An official visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to Kazakhstan has begun. An aircraft with the Belarusian head of state on board has landed at the Astana airport, BelTA has learned.

At the airport Alexander Lukashenko was welcomed by Emergencies Minister of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Kazakh part of the Belarusian-Kazakh Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation Vladimir Bozhko. Together they proceeded to the official delegations hall where a brief conversation took place.

Alexander Lukashenko was welcomed in strict compliance with the protocol for official visits. Honor guards were employed for ceremonies. Throughout the visit the car of the President of Belarus will be escorted by motorcyclists.

While in Kazakhstan Alexander Lukashenko is expected to hold negotiations with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev. There are plans to sign several bilateral documents.

The negotiations will focus on the development of trade and economic relations and cooperation within the framework of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. The leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan will also discuss the situation in the post-Soviet space and topical matters on the international agenda.

Prior to official events involving the President of Belarus members of the delegation held bilateral meetings with Kazakh colleagues in Astana in order to discuss topical matters of stepping up cooperation in individual areas.

Kazakhstan is Belarus’ third largest trade partner among CIS states after Russia and Ukraine. A program for economic cooperation between the two countries in 2009-2016 was signed during an official visit of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Belarus in November 2009. A joint action plan was approved to implement the program in 2010-2011 (a roadmap for the development of the bilateral trade and economic cooperation).

In 2010 Belarus-Kazakhstan trade in commodities totaled $867 million, 120% up on 2009. Belarus’ export to Kazakhstan grew by 50% to reach $463.5 million. Belarus’ main exports to Kazakhstan were agricultural machines, automobiles and other machines, agricultural processing industry products, tires and consumer goods.

In 2010 Belarus imported $403.7 million worth of merchandise from Kazakhstan. Coupled with trade in services ($143.2 million), Belarus-Kazakhstan trade volume exceeded $1 billion. Belarus’ export of services totaled $132.8 million (150% up), import $10.4 million (120% up). The surplus of the foreign trade in services amounted to $122.3 million.

In 2010 the Belarusian economy attracted $1 million in FDI from Kazakhstan while Belarus invested $41.8 million in Kazakhstan.

Positive trends in the mutual trade continued into 2011. In January-March 2011 Belarus-Kazakhstan trade went up 40% to $148 million. Belarus’ export went up 21.5% to $111.6 million, with import 140% up to $36.4 million.