Kazakhstan presented key infrastructure, financial, and technology initiatives at AIFC Connect: Abu Dhabi 2025, a business forum held on December 9 in Abu Dhabi. The event was co-organized by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UAE, and the Embassy of the UAE to Kazakhstan, reports the Astana Times.
As per to the AIFC, the forum aimed to deepen investment cooperation, showcase high-potential projects in Kazakhstan, and introduce opportunities within the AIFC’s expanding financial ecosystem. The event was held in partnership with GWM Capital and International Trading System (ITS) and coincided with Abu Dhabi Finance Week, a major regional gathering for investors and financial institutions.
The UAE is one of Kazakhstan’s key economic partners, ranking among the country’s top ten foreign investors with $4.3bn in cumulative inflows. Currently, 462 Emirati companies operate in Kazakhstan, primarily in finance, logistics, and technology.
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Rauan Zhumabek, noted that Emirati investment exceeded $1bn in 2025, reflecting increasing investor confidence. He stated, “This trend reflects the high trust our Emirati partners place in Kazakhstan and signals that our investment climate is becoming increasingly attractive for major capital.”
AIFC’s role as a regional financial hub
AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov highlighted the center’s role in structuring international transactions and supporting large-scale infrastructure projects. He said, “The AIFC serves as a reliable platform for integrating financial markets from AIX joining the Tabadul digital hub to the first dirham-denominated bond issuances in Kazakhstan. Today, 49 UAE companies operate in our jurisdiction, delivering projects across finance, ICT, transport, and industry.”
The AIFC has contributed $19.3bn to Kazakhstan’s economy since its establishment in 2018 and is rated as the leading financial center in Eastern Europe and Central Asia according to the GFCI 38 rating.
Speakers at the forum emphasized Kazakhstan’s strategic role as a “land bridge” connecting Europe and Asia and its reliability as a long-term partner for sovereign and institutional investors. The AIFC’s regulatory framework was identified as a key factor facilitating cross-border capital flows.
Investment opportunities highlighted included Kazakhstan’s privatization program, clean energy initiatives, low-carbon transport projects, and modernization of logistics corridors.
