Kazakhstan Trade With Türkiye Surges 66.5 Percent
(MENAFN) Kazakhstan is making Turkic integration and deeper ties with Türkiye a cornerstone of its foreign policy, Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said, as trade between the two countries surged 66.5% year on year.
Tileuberdi made the case in an interview with a news agency ahead of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Ankara on Wednesday and the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which Türkiye is hosting. He said sweeping geopolitical shifts, a changing global economy and escalating technological rivalry are raising the value of partnerships built on mutual trust, respect for national interests and a readiness to act together.
“Kazakhstan and Türkiye are united by centuries-old historical ties, spiritual affinity, shared cultural traditions, and the rich linguistic heritage of the Turkic world,” he said.
“Today, bilateral relations have acquired the character of an expanded strategic partnership covering political dialogue, trade, investment, energy, transport, industry, education, digital technologies, and other areas. At the current stage, the most important task is to resolutely continue transforming the accumulated political capital into tangible economic results, new production facilities, employment opportunities, and long-term projects,” he added.
Strategic partnership gains momentum
Tileuberdi called Tokayev’s trip a direct follow-up to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s state visit to Astana in May, when the two leaders signed a Declaration on Eternal Friendship and Expanded Strategic Partnership. Ties are advancing steadily in every area of cooperation, he said.
“Consistent political dialogue” between Tokayev and Erdogan “determines the strategic direction of bilateral cooperation and creates favorable conditions for implementing comprehensive joint projects,” he said.
“The priority is therefore not only to preserve the level of relations achieved so far, but also to adapt the bilateral partnership in a timely manner to new international conditions,” he added.
Trade nearly doubles in exports, 100-plus projects delivered
Tileuberdi named Türkiye among Kazakhstan’s leading trade, economic and investment partners. Bilateral trade reached $5.66 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 66.5% from the same period last year. Kazakh exports to Türkiye almost doubled to $4.75 billion, a sign of significant room for further growth, he said.
To lift trade further, he said, both sides must diversify products, remove non-tariff barriers and streamline trade procedures.
Investment ties are also expanding fast. Turkish investment in Kazakhstan tops $6 billion, while Kazakh investment in Türkiye exceeds $2.5 billion, he said. More than 100 joint projects are complete in Kazakhstan, over 50 more are under way and talks continue on another 70. More than 4,000 companies with Turkish capital operate in the country, which Tileuberdi called a strong signal of investor confidence.
He said Kazakhstan will keep building mechanisms to support investors, protect their rights and offer a predictable, long-term business climate, with help at every stage from site selection to project delivery.
Astana’s role in building the OTS
Tileuberdi said Kazakhstan played a leading part in creating the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, the body that grew into the OTS, and has consistently backed efforts to strengthen the bloc’s institutions and global profile.
“Kazakhstan has regularly hosted various events within the framework of the OTS. In this regard, I would like to recall that the first summit of the Organization of Turkic States was held in Almaty in 2011, while its most recent informal summit was successfully held in May this year in Turkistan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic world,” he said.
Kazakhstan also spearheaded the Coordination Committee of Turkic Cooperation Organizations, the Turkic World Vision 2040 document and a permanent-representatives mechanism at the OTS, he said. It initiated the creation of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), the Turkic Academy and the Turkic Investment Fund.
“These institutions have contributed to the development of scientific research, the promotion of cultural exchange, and the expansion of practical cooperation among countries,” he added.
Ancestral homeland of the Turkic peoples
Tileuberdi said the OTS reached a new stage of institutional maturity while Kazakh diplomat Baghdad Amreyev served as secretary-general from 2018 to 2022. Uzbekistan joined as a full member, Hungary and Turkmenistan gained observer status, an OTS office opened in Budapest, and the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry was set up in Istanbul.
He described Kazakhstan as the successor to the Golden Horde and the ancestral homeland of Turkic peoples bound by shared culture, language and traditions.
“This important factor underlies the natural rapprochement between Turkic countries and peoples. Since gaining independence, our country has attached great importance to Turkic integration,” he said.
