President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Visit the Astana International Financial Centre

The distinguished guests were briefed on the achievements of the financial centre and the operations of the Committee for the Regulation of Financial Services, the AIFC Exchange, the AIFC Court, and the International Arbitration Centre. 

AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov presented to the President of Kazakhstan and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi opportunities for advancing investment cooperation. 

Currently, 46 UAE-based companies are registered with the AIFC, operating in sectors such as finance and insurance, information and communication technologies, trade, transportation, manufacturing, and mining. 

Furthermore, ties between the capital markets of Kazakhstan and the UAE are strengthening. On May 7 of this year, Nasdaq Dubai and the Astana International Exchange (AIX) announced the establishment of a direct link between their central securities depositories. In 2024, AIX joined Tabadul, the digital exchange hub created by the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).

Also Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the Kazakhstan-UAE Business Forum.

In his address, the President emphasized that during today’s talks with Sheikh Khaled, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening trade, economic, and investment cooperation. This commitment is further strengthened by commercial agreements in key economic sectors worth approximately $5 billion.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed confidence that representatives from the business and corporate sectors on both sides will make valuable contributions to the full-scale implementation of these agreements. 

“The United Arab Emirates is Kazakhstan’s leading trade and investment partner in the Gulf region, with total investments surpassing $4.3 billion. As the UAE’s Vision 2031 closely aligns with our national priorities for innovation, industrial growth, and diversification, we are committed to providing a favorable environment for Emirati business partners,” the President stated.

The Head of State briefed the Emirati business community on Kazakhstan’s ongoing economic reforms, implemented in line with OECD international standards and principles. In this context, he highlighted the establishment of the Investment Board, which provides tailored and efficient support for foreign investors, including UAE companies.

“We see immense potential to expand cooperation across multiple sectors – energy, logistics, finance, smart technologies, agriculture, and more. Several landmark projects underscore the strength and momentum of our dynamic partnership. Today, we are implementing projects with Masdar, Presight, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Terminal Holdings, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. These and other projects reflect the depth, effectiveness, and accelerating progress of our bilateral relations,” Tokayev noted.

During the forum, thematic sessions were held to discuss advancements in digital technologies as well as modern trends in finance, urban development, and the green economy.

Additionally, B2B meetings were organized between business representatives from both countries.

The UAE delegation at the forum included representatives from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and major companies such as Masdar, AMEA Power, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and others.

On the sidelines of the Kazakhstan-UAE Business Forum, the following commercial agreements were signed:

1. Investment Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and QazaqArab Sugar LLP for the implementation of a sugar production project in the Almaty region.
2. Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Akimat of Astana, and Presight AI for the construction of a data processing center in Astana.
3. Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Akimat of Astana and the Emirates Kazakhstan Education Investment Group for the implementation of the SABIS International School Astana Project.
4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Astana International Financial Center and Abu Dhabi Global Market for international cooperation and mutual assistance in the regulation of laws protecting personal data.
5. Strategic Collaboration Agreement between KMG Engineering and AIQ to develop solutions and share knowledge.
6. Memorandum of Understanding on a Framework for Cooperation between the Chamber of International Commerce of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.
7. Heads of Terms Agreement for a joint venture regarding the Kyryk Multipurpose Terminal in Kazakhstan between SEMURG Invest LLP and Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.
8. Memorandum of Understanding on a Framework for Cooperation between SEZ “Seaport Aktau” and Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.
9. Memorandum of Understanding between Alel Agro JSC and Lulu Group International to enhance agri-food trade and procurement.