LONDON – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister, Yermek Kosherbayev, held talks with leading figures from the British business community during his official visit to London, as the two countries sought to deepen trade, investment and strategic co-operation.
The roundtable focused on expanding economic ties, with particular emphasis on collaboration in critical minerals and rare earth metals — sectors seen as increasingly vital to global supply chains and the green transition.
Addressing business leaders, Mr Kosherbayev said Kazakhstan was continuing to strengthen investor protections and offer targeted tax incentives as part of its broader institutional reform programme.
“We remain firmly committed to ensuring that your investments deliver long-term returns, supported by political stability, a favourable business environment and continuous efforts to unlock new opportunities in our economy,” he said.
The Foreign Minister noted that Kazakhstan attracts more than 60 per cent of all foreign direct investment flowing into Central Asia, underlining its role as the region’s principal economic hub. He added that the country has recorded average annual real growth of 5.7 per cent, with nominal GDP now exceeding $300 billion, placing it among the world’s 50 largest economies, according to IMF data.
The UK’s Acting Minister of State for Business and Trade, Chris Bryant — who co-chairs the British side of the Kazakhstan–UK Intergovernmental Commission — highlighted the track record of British investors in Kazakhstan and signalled London’s interest in expanding co-operation.
Mr Bryant said the UK was ready to work closely with Kazakhstan in areas including green energy, rare earth metals, transport and transit infrastructure, education, and artificial intelligence.
Participants said such projects would not only create sustainable investment opportunities but also contribute to the diversification and resilience of global supply chains for critical materials.
Both sides agreed that the next phase of co-operation should focus on delivering concrete projects, particularly in emerging sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy.
The meeting concluded with the signing of several key agreements, including a Roadmap for the Kazakhstan–UK Strategic Partnership in Critical Minerals through 2027. A memorandum was also signed between Coventry University and Coventry University Kazakhstan to expand collaboration and establish a licensed campus in Almaty.
Further educational initiatives were announced, including plans to open Charterhouse School in Almaty, launch an artificial intelligence centre by Cardiff University, and establish a new campus of Heriot-Watt University in Aktobe.
The United Kingdom remains one of Kazakhstan’s top ten foreign investors. British investment totalled $723.7 million in 2024, with a further $471.5 million recorded in the first nine months of 2025.
