ISLAMABAD : Monitoring Desk – H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan co-chair the 5th Meeting of the Kazakhstan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. As part of the official visit of the Head of State of Kazakhstan to Ankara, 18 intergovernmental and interagency documents were signed.
During the Council meeting, H.E. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the Kazakh-Turkish partnership, grounded in shared historical and spiritual values, continues to develop steadily in the spirit of enhanced strategic cooperation.
President Erdoğan welcomed the Kazakh delegation and personally greeted President Tokayev, saying: “Welcome to your second homeland!” He also congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the 180th anniversary of the great poet and thinker Abai Qunanbayuly.
President Erdoğan said,
“We attach great importance to cooperation with your country. Today, our bilateral relations have reached the level of strategic partnership. We aim to continue this positive momentum in trade, defense industry, agriculture, tourism, and cultural spheres. Kazakhstan is one of our largest trading partners. We will continue working toward increasing bilateral trade to $15 billion.”
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated,
“We are committed to continuing along this path and elevating our relations to a new level. Mr. President, I highly value the outcomes of our one-on-one talks held earlier today. We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to expanding cooperation. We have the capacity and enthusiasm to do so. A solid legal framework exists between our countries, including over sixty agreements and treaties. Today, several new bilateral agreements will also be signed.”
The meeting covered issues related to boosting bilateral trade. The President noted that the volume of mutual trade reached $5 billion last year. Kazakhstan is prepared to supply over 34 types of goods worth $1 billion to the Turkish market and is also interested in diversifying Turkish exports.
Both sides highlighted the strategic importance of the transport and logistics sector for trade expansion. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored Kazakhstan’s focus on developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and expressed interest in attracting Turkish investments into the construction of modern railways, dry ports, cargo terminals, and shipbuilding.
“The reforms aimed at enhancing Kazakhstan’s investment climate offer ample opportunities for foreign businesses,” the President noted, assuring that Kazakhstan remains an open and reliable partner, always ready to support Turkish investors.
The delegations also discussed energy cooperation, including the prospects of increasing exports via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan oil pipeline. President invited Turkish companies to participate in energy infrastructure projects aimed at reducing electricity shortages.
He expressed confidence that cooperation between KazMunayGas and Türkiye Petroleum would yield fruitful results.
He also drew attention to Kazakhstan’s new Tax Code, which introduces a royalty regime providing incentives for deep processing of raw materials. Turkish investors were invited to establish a joint fund and participate in mining and natural resource development projects.
Agricultural cooperation was identified as another promising area. A quarter of Kazakhstan’s grain, a third of its cotton, and 26% of its wheat gluten exports are directed to Türkiye. In total, 23 investment projects worth $1.3 billion are being implemented in Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector with Turkish involvement. Of these, 18 projects are already operational, supplying goods to international markets.
Participants had an in-depth discussion on expanding collaboration in defense industry, information technology, artificial intelligence, finance, civil aviation, culture, education, healthcare, and tourism.
Special attention was given to educational cooperation. In the near future, two “Maarif” Foundation schools and branches of leading Turkish universities will open in Astana and Almaty.
On President Tokayev’s initiative, the construction of a new school began last December in the earthquake-affected province of Gaziantep. The school is scheduled to open in 2026.
To support positive trends in tourism and foster broader bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to introduce a 90-day visa-free regime for Turkish citizens visiting Kazakhstan.
During the Council meeting, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev delivered reports, along with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Following the talks, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Joint Declaration between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Turkey following the Fifth Meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, as well as the Resolution of the Fifth Meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Turkey.
