Kazakhstan and Switzerland: Strategic cooperation with a European financial and tech leader

Stable partnership

Switzerland was one of the first European countries to establish diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan in 1992. The partnership has developed steadily and consistently, based on a pragmatic approach and a shared understanding of the role of neutrality in international affairs. Switzerland supported Kazakhstan during its OSCE Chairmanship and accession to the World Trade Organization.

Valeriy Sitenko, senior expert at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, believes the successful development of relations is largely explained by mutual economic interests.

“Switzerland remains one of Kazakhstan’s key partners in Europe and an important source of investment,” the expert noted.

Trade and strategic cooperation

Trade between Kazakhstan and Switzerland continues to show stable dynamics. In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded 1 billion dollars. According to the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, from January to September 2025 the figure reached $1.075 billion, down 20.6 percent from the same period of the previous year, which totaled $1.354 billion.

Despite the decline, the structure of trade reflects technological and resource complementarity. Kazakhstan remains a supplier of energy carriers and raw materials, while Switzerland is a major source of high-tech goods, medical products and complex equipment. With effective diversification and deeper cooperation in processing and pharmaceuticals, both sides may expect recovery as early as 2026.

Kazakhstan aims to boost non-raw material exports and broaden the assortment of value-added products, a topic regularly emphasized in bilateral dialogue.

Long-term cooperation in education is another driver of closer ties. Switzerland has long served as a benchmark for Kazakhstan in dual education. In 2015 Swiss tourism institutes and branches of the Geneva Business School opened in Kazakhstan. Their popularity is driven by practical training and high teaching standards.

The Swiss approach to education, combining practical training with strong academic standards, is increasingly relevant as Kazakhstan modernizes programs in engineering, management, hospitality and services.

Investment and new opportunities

Switzerland has ranked among the top three largest investors in Kazakhstan for many years, following only the Netherlands and the United States. By the end of 2023 total accumulated investment exceeded $35 billion, making Bern one of Astana’s most reliable financial partners.

Stadler Rail operates in Kazakhstan, having signed agreements worth more than €2 billion in 2022 and 2023. The program includes production of 537 modern rail cars and 20-year servicing. Localization in Kazakhstan is expected to reach 35 percent.

Cooperation also involves companies such as SGS and Militzer and Muench, along with investment fund INOKS Capital, which is considering agro projects in the Almaty region, including intensive orchards, fruit processing and creation of value chains in the agricultural sector. This aligns with Kazakhstan’s strategy to attract long-term European investment into food production and processing.

Experts emphasize that Switzerland is attracted by Kazakhstan’s combination of large resource potential and opportunities for logistics projects along the Europe-Asia corridor.

According to Valeriy Sitenko, Swiss interest is traditionally concentrated in energy, critical minerals, financial services and transport.

“Swiss companies view Kazakhstan not only as a source of raw materials, but as a promising link in integrated European production chains from mining to high technology,” the expert stressed.

Although direct investment from Switzerland fell to approximately $500 million in 2024, down 75 percent from 2023, analysts expect potential for recovery. The decline is attributed largely to cyclical sectoral factors rather than political risks.

Technology and digital solutions

Political scientist Tair Nigmanov notes that Switzerland remains a key partner in technology, finance and industrial modernization. The upcoming visit of the Swiss Vice President may provide fresh momentum to cooperation in green technologies, digitalization, transport and manufacturing.

Tair Nigmanov also highlights challenges:

“If we compare statistics for 2023 and 2024, investment dropped 75 percent. This is a serious signal. Kazakhstan, which depends on investment inflows, is objectively interested in reversing this trend,” he said.

One promising area is smart city technology, where Swiss companies have significant expertise. Earlier efforts were made to introduce digital solutions in Almaty’s urban systems.

Kazakhstan is also interested in cooperation with Swiss educational and scientific centers, especially in dual training. The Swiss model is considered one of the most effective in Europe and highly relevant for Kazakhstan amid shortages of engineering specialists.

In the global competition for investment, Kazakhstan aims not only to preserve its attractiveness, but also to offer more technologically advanced projects. In this context, Switzerland remains a strategic partner: financially stable, technologically advanced and geopolitically neutral.

Shared foreign policy approaches

Kazakhstan and Switzerland share similar foreign policy principles: neutrality and diplomatic mediation as key instruments of international positioning. Switzerland traditionally acts as a global negotiation platform from nuclear disarmament to conflict resolution. Kazakhstan has recently strengthened its role as mediator hosting the Astana Process on Syria, launching nuclear security dialogue formats and contributing to the UN agenda.

This approach, according to Valeriy Sitenko, unites the two countries:

“Both Kazakhstan and Switzerland advocate for mutually beneficial cooperation across all areas. Our political views coincide: both sides support diplomatic settlement and dialogue,” the expert emphasized.

Such synergy makes the upcoming talks especially meaningful. Amid global geopolitical shifts, both countries seek to strengthen regional and international positions while maintaining careful balance in multi-vector policy.

Tair Nigmanov notes that relations with Switzerland remain stable even as Kazakhstan adjusts its foreign policy priorities.

“Switzerland remains a key component of Kazakhstan’s European direction despite the updated foreign policy concept. The level of bilateral relations remains consistently high,” he stressed.

Kazakhstan and Switzerland actively cooperate within the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe and the UN Office in Geneva where Kassym-Jomart Tokayev previously held a senior position. Switzerland chairs the OSCE in 2025, making dialogue even more relevant.

“The experience of Swiss diplomacy is of great interest to Kazakhstan particularly in the context of positioning itself as a middle power and engaging more actively in the global agenda,” Valeriy Sitenko observed.

He added that this expertise is especially important within the framework of the UN SDG Regional Center opened in Almaty.

Switzerland remains one of Kazakhstan’s most stable and technologically advanced partners in Europe. The upcoming meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Swiss Vice President Guy Parmelin may play a crucial role not only in restoring investment flows, but also in strengthening long-term political dialogue and strategic partnership.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev will pay an official visit to Switzerland on December 2 at the invitation of the Swiss side.