What Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Astana means for the regional economy

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will travel to Astana for an official visit from the 20th –21st November, according to the press service of Akorda.

During the two-day trip, delegations from both countries are expected to discuss prospects for the further development of bilateral cooperation.

Economic relations between Kazakhstan and Armenia are shaped by both bilateral agreements and participation in the Eurasian Economic Union.

In 2024, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to approximately $36 million.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Economy say that additional export opportunities to Armenia could reach around $350 million, primarily through supplies of metallurgical, petrochemical, chemical, and food products.

Pashinyan’s visit coincides with significant developments in regional logistics and security.

Following the signing of the Washington Declaration on peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, new possibilities for transport connectivity are emerging. Direct overland routes between the countries had long been impossible due to closed Armenia-Azerbaijan borders, which have only recently begun to open.

Kazakhstan’s wheat was the first cargo to transit through Azerbaijan to Armenia, while the complete lifting of transit restrictions was announced during the meeting between the presidents of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on 21 October 2025 in Astana.

For Kazakhstan, the opening of new transit routes through the Caucasus is important for supplying goods to the Middle East.

For Armenia, it provides access to markets in Central Asia and China, allowing for diversification of trade flows and reduced dependence on unstable regional roads. Kazakhstan’s active development of the Trans-Caspian corridor, including increased capacity of ports and railways, makes these routes more accessible for freight transport.

In this context, Pashinyan’s visit carries practical significance. It takes place amid the normalisation of regional relations and will focus on discussions of economic ties, transit opportunities, and logistical solutions capable of ensuring more stable cooperation between the two countries.

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