Investment prospects in Kazakhstan discussed at Netherlands-Kazakhstan Business Council
A number of presentations of Kazakhstan's investment potential were held as part of the meeting of the Netherlands-Kazakhstan Business Council, organized by the Benelux Chamber of Commerce. The main focus was on key areas of cooperation, including the development of ports and transport and logistics infrastructure, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Anuar Kurzhikayev, the General Director of the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce, reported that trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands has been steadily increasing. The volume of bilateral commerce in 2023 was $4.4 billion, with exports from Kazakhstan reaching $4.1 billion and imports from the Netherlands reaching $391.9 million. Trade turnover between the nations exceeded $2.5 billion during the initial half of 2024.
“The main products exported from Kazakhstan to the Netherlands are crude oil, petroleum products obtained from bituminous rocks, ferroalloys, titanium, and unwrought lead. The main products imported to Kazakhstan from the Netherlands are: tractors and tractor units, prefabricated building structures, pharmaceuticals packaged for retail sale, cut flowers and buds, electric generators, other live plants, cuttings and layering, and air conditioning units,” he noted.
Kazakhstan’s opportunities for foreign investors in the transport infrastructure sector were also discussed. Over the past 15 years, the country has invested more than $35 billion in the development of the transport sector, including the modernization of railways, ports, and aviation. Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Transport, Maksat Kaliakparov, emphasized the importance of the Middle Corridor, a transit route that links China, Central Asia, and Europe. In 2024, cargo transportation along this route increased by 69%, reaching 2.9 million tons.
“The growth of container traffic on the China-Europe-China route saw an increase of 20 times. By 2030, it is planned to increase traffic volumes to 10 million tons per year, which underlines the important role of Kazakhstan as a key element of transit routes,” said Kaliakparov.
Particular attention was paid to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), where transportation volumes in the first nine months of 2024 increased by 27% compared to the same period in 2023, amounting to 2.5 million tons. The speed of cargo delivery along the route from China to Georgian ports has improved significantly: if in the summer of 2022 this process took up to 53 days, then in the summer of 2024 it was only 14-18 days.
According to KazakhInvest, the Netherlands remains the largest investor in the economy of Kazakhstan, with investments of more than $67 billion. In 2023, the gross inflow of foreign direct investment from the Netherlands amounted to $6 billion, and in the first half of 2024, it was $2.1 billion. The total investment volume since 2005 has reached $120 billion.
"Kazakhstan is a leading destination in Central Asia, offering significant opportunities across sectors such as energy, logistics, and manufacturing for Dutch companies," noted Madiyar Sultanbek, Deputy Chairman of the KazakhInvest’s Board.
The event featured panel discussions on Kazakhstan's investment, trade, and transit opportunities, as well as prospective developments in port infrastructure. The event concluded with a signing ceremony for the Business Council's regulations and business meetings between representatives of Kazakh and Dutch companies.
