Kazakhstan seeks Antwerp-Bruges partnership; flaxseed exports hit record 1.3M tons

Kazakhstan is seeking closer cooperation with Belgium to develop the Middle Corridor, including a potential partnership between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk, Euronews reports. Speaking at the Belgium-Kazakhstan Business Council, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the partnership "could open wider markets for our metals, petrochemicals and agricultural products." The business forum resulted in 17 agreements covering logistics, agriculture, artificial intelligence, energy, healthcare and manufacturing.

Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Ilham Aliyev met in Baku on October 15 and officially launched the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line, a 380-kilometer connection between Aktau and Sumgayit with a capacity exceeding 400 terabits per second. The same week, three Chess Houses opened simultaneously in Shymkent, offering residents free access to chess facilities, coaching and tournaments.

Kazakhstan recorded nearly 1.3 million metric tons of flaxseed exports in the 2025/2026 marketing year, 2.5 times the previous season's volume, according to The Times of Central Asia. China and Belgium together accounted for 68.1% of Kazakhstan's total flaxseed exports.