Author’s post

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.

Source Link

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.

Source Link

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.

Source Link

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.

Source Link

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) reported on April 20 that Georgia’s external merchandise trade, excluding non-declared trade, totaled USD 5.867 billion in January-March 2026. It is a 0.2% year-on-year increase.
The exports increased by 23.4% to USD 1.723 billion. Meanwhile, the decline of imports was 7.1% (to USD 4.143 billion). The trade deficit (USD 2.419 billion) accounted for 41.2% of total external trade turnover.
Leading export destinations were China (USD 203.2 million), Kyrgyzstan (USD 190.9 million) and Russia (USD 145.5 million). 71.6% of Georgia’s total exports accounted for the top ten export partners.
The leading export commodity were motor cars (USD 364.5 million, 21.1%), petroleum and petroleum oils (USD 208.1 million, 12.1%) and precious metal ores and concentrates (USD 169.9 million, 9.9%).
Turkey (USD 657.3 million), Russia (USD 592.5 million) and China (USD 487.6 million) were the leading import partners. 70.2% of total imports accounted for the top ten import partners.
The list of imported commodities included motor cars (USD 632.2 million, 15.3%), petroleum and petroleum oils (USD 338.6 million, 8.2%), petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (USD 204.1 million, 4.9% of total imports).
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.

Source Link

Ukraine has expanded its presence in the African market with the creation of the first Ukrainian agro-hub in Ghana. Nevertheless, according to President of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation (UAC) Leonid Kozachenko, it needs to involve international financial institutions as security guarantors and move from exporting raw materials to supplying higher value-added products. It will consolidate Ukraine’s position in the region.
Also, Leonid Kozachenko says that Ukrainian businesses have already invested in production in Africa or supplied grain independently. However, political instability and cases of piracy hindered these attempts. Kozachenko proposes involving UN structures, particularly the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to minimize such risks. Nowadays, Ukrainian goods have the share of less than 5% in total imports of African countries. According to the expert, Ukraine should follow the example of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to increase volumes. These countries supply processed goods (flour, pasta, and cereals) rather than raw materials.
Kozachenko suggests that the state’s strategic goal over the next 10 years should be attracting about $85–90 billion in investments into domestic processing. Due to this, Ukraine’s annual agricultural exports will increase from the current $27 billion to more than $120 billion.
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.

Source Link

As the Georgian National Statistics Service says, Georgia’s exports increased by 24% year-on-year in March 2026 and reached $697 million. It grew up by $135 million compared to the same period last year.
Imports increased by $67 million and attained $1.59 billion (an increase by 4%).
Total exports grew up by 23% year-on-year and reached $1.72 billion in the first quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, imports decreased by 7% to $4.13 billion.
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.

Source Link

According to ambassador of Ukraine to Serbia Oleksandr Lytvynenko, trade turnover between Ukraine and Serbia is too little. That’s why they need a joint free trade area, which will promote the development of economic ties. It will also help both countries integrate into the European market.
Lytvynenko said that agricultural machinery and machine building are the most promising sectors of the cooperation.
The diplomat also said noted that ethnic style is very popular, as well as all sorts of handicraft items. He added that President Aleksandar Vucic patronized an Ethno-Network. Lytvynenko suggested trying to sell Serbian souvenirs, the same vyshyvankas, which the Serbs have in a different form. He underlined the closeness of Serbian and Ukrainian traditions, despite different roots.
Nevertheless, the ambassador expressed an opinion that now is “not the time to force events.”
Oleksandr Lytvynenko said that Ukraine must gradually strengthen its presence in Serbia. The first task is to strengthen the role of Ukraine in the information space. It is also important to increase cultural and information exchange, so that Ukrainians know more about Serbia, and Serbians know more about Ukraine first-hand.
As the ambassador believes, it is necessary to “bring Ukrainian experts and artists to Serbia, hold exhibitions, especially since there is something to show.”
Simultaneously, Lytvynenko noted that the lion’s share of economic ties between the USSR and Yugoslavia in the 1960s-80s “were, in fact, ties with Ukraine, but the Serbs are unaware of this, and there is much of that.”
As for the prospects of organizing a direct passenger rail link between Kyiv and Belgrade, Lytvynenko suggested to launch Belgrade-Budapest first. After that happens, it will be possible to assess the results.
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.

Source Link