for the development of trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Serbia for 2026-2028. Other important documents are memorandums of understanding between the National Agency for Investment and Privatization and the Development Agency of Serbia and between the State Committee for Standardization and the Institute for Standardization of Serbia.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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At a joint briefing with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić praised Georgia’s economic development and governance achievements. He mentioned that only a few countries have managed to achieve similar results in Europe.
Speaking about Georgia’s economic performance since 2012, the Serbian president highlighted the country’s 9.3% economic growth in the first quarter and strong expansion in sectors such as construction and tourism have attracted attention across Europe. He said that other countries could learn a lot from this experience.
According to Vučić, the both countries share common Orthodox Christian traditions, mutual respect. He mentioned longstanding friendship between the two nations. Also, he is the first Serbian to visit to Georgia.
Meanwhile, Aleksandar Vučić expressed his gratitude to Georgia for its warm hospitality. He also praised the country’s efforts to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests.
He said that here are many countries in the world that are carefully studying Georgia’s approaches and trying to improve themselves based on its experience.
As Vučić also announced, signing of a free trade agreement between Georgia and Serbia is possible. This deal will become a major step forward in bilateral relations.
According to the Serbian president, the increase of trade turnover between the two countries attained 36.4% in the first quarter of the year. Meanwhile, direct flights between Georgia and Serbia make cooperation in tourism and services grow steadily.
Vučić said that the sides are only a small step away from completing negotiations and signing a free trade agreement. He explained that cooperation, trade and economic between our countries will accelerate significantly as soon as it enters into force.
The Serbian President talked about the plans to open an embassy of Serbia in Georgia in the near future. He hopes that Georgia would also establish a diplomatic mission in Serbia to further strengthen political and economic ties between the countries.
Georgia’s tourism sector was also appreciated by the Serbian president. He found impressive not only the country’s wine tourism, but also by its ski resorts and winter tourism infrastructure.
Vučić said that Georgian tourism infrastructure is comparable to that of Europe. It offers many options for people who come to Georgia for different reasons.
Finally, the Serbian leader expressed his gratitude to the Georgian authorities for their hospitality and for “great memories” of the visit.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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As the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said on Friday, South Korea and Serbia have signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), a broader form of free-trade agreement.
Finally, South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Serbian counterpart Jagoda Lazarević signed the document in Belgrade. It took the sides about two years to negotiate about all the details.
In addition to tariff reductions, economic and supply-chain cooperation, opening new opportunities for exports and access to critical minerals used in batteries and other strategic industries are included in the broader deal.
Nowadays, Serbia has become an increasingly important manufacturing hub in Southeast Europe, despite its relatively small population of seven million. It is due to significant reserves of lithium, copper, zinc and other minerals used in batteries and other high-tech industries.
Tariffs on more than 90 percent of traded goods, covering over 96 percent of import value, will be eliminated, according to the agreement.
Especially, South Korean technology exporters expect to get a particular benefit. The reason is elimination of tariffs of up to 25 percent on Serbian semiconductors and electronic products. Serbia has agreed to do this, because the country is not part of the World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA).
Also, immediate removal of expanded tariffs on all automotive parts and market access for electric and hybrid vehicles are beneficial for South Korean automakers.
Moreover, South Korean exports, including instant noodles, roasted seaweed, ginseng, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and defense-related goods will get a broader access to the Serbian market.
Also, supply chains for advanced industries are expected to be strengthened by the agreement. It will eliminate tariffs on Serbian raw materials, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and rare-earth elements, immediately or phased out within five years. This measure will support South Korea’s battery and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Clearing imported goods within 48 hours of arrival and express shipments processed within six hours would also increase business efficiency. Efforts to curb online infringement are another measure to strengthen intellectual property protection.
Yeo said that the agreement marks a major step forward in economic cooperation between the two countries. He added that it creates a platform for collaboration not only in trade but also in supply chains, energy, critical minerals and future industries such as AI and biotechnology.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Fresh questions about Tbilisi’s strategic direction and energy security appear in the frames of recently signed deals between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed the deals following a meeting in Baku held on May 18. It happened just a few weeks after Aliyev’s visit to Tbilisi and his meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s de facto ruler. They haven’t disclosed the full texts of the agreements, despite their political significance. As a result, the Georgian government is criticized for making decisions without sufficient transparency or regard for the country’s long-term energy independence.
As official statements report, the sides agreed to a 20-year inter-governmental framework governing electricity supply and transit, along with a 20-year extension of a 2003 gas-purchase agreement. According to the Georgian government, the purchase deal “guarantees the security of social gas supply.”
Also, the agreements include restoration of daily passenger rail service between Tbilisi and Baku after a six-year gap. The Georgian government also claimed that the new section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway will become fully operational.
This deal will help Tbilisi stay relevant in trade discussions, while relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia improve. Another threat for Georgia is new transit routes like the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor.
Nevertheless, Tbilisi’s energy-supply vulnerability and the country’s growing dependency on Russia provoke concerns due to the lack of transparency and shifting energy trends. Georgia has relied on Azerbaijani gas less over the past year. Meanwhile, it has surged imports from Russia, despite a significantly higher price of Russian gas.
