Kazakh leader hails Turkish firms, seeks deeper ties

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has highlighted the strong presence of Turkish businesses in his country, stating that approximately 3,800 Turkish firms are successfully operating in Kazakhstan. Speaking at the closing session of the Türkiye-Kazakhstan Business Forum in Astana alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Tokayev invited Turkish investors to take a more active role in strategic projects.

Economic performance and joint projects

Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan remains Central Asia’s largest economy, with GDP growing 6.5% last year to surpass 300 billion. He said Kazakh and Turkish business communities have implemented 142 joint projects worth 7.6 billion to date, citing Turkish firms including YDA Holding, Panelsan, Betek Boya, and Aksa Energy, which commissioned a modern power plant in the Kyzylorda region. He also highlighted Kazakhstan’s “Golden Visa” programme offering tax and migration advantages to investors.

Transport, agriculture, and digital cooperation

Tokayev noted that freight volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) have increased fivefold in recent years, with container transportation rising 36% in 2025. He highlighted Turkish involvement in transport infrastructure, including TAV Airports Holding’s modernisation of Almaty International Airport. On agriculture, Kazakhstan produced 27 million tons of grain last year and is ready to export halal-certified meat to Türkiye. In digitalisation, Tokayev noted Kaspi.kz’s acquisition of Hepsiburada’s majority stake and invited Turkish firms to cooperate in AI, fintech, and cybersecurity.