Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...
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.
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.
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
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