Kazakhstan's economy witnessed a 6% expansion during the initial 5 months of the year 2025, as announced by its President.
Kazakhstan Boosts Investment Climate with Council of Foreign Investors
Kazakhstan's Council of Foreign Investors (CFI) has been instrumental in shaping the country's investment-oriented ecosystem for over two decades. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who believes that Kazakhstan's strategic location, developed human capital, and commitment to reforms create broad prospects for investors and the national economy, has emphasized the need for constructive international dialogue in the face of rising inflationary pressure, disruptions in global supply chains, and uncertainty in the business environment.
The CFI's key strategies revolve around promoting legal certainty, strengthening institutional collaboration, attracting diverse investments, and fostering international partnerships. These strategies have led to significant investment growth, expanded business registrations, enhanced arbitration mechanisms, and strategic bilateral cooperation.
Strengthening the rule of law and dispute resolution frameworks is a crucial component of the CFI's approach. The Council collaborates closely with institutions like the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court and International Arbitration Centre (IAC), as evidenced by a 2025 Memorandum of Cooperation with AmCham Kazakhstan, aimed at enhancing institutional collaboration, knowledge exchange, and training to support sustainable economic growth and a transparent investment climate.
Through advocacy and policy dialogue, the CFI helps address investment barriers related to labor, tax, deregulation, judiciary, and privatization issues. By engaging in committees and working groups, the Council works closely with top government officials, including the Prime Minister’s Council on Improving the Investment Climate.
The CFI has been successful in attracting substantial investments. The AIFC, for instance, attracted $2.6 billion in investments in the first half of 2025 and registered over 567 new companies, bringing the total AIFC ecosystem to more than 4,030 companies from 85 countries.
Kazakhstan's investments and cooperation with countries such as Türkiye include projects in logistics, transport infrastructure, energy, and mining, leveraging Kazakhstan’s geographic position as a transit hub on the overland trade route between Europe and China.
Recent achievements include a record influx of $2.6 billion in investments at the AIFC, contributing over 70 billion tenge in taxes and increasing trading turnover on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) by 3.2%, indicative of growing investor confidence. Growth in new business registrations and diversification, with the inclusion of fintech firms and companies holding financial licenses, has expanded Kazakhstan’s financial ecosystem.
Nearly 4,000 Turkish companies operate in Kazakhstan, with bilateral investments exceeding $2.5 billion, alongside initiatives to develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and energy cooperation projects. The establishment of robust arbitration and dispute resolution mechanisms, with nearly 4,000 cases handled by the AIFC Court and IAC involving investors from 34 countries, has enhanced legal confidence for foreign investors.
AmCham Kazakhstan plays an active role in advocacy and cooperation with the CFI and other institutions to address barriers and support policy reforms, improving the overall business environment.
Despite economic challenges, the economies of developing countries, including Kazakhstan, have managed to maintain stability. In the first five months of 2025, Kazakhstan's economy grew by 6%. President Tokayev has pledged to continue implementing comprehensive reforms aimed at improving the investment climate, increasing transparency, and simplifying business conditions in Kazakhstan. He chaired the 37th plenary meeting of the Council of Foreign Investors to discuss these ongoing efforts.
- In the effort to improve the investment climate in Kazakhstan, the Council of Foreign Investors (CFI) collaborates with institutions like the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court and International Arbitration Centre (IAC) to foster international partnerships, attract diverse investments, and strengthen arbitration mechanisms.
- This strategic cooperation between the CFI and institutions, as demonstrated by the 2025 Memorandum of Cooperation with AmCham Kazakhstan, contributes to the establishment of robust dispute resolution frameworks and, ultimately, a transparent investment environment for businesses and foreign investors.
