Kazakhstan and Türkiye set sights on $15 billion in trade as economic ties deepen

Kazakhstan and Türkiye are intensifying efforts to expand economic cooperation, setting a target to increase bilateral trade to $15 billion as both countries build on steady growth and broaden investment ties.

The goal was reiterated by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz during a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Astana. The push follows a 9% rise in trade turnover in 2025, with Kazakhstan’s exports increasing by more than 17% to reach $3.9 billion.

Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said the country aims to further diversify exports away from raw materials towards higher value-added goods, in line with broader economic priorities. He also underlined the role of investment as a key driver of bilateral relations.

According to government data, Turkish investors have invested more than $6 billion in Kazakhstan over the past two decades, including nearly $390 million in 2025 alone.

In parallel, Kazakh investment in Türkiye has reached $2.4 billion. More than 5,000 companies with Turkish capital are currently operating in Kazakhstan.

This growing investment presence is also reflected in an expanding pipeline of joint projects. To date, 98 projects worth around $4 billion have been implemented, while a further 50 projects valued at approximately $3.9 billion are under way.

Broader estimates place the total value of ongoing joint initiatives at up to $9.5 billion. Bektenov said Kazakhstan is ready to provide industrial sites and state support instruments to facilitate new projects and expand cooperation further.

Alongside trade and investment, energy is emerging as another strategic pillar of the partnership. Vice Minister of Energy Sanzhar Zharkeshov pointed to the growing role of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in diversifying Kazakhstan’s oil export routes.

Rising volumes along this corridor are seen as strengthening energy security and opening access to new markets.

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At the same time, Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas and Turkish Petroleum Corporation are advancing cooperation in geological exploration. Turkish specialists have gained access to geological data, and discussions are under way on potential participation in exploration projects.

Political dialogue between the two countries remains close. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described Türkiye as a strategic partner, noting the absence of disagreements and the high level of mutual trust.

A state visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Kazakhstan is scheduled for 14 May, where both sides are expected to hold a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and sign a number of agreements.

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