Lee Hsien Loong on Kazakhstan, global cooperation and new opportunities in a changing world

Speaking on Singapore’s economic development and competitiveness, Lee highlighted Kazakhstan as an increasingly important partner as traditional global frameworks come under pressure.

Although trade and investment between Kazakhstan and Singapore remain modest, Lee said the countries should look for new opportunities beyond their traditional economic partners.

“With multilateral frameworks under stress, countries need to develop new partnerships with like-minded countries whose interests are aligned. We also need to seek out fresh opportunities for economic cooperation beyond traditional trade and investment partners. Kazakhstan and Singapore therefore have much to gain by closer co-operation, and much to learn from each other’s experiences,” he said.

Kazakhstan among Singapore’s new partners

Lee specifically identified Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region as part of Singapore’s efforts to strengthen ties with non-traditional partners.

He said the changing environment could create opportunities for countries such as Kazakhstan and Singapore, provided they remain competitive, trusted and capable of offering value to one another.

Lee also highlighted cooperation between the two countries within the World Trade Organization. Kazakhstan and Singapore were among 66 WTO members that adopted interim implementation pathways for the WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce in March.

He said such coalitions could help supplement the multilateral system, particularly for small and middle-sized economies.

Singapore’s economic experience

Lee stressed that Singapore and Kazakhstan face very different circumstances. Singapore is a small island state with few natural resources, while Kazakhstan is a vast, landlocked country rich in energy and mineral resources.

Still, he said both countries gained independence after separating from larger federations and have sought to maintain strong relations with their neighbors while building connections beyond their immediate regions.

Lee said Kazakhstan should not simply copy Singapore’s policies, as each country must make choices based on its own geography, history and circumstances.

The broader lesson, he said, is the importance of building institutions that can continuously adapt, supported by strong state capacity, market discipline and inclusive policies.

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek recalled the influence of Singapore’s experience on Kazakhstan’s development. He noted that Lee Kuan Yew’s 1991 visit came at a critical moment for the country and said Kazakhstan drew inspiration from Singapore in areas including human capital, education, research and innovation.

Nurbek said these areas are now core pillars of Kazakhstan’s national strategy as the country enters a “next chapter” of development.

Nazarbayev University President Professor Waqar Ahmad also highlighted the long-standing academic ties between the two countries. Since 2013, NU’s Graduate School of Public Policy has partnered with Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy to train more than 800 Kazakh officials in leadership and governance.

Lee receives NU honorary professorship

During the visit, Nazarbayev University conferred an Honorary Professorship on Lee Hsien Loong.

Lee became the eighth recipient of the university’s honorary professorship in its 16-year history. Previous recipients named by Ahmad included China’s President Xi Jinping, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Head of State called Lee Hsien Loong's first visit to Kazakhstan historic.