According to economist and former National Bank president Roman Gotsiridze, the recent gas-supply agreement contradicts Georgia’s national interest. It looks like Georgia has given up its share of transit capacity in the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline to Azerbaijan for the next 20 years. Meanwlile, only through the old, worn-out Soviet-era Gazakh-Saguramo pipeline will provide gas to Georgia.
Also, Gotsiridze warned that importing gas from Russia will be the only alternative, as increasing gas consumption will make additional supplies from Azerbaijan physically impossible. Some critics sees in the pattern the reflection of a calculated trade-off by Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream government. Its first aim is securing for Georgia a role in trade routes connecting Europe and Asia. Another aim is trying to claw back leverage with Western partners alienated by the government’s authoritarian turn.
As Kobakhidze pointed, transit and geopolitics are the government’s priority, not energy security.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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According to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the country is increasing its diplomatic and economic presence in Africa. The continent is not an aid recipient, but an equal partner in food security, defense technologies, and the digitalization of public services.
As Sybiha said at the forum “Ukraine–Africa: Past, Present and Future of Relations” on Tuesday in Kyiv, Ukraine sees Africa not as an object of assistance, but as an equal and strong actor in global politics. Ukraine is coming to the continent as a partner and provider of ready-made, high-tech solutions. Africa needs strength, technology, and real presence, and Ukraine aims to provide them. Also, the foreign minister stated that mutual benefit must be at the center of relations in all areas.
The total number of Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Africa attained 18. There are plans to open an embassy in Zambia and a consulate general in Cape Town.
The concept of “three pillars” was outlined as a clear strategic framework titled “Ukraine — a Strategic Partner for Africa’s Sustainable Development 2063”.
The first pillar is the transformation of Ukraine’s role from a grain exporter into an architect and guarantor of food security. To achieve that, Ukraine offers modern agricultural technologies and participation in the modernization of port and railway infrastructure, construction of modern highways, and sustainable energy systems.
The second pillar is Ukraine’s unique experience in countering modern threats gained in real combat conditions. The country is ready to share expertise on the use and neutralization of drones, electronic warfare systems, and strengthening cybersecurity.
Sybiha stressed that Ukraine is eager to create a regional cyber alliance and a joint center with European colleagues and African partners.
The third pillar is Ukraine’s export-ready solutions for the digitalization of public services based on the Diia platform. The country proposes to consolidate Ukrainian universities and to train specialists together.
According to the foreign minister, relying exclusively on the resources of others means becoming dependent. Ukraine offers a concrete contribution to strengthening the self-sufficiency of African states to avoid dependence. He said that Africa is not only the recipient of charity or humanitarian subsidies. It deserves to be an equal partner in strategic, mutually beneficial and pragmatic relations. Ukraine intends to enter this market as a strong, reliable, and high-tech partner. The both sides are capable of building an entirely new space for security and development.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the National Economy and Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Olexandr Mishchenko, discussed prospects for trade and economic cooperation with Serik Zhumangarin at a meeting on April 2.
The aim of the discussion was to restore bilateral trade between Astana and Kyiv, said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry representative.
Before the war, trade between Kazakhstan and Ukraine reached approximately $5.5 billion annually, but has since declined sharply. Nevertheless, Kazakh data show that the situation has begun to improve. As the Ministry of National Economy reported, trade turnover between the two countries attained $415.8 million in 2025 (5.4% increase from $394.3 million in 2024). Ferroalloys, fertilizers, and rice are Kazakhstan’s main exports to Ukraine. Meanwhile, chocolate and other cocoa products, flour and confectionery, medicines, cheese, and cottage cheese represent imports from Ukraine.
Also, the range of goods traded is to be expanded by Astana and Kyiv. Other issues are investment, agriculture, logistics, and humanitarian cooperation.
As Mishchenko said, the countries also plan to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector and restore logistics chains. Kazakh exports mainly reached Europe through Ukraine until 2022. After that, they needed alternative corridors, including routes across the Caspian and South Caucasus. They are longer, more complex, and often more expensive.
To find the solution, Mishchenko accompanied a large delegation of Ukrainian entrepreneurs to Kazakhstan.
The Ukrainian business mission visited Kazakhstan, including the Pavlodar Region, a major industrial hub with significant heavy industry and energy capacity.
During the visit, meetings with government officials, financial institutions, and business representatives, alongside regional visits aimed at launching joint projects took place.
They held talks with the leadership of Baiterek National Management Holding in Astana. The Astana International Financial Centre and the city administration Ukrainian were also visited by entrepreneurs.
Also, participants examined investor conditions, state support tools, and production localization opportunities in the Karaganda Region and the Sary Arka Special Economic Zone. They assessed production capacity and identify areas for cooperation delegation in Qarmet, Qaragandy Power Silicon, and on the Shans farm.