“The integration of the Turkic world is one of the important priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. The Organization of Turkic States holds an important place among regional cooperation platforms, alongside the United Nations and other multilateral organizations,” he added.
Tileuberdi made the case in an interview with a news agency ahead of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Ankara on Wednesday and the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which Türkiye is hosting. He said sweeping geopolitical shifts, a changing global economy and escalating technological rivalry are raising the value of partnerships built on mutual trust, respect for national interests and a readiness to act together.
“Kazakhstan and Türkiye are united by centuries-old historical ties, spiritual affinity, shared cultural traditions, and the rich linguistic heritage of the Turkic world,” he said.
“Today, bilateral relations have acquired the character of an expanded strategic partnership covering political dialogue, trade, investment, energy, transport, industry, education, digital technologies, and other areas. At the current stage, the most important task is to resolutely continue transforming the accumulated political capital into tangible economic results, new production facilities, employment opportunities, and long-term projects,” he added.
Strategic partnership gains momentum
Tileuberdi called Tokayev’s trip a direct follow-up to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s state visit to Astana in May, when the two leaders signed a Declaration on Eternal Friendship and Expanded Strategic Partnership. Ties are advancing steadily in every area of cooperation, he said.
“Consistent political dialogue” between Tokayev and Erdogan “determines the strategic direction of bilateral cooperation and creates favorable conditions for implementing comprehensive joint projects,” he said.
“The priority is therefore not only to preserve the level of relations achieved so far, but also to adapt the bilateral partnership in a timely manner to new international conditions,” he added.
Trade nearly doubles in exports, 100-plus projects delivered
Tileuberdi named Türkiye among Kazakhstan’s leading trade, economic and investment partners. Bilateral trade reached $5.66 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 66.5% from the same period last year. Kazakh exports to Türkiye almost doubled to $4.75 billion, a sign of significant room for further growth, he said.
To lift trade further, he said, both sides must diversify products, remove non-tariff barriers and streamline trade procedures.
Investment ties are also expanding fast. Turkish investment in Kazakhstan tops $6 billion, while Kazakh investment in Türkiye exceeds $2.5 billion, he said. More than 100 joint projects are complete in Kazakhstan, over 50 more are under way and talks continue on another 70. More than 4,000 companies with Turkish capital operate in the country, which Tileuberdi called a strong signal of investor confidence.
He said Kazakhstan will keep building mechanisms to support investors, protect their rights and offer a predictable, long-term business climate, with help at every stage from site selection to project delivery.
Astana’s role in building the OTS
Tileuberdi said Kazakhstan played a leading part in creating the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, the body that grew into the OTS, and has consistently backed efforts to strengthen the bloc’s institutions and global profile.
“Kazakhstan has regularly hosted various events within the framework of the OTS. In this regard, I would like to recall that the first summit of the Organization of Turkic States was held in Almaty in 2011, while its most recent informal summit was successfully held in May this year in Turkistan, the spiritual capital of the Turkic world,” he said.
Kazakhstan also spearheaded the Coordination Committee of Turkic Cooperation Organizations, the Turkic World Vision 2040 document and a permanent-representatives mechanism at the OTS, he said. It initiated the creation of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), the Turkic Academy and the Turkic Investment Fund.
“These institutions have contributed to the development of scientific research, the promotion of cultural exchange, and the expansion of practical cooperation among countries,” he added.
Ancestral homeland of the Turkic peoples
Tileuberdi said the OTS reached a new stage of institutional maturity while Kazakh diplomat Baghdad Amreyev served as secretary-general from 2018 to 2022. Uzbekistan joined as a full member, Hungary and Turkmenistan gained observer status, an OTS office opened in Budapest, and the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry was set up in Istanbul.
He described Kazakhstan as the successor to the Golden Horde and the ancestral homeland of Turkic peoples bound by shared culture, language and traditions.
“This important factor underlies the natural rapprochement between Turkic countries and peoples. Since gaining independence, our country has attached great importance to Turkic integration,” he said.
“The integration of the Turkic world is one of the important priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. The Organization of Turkic States holds an important place among regional cooperation platforms, alongside the United Nations and other multilateral organizations,” he added.
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