Astana, October 06, 2024 – The Europe Today: The Kazakh-Slovak business forum, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, brought together over 80 representatives from leading companies in both countries to foster bilateral cooperation. The event was organized as part of the 10th Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation meeting, with the support of JSC “NC Kazakh Invest” and the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), according to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
The forum focused on promoting collaboration in key sectors such as energy, industry, agriculture, transport, logistics, and education, serving as a vital platform for discussions on expanding economic ties between Kazakhstan and Slovakia.
Key Kazakh officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko, Chairman of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan NCE “Atameken” Murat Karimsakov, and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest Madiyar Sultanbek, addressed the forum. Slovak representatives included Deputy Minister of Economy Vladimir Shimonyak, SARIO CEO Robert Shimoncic, and Slovak Export-Import Bank CEO Rastislav Podhorets.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Vassilenko expressed gratitude to the forum’s organizers and participants for their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations. He underscored Slovakia’s growing interest in deepening comprehensive cooperation with Kazakhstan, noting Kazakhstan’s readiness to further expand its mutually beneficial partnership.
“The presence of a significant delegation of Kazakh entrepreneurs reflects our serious intentions to strengthen cooperation. Energy, industry, defense, agriculture, transport, logistics, and education are among the key areas we aim to develop. Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has attracted over $21 million in Slovak investments, and we expect this figure to grow significantly in the coming years,” Vassilenko said.
The Deputy Minister also emphasized Kazakhstan’s interest in adopting Slovakia’s best practices in water resource management, standardization, and nuclear energy.
Madiyar Sultanbek, Deputy Chairman of Kazakh Invest, highlighted Kazakhstan’s favorable investment climate, emphasizing the country’s position as a leading destination for foreign direct investment in Central Asia, with over $431 billion in total investments since 1991. Sultanbek invited Slovak companies to explore more than 200 ready-made investment projects in Kazakhstan’s 14 special economic zones.
“We invite Slovak companies to cooperate with us and leverage the tax benefits and simplified business conditions in these zones to achieve mutual success,” Sultanbek stated.
The forum concluded with participants agreeing to further strengthen investment cooperation and numerous B2B meetings laying the groundwork for future joint business projects. This business forum marks a significant step in advancing economic ties between Kazakhstan and Slovakia, underscoring both nations’ commitment to expanding economic and investment cooperation amid global economic changes.