Leading industrial companies of the Pavlodar Region, including Aluminum of Kazakhstan, Eurasian Energy Corporation, and EkibastuzFerroAlloys, discussed cooperation in industry, energy, and equipment supply with Ukrainian representatives.
Kokshetau, the administrative center of the Akmola Region, a key hub for Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial sector, also welcomed the delegation.
Nevertheless, a key area of cooperation is the agro-industrial sector. The cooperation between dairy farms in several Kazakh regions with the Ukrainian Milk Producers Association on breeding livestock supply and professional training counts many years. Also, they expect logistics to play a central role in restoring bilateral ties.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Lower energy imports made Serbia’s external trade increase by 3.3 % to more than €19 billion compared with the first quarter of last year. Meanwhile, the trade deficit decreased significantly. Also, exports increased by 7.1 % during the same period. Moreover, automobile exports created a surplus in trade with Italy (€85.3 million) for the first … Read more

As Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili, has highlighted, the country’s goal is to become a regional digital and logistics hub. That is why Tbilisi continues to expand its economic relationship with China.
Georgia’s justice minister and Zhuang Rongwen, the leader of the Cyberspace Administration of China, discussed collaboration in digital policy and emerging technologies оn April 21.
Over the past decade, China and Georgia have become important economic partners. Bilateral trade has expanded steadily since the free trade agreement between the two countries came into force in 2018, and China has remained among Georgia’s top trading partners.
China imports wine, minerals, and agricultural goods from Georgia and exports machinery, electronics, and manufactured products. As officials in Tbilisi often say, the relationship between the countries is strategically important for diversifying the country’s economy and expanding access to Asian markets.
Especially, Georgia’s location between Europe and Asia is its major focus of economic strategy. The country’s role in the Middle Corridor, a trade route that connects China to Europe through Central Asia and the South Caucasus, is increasingly promoted.
In recent years, the need for alternatives to traditional transport corridors attracted attention to this route as to a global supply chains shift. The center of Georgia’s ambition to serve as a key transit point in this changing landscape is its ports, rail networks, and logistics systems.
Also, an important role in supporting infrastructure development across the region, including projects aimed at improving connectivity and trade efficiency, belongs to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Particularly, the digital economy is increasingly becoming Georgia’s focus, together with trade and transport. According to government officials, the country wants to develop stronger digital infrastructure, including data centers and cloud services, to attract international investment and support innovation.
As Kvrivishvili has previously emphasized, digital development is central to Georgia’s long term economic strategy. Positioning the country not only as a physical transit hub but also as a digital bridge between Asia and Europe has potential in it, according to the government.
Also, artificial intelligence, communications technology, and cross border data infrastructure represent areas of interest. As officials say, cooperation in these fields could help strengthen Georgia’s competitiveness and modernize its economy.
According to experts, cooperation with China offers clear economic opportunities, as Georgia also continues to align closely with European standards in trade, regulation, and digital governance. This entails the need for a balance between different regulatory and strategic frameworks while expanding international partnerships.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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According to the Italian Ambassador Luca Gori, the meaning and shape of Italy’s participation in EXPO 2027 in Belgrade are beginning to take form. The main goal is cooperation in multiple areas of exchange between the two countries.
Serbia’s Minister of Internal and External Trade and Commissioner for EXPO 2027, Jagoda Lazarević, and EXPO 2027 Director, Danilo Jerinić, were present at the formal signature of the agreement.
Luca Gori enumerated five guiding principles that will shape Italy’s presence at EXPO 2027. Teamwork is the first one. Various stakeholders should be able to connect skills, experience and energy. The second principle is the human dimension, or interaction between people. The third one is inclusivity, or a commitment to embracing every form of ‘play’, without limits between those considered more established and others less so. The fourth principle is territorial diversity, or bringing all Italian regions to Belgrade in turn. That will demonstrate the richness of Italian identity and the diverse forms of play, dance and art from different parts of the country. The last one is collaboration, or the intention to use this platform as both a physical and virtual space. That will help foster new alliances among businesses, research institutes, associations, institutions and individuals from both countries, as well as all other participants in EXPO 2027.
The Ambassador said that a festival of Italian creativity ‘Play with IT’ has been designed to encourage joint projects across fields such as design, fashion, music, sport, innovation and cuisine.
Serbian part, represented by the Minister Lazarevic, highlighted the importance of bilateral relations between the countries. They mean both political cooperation (Italy’s support for Serbia’s European path) and economical one (investment, trade exchange, scientific cooperation and energy-related issues). Also, Lazarevic mentioned Italy’s longstanding openness and attention towards former Yugoslavia and later Serbia. She noted that Yugoslav citizens were free to enter Italy and return home. Due to this, Serbs and all the peoples of Yugoslavia could discover Italian culture and be captivated by it. This phenomenon continues from generation to generation. That is why Italy will significantly contribute EXPO 2027, particularly in terms of aesthetics, art, as well as sport and play.
In his turn, EXPO Director Danilo Jerinić recalled his impressions from the Italian pavilion during the Osaka Expo. Jerinić said that it inspired him so much that gave him the inspiration for his current role.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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