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Kazakhstan

 Flag of Kazakhstan

Last reviewed: 27 June 2008 

Country information

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Trade and Investment with the UK

The UK is the third largest investor in Kazakhstan, representing 14% of total foreign direct investment in the country.  Over 100 companies are either fully UK-owned or joint ventures with British connections.  In addition, a large number of non-British companies run their Kazakhstan operations out of the UK.

UK exports to Kazakhstan in 2007 were US$594 million and imports from Kazakhstan totalled US$400 million.  The largest sectors are oil and gas, mining, agriculture, power generation and manufacturing. BG, Shell and BP are all present in Kazakhstan, as are a large number of smaller oil-field service and supply companies.

There is also a substantial British presence in the financial services sector (e.g. consultancy, banking, legal); civil aviation, where British Aerospace (BAE Systems) set up and own 49% of Air Astana, the national carrier; precious metals, education and training and other sectors.

Development of the economic relationship is  assisted through the Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council (KBTIC), established in 1995.  The KBTIC gives UK companies operating in Kazakhstan the opportunity to meet with Kazakh ministers and senior decision-makers to raise issues/problems. The last meeting was in London in November 2006. The next meeting will take place in London on 1 July 2008

UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Kazakhstan

Foreign Policy

Kazakhstan  enjoys a particularly close relationship with Russia. However, Kazakhstan tries to maintain a foreign policy balance. It claims to want a stronger relationship with the EU, its main trading partner, and with the US. The relationship with China is ambivalent, China is a key potential market for Kazakhstan hydrocarbons, but Kazakhstan fears being swamped by its populous eastern neighbour.

Kazakhstan has signed up to global and regional security structures. Kazakhstan joined the UN in March 1992 and renounced nuclear weapons in 1995. It is a member of a number of regional organisations including the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, the Conference for Security and Confidence-Building Measures, (a Kazakhstani initiative), the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Community. Since 2004 Kazakhstan has been contributing troops to the International Coalition against Terrorism work in Iraq. It is the only Central Asian country to have agreed an Individual Partnership Action Programme with NATO. It is an active participant in the US/Russian initiative on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass destruction.

On 30 November 2007, the OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid decided that Kazakhstan would chair the OSCE in 2010.

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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