Kazakhstan's President Tokayev travels to Turkey to mark the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic ties between our countries.
In a significant move to bolster their bilateral relations, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is currently on an official visit to Turkey, invited by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This visit comes as both nations aim to deepen their Enhanced Strategic Partnership, a relationship that was upgraded in 2022.
Since its inception, the partnership has seen remarkable growth, with trade between the two countries exceeding $1.9 billion in the first five months of 2025 alone. This figure is expected to rise further as both nations focus on increasing mutual trade and investment.
Transport is a key area of focus, with both countries prioritising the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. This strategic land route aims to link Europe and China while bypassing Russia, and involves agreements on freight transport and international road transport cooperation to improve corridor infrastructure and efficiency.
Energy cooperation is another significant aspect of the partnership. Both nations have signed agreements between Kazakhstan’s national oil company KazMunayGas and Turkey’s TPAO, aiming to expand Kazakh oil exports through joint projects. This strategic energy partnership is a key area for mutual investment and development, with Kazakhstan supporting Turkish investors.
Defense cooperation is also anticipated to be enhanced, reflecting growing strategic alignment between the two nations. While detailed defense projects were not extensively described, they are among the focus areas for their agreements.
Agricultural cooperation and industrial development are also on the agenda, alongside broader trade facilitation. Both states emphasize the importance of cultural exchange and media collaboration, linked to their shared Turkic heritage and membership in Turkic organizations like the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and TURKSOY.
Education ties are strong, exemplified by substantial Kazakh student enrollment in Turkish universities, strengthening people-to-people links. There is also a major focus on joint IT development, including artificial intelligence technology, underpinning innovation-driven growth in their enhanced partnership.
In an effort to boost tourism and investment, Kazakhstan recently extended the visa-free stay for Turkish citizens from 30 to 90 days. In 2023, 863,000 Kazakh tourists visited Turkey, while 130,000 Turkish tourists traveled to Kazakhstan.
As of now, 3,538 Turkish-capital companies operate in Kazakhstan, and this number is expected to grow with ongoing discussions. Seventy-eight joint investment projects have been launched between the two nations, and more are anticipated in the future.
The fifth meeting of the Turkey-Kazakhstan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council will take place, where new goals in sectors such as transport, energy, defense, trade, agriculture, media, and cultural cooperation will be discussed. The two leaders will meet in Ankara to discuss strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership.
Turkey was the first country to recognize Kazakhstan's independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and since then, more than 20 official presidential visits from Kazakhstan to Turkey have taken place. President Tokayev has held 14 bilateral meetings with President Erdogan.
Investment from Turkey in Kazakhstan totals $5.2 billion between 2005 and 2024, and this figure is expected to rise with the Enhanced Strategic Partnership. Both countries are founding members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and cooperate actively within Turkic institutions.
A total of 12,000 Kazakh students are pursuing higher education in Turkey, and an additional 300 were awarded Turkey Scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. The relationship between Turkey and Kazakhstan was elevated to a "Strategic Partnership" in 2009 and further upgraded in 2022 to an "Enhanced Strategic Partnership." Formal diplomatic relations between the two nations were established on March 2, 1992.
This Enhanced Strategic Partnership aims to leverage the geographic positions and cultural affinities of both nations to build a multifaceted alliance that boosts economic connectivity and diplomatic coordination on regional and global issues such as conflict resolution and multilateral diplomacy.
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Turkey, invited by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is not limited to boosting bilateral relations, but also aims to deepen their Enhanced Strategic Partnership, which was upgraded in 2022.
- In addition to strengthening trade, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, a strategic land route linking Europe and China, is a key area of focus for both countries, with agreements on freight transport and international road transport cooperation to improve corridor infrastructure and efficiency.
- Energy cooperation is a significant aspect of the partnership, with both nations having signed agreements between Kazakhstan’s national oil company KazMunayGas and Turkey’s TPAO, aiming to expand Kazakh oil exports through joint projects.
- The partnership between Turkey and Kazakhstan extends beyond trade and infrastructure, as both nations emphasize the importance of cultural exchange and media collaboration, linked to their shared Turkic heritage and membership in Turkic organizations like the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and TURKSOY.
