President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted key sectors for expanding
cooperation between Kazakhstan and Bulgaria during a business forum in Astana. These
sectors include transport, sustainable energy, agribusiness, pharmaceuticals,
and digital technologies. The Head of State also invited Bulgarian companies to
explore opportunities offered by the Astana International Financial Center
(AIFC) and join its ecosystem. Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan accounts for
85% of overland cargo traffic between Europe and China. Last year alone, freight
transportation along the Trans-Caspian route, also known as the Middle
Corridor, surged by 62%, reaching a total of 4.5 million tonnes. The
agricultural sector is another area for cooperation between Kazakhstan and
Bulgaria.
«Our agricultural products are already exported to more than
70 countries. Kazakhstan ships over than eight million tons of wheat and two
million tons of flour annually, placing us among the world’s top-ten grain
exporters. We are interested in developing cooperation with the Bulgarian
partners in the production of meat, honey, vegetable oils and dairy products.
We welcome the interest of Lekkerbek company to invest in meat processing in
Shymkent city – a project that will bring in modern technologies and boost
regional export potential,» Tokayev noted.
Bulgarian businessmen are set to construct a meat processing
plant in southern Kazakhstan, with plans to invest 20 million euros in the
project. The agreement was concluded by business representatives from both
countries during the forum. Additionally, there are plans to develop
cooperation with Bulgarian partners in the production of dairy products, honey,
and vegetable oils. Experts attribute this interest to Kazakhstan’s role in
providing Bulgarian entrepreneurs with access to markets in the Central Asian
region.
«For large transnational companies, our domestic market is not
very large - just 20 million people. However, when we speak about Central Asia,
the population reaches 80 million. Moreover, thanks to the development of trade
corridors, we have access to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Global South,
and EU countries. Naturally, investors view these as potential markets for
their products. That is why Kazakhstan is of particular interest to foreign
investors - due to its geographic location, open regulatory environment, and
investor support,» said Madiyar Sultanbek, Deputy Chairman of the Management
Board, Kazakh Invest national company.
Kazakhstan currently exports metallurgical and chemical
industry products to Bulgaria, including copper, ferroalloys, uranium,
petroleum products, zinc, and aluminum. Bulgaria supplies Kazakhstan with
pharmaceuticals and products from the chemical, electrical, and mechanical
engineering industries.
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