On November 20, AlmaU hosted the international roundtable “Kazakhstan’s Transport and Logistics Sector: Opportunities for Cooperation with Belgian Businesses”, organized with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Economic and Trade Section of the Embassy, the Wallonia Export and Investment Agency (AWEX-Almaty), and the Association of Transport and Trade Links between Europe and Central Asia (ECATA).
The event was held as part of the Belgian Trade Mission and brought together 75 participants, including representatives of logistics companies, ports, airports, industry associations, universities, research centers, as well as students of AlmaU’s logistics programs and faculty of the School of Management and Tourism.
Opening remarks were delivered by:
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Eric De Maeyer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Kazakhstan
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Sholpan Tazabek, Vice-Rector for Global Partnerships at AlmaU
Following the official opening, the moderator of the roundtable, Danial Saari, Head of the Center for Political Research at AlmaU, launched the panel discussions.
Speakers of the first session included:
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Meruert Zholdybayeva, General Director of Aktau International Airport
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Zhalgas Zhagparov, Deputy General Director of the Kazakhstan Transport Association “Kazlogistics”
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Dauren Kutpanbayev, Acting Chairman of the Board of Aktau International Sea Trade Port
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Aitkali Nurmagambetov, Head of Marketing at Kuryk Port
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Leila Batyrbekova, Founder and Chair of ECATA
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Dinara Umirzakova, Professor of Practice in Logistics at AlmaU
During the discussion, participants explored the development of port and airport infrastructure, modernization of international transport corridors, strengthening cooperation with European partners, and increasing the level of standardization and digitalization within logistics processes.
The second session featured speakers from Belgian companies and academic institutions:
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Tatyana Voitsekhovskaya, Business Director (Consumer Sector), Ahlers Logistics
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Nick Coene, Business Development Director, Gosselin Logistics
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Philippe Beauchamps, Director of International Development, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
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Ragesh Raghava, Operations Director / Head of Kazakhstan Office, Sarens
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Ivana Semanski, Professor, Ghent University
The speakers presented practical case studies from the EU and Central Asia, opportunities offered by the Port of Antwerp–Bruges, the development of heavy cargo logistics, and digital solutions aimed at enhancing the efficiency and transparency of supply chains.
The roundtable became an important platform for collaboration among education, business, and infrastructure organizations, supporting AlmaU’s strategic vision of integrating education with the real economy.
Participants discussed:
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Kazakhstan’s key advantages in international logistics
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existing bottlenecks in the multimodal transport system
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new formats for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Belgium
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digital tools for optimizing logistics processes
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ways to increase European partners’ trust in Kazakhstani operators
In closing, moderator Danial Saari emphasized the importance of open dialogue between universities, businesses, port authorities, and logistics companies. He noted that the roundtable served as an effective platform for exchanging experience and forming new international partnerships, strengthening Kazakhstan’s position within the global logistics system.