Kazakh and Slovak officials and business executives expressed their readiness to expand economic and investment cooperation during an Oct. 5 business forum in Astana.
According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, the meeting brought together more than 80 representatives of leading Kazakh and Slovak companies, becoming an essential platform for discussing new opportunities and establishing contacts between the two countries’ business communities.
The sides discussed bilateral cooperation in priority economic sectors, including energy, industry, agriculture, transport, logistics, and education.
Addressing the event participants, Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko noted that the forum indicates Slovakia’s deep interest in expanding comprehensive cooperation with Kazakhstan.
“Kazakhstan is ready to expand the mutually beneficial partnership further. The presence of such a significant delegation of Kazakhstani entrepreneurs indicates serious intentions on our part. Among the key areas, I would like to highlight energy, industry, defense, agriculture, transport and logistics, and education. Since independence, the total volume of Slovak investments in Kazakhstan has amounted to just over 21 million US dollars. I am sure this figure will increase significantly in the coming years,” he said.
Vassilenko also stressed Kazakhstan’s interest in transferring Slovakia’s best practices in water resources management, standardization, and nuclear energy.
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest national company Madiyar Sultanbek gave the forum participants a detailed overview of Kazakhstan’s investment climate, emphasizing the country’s attractiveness to foreign investors.
“We are the largest platform for foreign direct investment in Central Asia, with a total investment volume exceeding 431 billion US dollars since 1991. In 2023, our GDP amounted to 264 billion dollars. Kazakhstan has 14 special economic zones that provide tax benefits and simplified business conditions. Slovak companies can take advantage of more than 200 ready-made investment projects, and we invite them to cooperate to achieve mutual success,” said Sultanbek.
Following the event, representatives of the two countries agreed to strengthen investment cooperation.
