Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad

Asia and Oceania

Kazakhstan

 Flag of Kazakhstan

Last reviewed: 27 June 2008 

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Kazakhstan's relations with the UK

We have a wide-ranging dialogue with Kazakhstan, which we regard as a strategic partner in the Central Asian region. This covers energy issues, democratisation and human rights, the investment climate, good governance, regional and international security and stability, and drugs trafficking and terrorism.

Since independence, we have provided substantial assistance – both bilaterally and multilaterally – to support economic and political reforms. In the last two years, the UK has committed around £2.3 million on democracy building, educational, energy and nuclear projects in Kazakhstan. These projects include helping Kazakhstan tackle the Soviet nuclear legacy by developing sustainable land-use projects for the Semipalatinsk region and de-commissioning of the Aktau nuclear reactor.

Kazakhstan offered the use of its airspace and bases for humanitarian aid supplies to Afghanistan. The UK has greatly welcomed the support of Kazakh troops in the reconstruction of Iraq. We are helping to train Kazakh peace-keeping forces (Kazbat) to enable them to take part in future peace-keeping operations.

The UK recognised Kazakhstan on 31 December 1991 immediately after the dissolution of the USSR. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 19 January 1992 during the visit to Kazakhstan by Douglas Hurd, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at the time. The British Embassy was opened in Almaty in October 1992. The British Embassy has since further expanded its presence in Kazakhstan. In September 2003 HRH Duke of York opened a Trade and Investment office in Atyrau. In December 2006 the Embassy moved to Astana, though it retains a presence in Almaty; where there is a British Embassy Office and consular and visa work for Kazakhstan is centred there.

Kazakhstan opened an Embassy in London in February 1996.

Bilateral

A British – Kazakh All Party Parliamentary Group was established in October 2001. A Kazakh British Group was set up in parallel in Astana. Several visits to Kazakhstan have taken place in 2002, 2003 and November 2004. There have also been several Kazakh parliamentary visits to the UK.

Cultural Relations with the UK

The British Council in Kazakhstan runs programmes in the English language, the arts, education information and human rights, all aimed primarily at aspiring young people.

The British-Kazakh Society was established in 2003 under the patronage of HRH The Duke of York and President Nazarbayev. The Society aims to promote commercial, cultural and people-to-people links between the two countries.

The Kazakh-British Technical University was established in 2001 to help provide young Kazakhs with the skills they need to develop a modern economy. The British Prime Minister and President Nazarbayev are patrons of the university. Several British universities are involved in developing programmes, and Shell and British Gas have provided substantial funding for the post-graduate school.

Recent Visits

Inward

  • Minister of Justice Zhumabekov visited UK in 2004
  • Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Shkolnik visited UK in 2004.
  • Deputy Prime Minister Mynbaev attended Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council in London in May 2004.
  • Kazakh Energy Minister Shkolnik and Economy Minister Kelimbetov visited the UK in 2005.
  • In November 2006, President Nazarbayev visited the UK as a guest of the Government.
  • Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Tokaev), Agriculture (Yesimov) and Energy (Izmukhambetov) also visited the UK in 2006.
  • A delegation of Kazakhstani parliamentarians headed by the Majilis Speaker, Mukhamedzhanov, visited the UK in March 2007.

Outward

  • Jack Straw visited Kazakhstan and opened the British Embassy Astana Office in February 2004.
  • Prime Minister's Special Representative on Trade Opportunities Brian Wilson visited Almaty in October 2004.
  • British parliamentary delegation visited Kazakhstan in November 2004.
  • HRH The Duke of York, the UK's special Representative on Trade and Industry, visited Kazakhstan in July 2006.
  • Geoff Hoon, the Minister for Europe, visited Kazakhstan in September 2006.
  • The Lord Mayor led a City mission in March 2007.
  • HRH The Duke of York, the UK’s special Representative on Trade and Industry, visited Kazakhstan in October 2007.

Country information

Pick Another Country :

Share this with:

Travel Advice

Travel advice: Kazakhstan 

Useful Links


Contacts

Kazakhstan

Address:

Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
33 Thurloe Square
London SW7 2DS

Telephone:

020 7581 4646

Fax:

020 7584 8481
020 7584 9905 (Consular)

Email: london@kazakhstan-embassy.org.uk

Office hours:

Mon-Fri: 0900-1200, 1400-1800        
Mon-Fri: 0900-1200 (Visas) (except Wed)

Website: http://www.kazembassy.org.uk