On 2–4 March 2020, in the city of Nur-Sultan, members of the business mission of the Association of European Businesses (AEB) met representatives of public authorities, national companies and civil organisations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The AEB delegation included the heads of major European companies, including BASF, BNP Paribas, CMS, Coleman Services UK, Merck, Messe Frankfurt Rus, Schneider Electric, etc.
The principal goal of the visit was to get acquainted with the investment potential of Kazakhstan, as well as to discuss specific steps for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation and expansion of business relations between Kazakh and European businesses.
On 3 March 2020, during the round-table discussion at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, members of the delegation discussed matters of conducting business with Mr. Shaymerdan Akhmetov, Deputy Director of the Investment Policy Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Galym Uzbekov, Deputy Chairman, Kazakh Invest National Company JSC, Ms. Nazira Baymuldinova, Director of the Investment Department, Kazgeologiya JSC, Mr. Tuan Mukhametkali, Head of Business Relations, AIFC Business Connect Ltd., and others.
To conclude the meeting, a ceremonial signing of the bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation between Kazakh Invest and AEB took place, confirming the parties’ intentions to strengthen their cooperation in order to improve the competitive ability of businesses in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Also, on 3 March, heads of major companies who took part in the business mission met Mr. Roman Sklyar, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. In the course of the meeting, Mr. Sklyar spoke of the country’s investment climate and discussed the matter of offering new opportunities to investors in various sectors of the economy: tourism, digital economy, public health, infrastructure, etc.
The AEB representatives, in turn, discussed the possibilities for participation in state-funded programmes and initiatives for support of Industry 4.0, green economy, sustainable development, electric transportation infrastructure in Kazakhstan, including via technology transfer and localisation.
Another important event of the day was the presentation of regions and special economic zones of Kazakhstan, followed by B2B and B2G meetings, during which the representatives of businesses and local authorities were able to discuss specific steps for further cooperation.
On the final day of the business mission, 4 March, members of the AEB delegation visited Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), met with Mr. Serik Jaksybekov, Chairman of the Economics Committee, Republican Senate, Mr. Ramūnas Janušauskas, Trade Counsellor, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, trade counsellors of EU countries’ embassies.
«Our business mission was a logical continuation of the presentation of Kazakhstan’s investment potential that was conducted with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan and the Trade Mission of Kazakhstan in Russia in June last year. At the time, representatives of European member companies of the AEB took serious interest in the opportunities that Kazakhstan was prepared and able to offer regarding business and investment development. Primarily, this concerns Astana International Financial Centre and special economic zones. Some of the critical factors for European businesses are the political and economic stability of Kazakhstan, as well as the country’s dynamic development as a part of the unified customs space of the EAEU.
We sincerely hope that the AEB business mission will establish a solid foundation for development of businesses of our member companies in the region, bring new investments to Kazakhstan and help establish new business contacts», remarked Mr. Johan Vanderplaetse, Chairman of the AEB Board, President of Schneider Electric in Russia and CIS countries.
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Association of European Businesses (AEB) is the main representative body of foreign investors in Russia. Founded in 1995, the AEB is an independent non-profit organisation of over 500 companies operating in Russia. The AEB includes both large international corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises from countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Area and other regions of the world.
