Kazakhstan and Turkiye presented a series of joint investment projects worth more than $920mn during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Astana, as the two countries moved to deepen strategic and economic cooperation.
The projects were introduced during high-level talks between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Erdogan, alongside meetings focused on trade, infrastructure, transportation, energy, digitalization and industrial cooperation.
New investment projects announced
Among the key projects, Turkish company Miryildiz plans to build a mining and processing plant in Kazakhstan’s Abai region, while Iskefe Holding is expected to launch gelatin production in Almaty.
Orzax Group will establish a modern dietary supplements manufacturing facility in the Turkistan region, and S Sistem Lojistik, together with Kazpost, plans to create a logistics hub at Aktobe International Airport.
In Astana, Tiryaki Holding is set to construct a deep grain and pea processing plant aimed at strengthening Kazakhstan’s food processing and agricultural export capacity.
According to Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, the projects are expected to attract more than $920mn in investment and create over 3,100 jobs.
He added that around 100 investment projects worth nearly $4bn have already been implemented in Kazakhstan with Turkish participation across various sectors of the economy. Another 50 joint projects valued at approximately $4bn are currently under development.
Trade, logistics and strategic partnership
Tokayev said Turkiye remains one of Kazakhstan’s key investment partners, noting that Turkish businesses have invested about $6bn in the Kazakh economy, while Kazakhstan’s investments in Turkiye have reached roughly $2.5bn.
“Turkiye is among Kazakhstan’s top five trading partners. Bilateral trade increased by 8.8% and exceeded $5bn,” Tokayev said.
The leaders also signed a declaration on “eternal friendship and expanded strategic partnership,” which Tokayev described as a historic step aimed at elevating bilateral relations to a new level.
Transport and logistics cooperation featured prominently during the talks. Tokayev said railway freight transportation between the two countries increased by 35% last year, while road cargo transportation rose by 5%.
Both sides agreed to continue developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, which has become increasingly important for trade between Asia and Europe.
Tokayev also highlighted Kazakhstan’s “Altyn Visa” program, which offers tax and migration incentives for foreign investors and specialists.
Focus on energy, AI and education
Energy, mining and agriculture were identified as priority sectors for future cooperation. Tokayev welcomed Turkish Petroleum Corporation’s plans to enter the Kazakh market and invited Turkish companies to participate in major mining and lithium-related projects.
The two countries also discussed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital trade and fintech. Tokayev said Kazakhstan considers AI and digitalization a strategic priority and pointed to growing cooperation between companies such as Kaspi.kz and Turkish e-commerce platform Hepsiburada.
Education and cultural ties were also discussed during the visit. Tokayev said nearly 14,000 Kazakh students are currently studying in Turkiye, while Turkish educational institutions continue expanding operations in Kazakhstan.
During the visit, Tokayev awarded Erdogan the Order of Qoja Ahmet Yasawi, describing him as the first recipient of the honor and praising his contribution to strengthening bilateral ties.
Erdogan, for his part, said Kazakhstan has become Turkiye’s largest trade and economic partner in the Turkic world and reiterated Ankara’s goal of increasing bilateral trade to $15bn.
Earlier, Kazakhstan said around 142 joint Kazakh-Turkish projects worth $7.6bn had already been implemented across sectors including energy, manufacturing, chemicals and infrastructure.
Turkiye has also become one of Kazakhstan’s largest foreign investors, with nearly 4,000 Turkish-linked companies currently operating in Kazakhstan across finance, trade, construction, logistics and industry.
