Kazakh Prime Minister Meets Czech Counterpart to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
Kazakhstan and Czech Republic deepen economic and political cooperation in 2026
Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held talks with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who arrived in Astana on an official visit, our website reports, citing the Kazakh government's press service.
The two sides discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in trade, investment, industry, energy, transport and logistics, digital technology, and humanitarian fields. The Czech Republic ranks among Kazakhstan's key trade and economic partners in Europe. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $705 million—a 13% increase from the previous year—while gross inflows of Czech foreign direct investment into Kazakhstan totaled $59 million, marking a 39% rise.
Acting on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's instructions, the Kazakh government continues to create conditions to attract investment, foster technological partnerships, and develop non-resource sectors of the economy. The Czech Republic remains a reliable partner for Kazakhstan within the European Union. "It is crucial that our bilateral cooperation translates into tangible projects in industry, energy, transport logistics, digitalization, and artificial intelligence," Bektenov emphasized.
For his part, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed interest in deepening collaboration with Kazakhstan in chemical manufacturing, energy, water resources, and other promising sectors. Industrial cooperation remains one of the strongest pillars of Kazakh-Czech relations, with a focus on developing service hubs and localizing production. The leaders explored opportunities in critical mineral resources, emphasizing advanced processing and technology transfer. Special attention was given to energy cooperation, including the modernization of enterprises through green technologies and cutting-edge engineering solutions.
Prospects were also highlighted in nuclear energy, particularly through partnerships between Kazatomprom and ČEZ. Additional potential lies in nuclear fuel cycle services, technological exchange, workforce training, and related industrial projects.
The two sides discussed prospects for expanding transport connectivity between Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic. In the first three months of 2026, rail freight volumes reached 10.1 thousand tons, marking an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. Over the course of 2025, road transport shipments exceeded 38 thousand tons. Kazakhstan's strategic geographic location and its developing transport infrastructure offer Czech businesses opportunities to access regional markets.
In the digital sphere, both countries highlighted potential for joint initiatives in GovTech and artificial intelligence development. The meeting also underscored the role of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) as a hub for attracting investment and supporting international business. Several Czech companies, including the investment firm Wood & Company, already operate on the platform.
Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic are actively fostering humanitarian and educational ties, including academic exchanges, inter-university cooperation, and joint cultural projects. In the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental initiatives, the two nations are collaborating on the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses in Kazakhstan to preserve this unique species.
Following the talks, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening business ties and implementing joint projects aimed at building long-term, mutually beneficial economic partnership between Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic.
