Foreign investors, particularly
Asian ones, are showing interest in Kazakhstan. According to analysts, there
are many connection points for mutually beneficial economic interaction, the
most promising of which were outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the
Boao Forum for Asia. Bauyrzhan Auken, the senior expert at the Kazakhstan
Institute of Strategic Studies, notes that joint agrocenters will facilitate the
exchange of innovations in the agricultural sector, addressing global food
security concerns and yielding widespread benefits. Kazakhstan’s subsoil is
rich in lithium, titanium, and other rare earth metals, which are now crucial
components for technological solutions. Thus, extracting critical raw materials
is certainly an attractive direction for partnership, the expert believes. The
country is also interested in creating IT projects, especially in the field of
artificial intelligence, jointly with Asian companies. Besides, there are
significant investment opportunities in the transit and transportation sector,
a vivid example of which is the interaction with China. 80 percent of all land
transportation between China and Europe passes through Kazakhstan mostly via
the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which is a promising source of
investment attraction into the country as well, according to Auken.
“During his visit to China and
participation in the Boao Forum for Asia, the Head of State placed a particular
emphasis on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route,
also known as the Middle Corridor. This factor is of great importance not only
for Kazakhstan’s economy but also for the entire Central Asian region. Three
million tonnes of cargo were transported through the Middle Corridor last year
and the figure is expected to reach 10 million tonnes over the next few years. In
addition, Kazakhstan shows interest in cooperation in the development of the
North-South corridor,” Auken said.