The UK and Kazakhstan enjoy a strong and trade and investment relationship based on free market access, significant two-way trade and investment flows and regular dialogue at senior levels.

• UK exports to Kazakhstan in 2008 were US$309 million and imports from Kazakhstan totalled US$164 million. Much of the UK figure is represented by export of machinery and specialised equipment for the key oil and gas sector as well as for the important, mining, power generation and manufacturing sectors. BG & Shell have strong investment interest in Kazakhstan, as do some of the UK's  large contracting companies such as AMEC. A large number of smaller oil-field service and supply companies have established themselves in the market, usually in tandem with Kazakhstani partner companies.
• Two-way investment flows are healthy. Historically the UK is a major investor in Kazakhstan, usually either in second or third position for foreign direct investment at any given time. Kazakhstani companies are increasingly listing on the London stock Exchange. With IPOs to a value in excess of  US$14 billion since 2005.

Our relationship benefits from regular exchanges at very senior levels.

• His Royal Highness the Duke of York is a regular visitor to Kazakhstan. He was last in the country in his official capacity as the UK Special Representative for International Trade & Investment in October 2007 when he delivered a well-received keynote address at the KIOGE Conference and met the Energy Minister and the President of KazMunaiGaz. The highly successful guest-of-government visit to London by President Nazarbayev in November 2006 directly stimulated the relationship at the highest level. Early in 2007 the Lord Mayor of London, visited Kazakhstan with a large and distinguished business delegation, including the Chairman of the London Stock Exchange Meetings with the President, the Prime Minister and other key government and industry leaders affirmed the strength of the relationship. A further visit by the Lord Mayor and a financial services industry delegation took place at the end of July 2009.
• Development of the economic relationship is assisted through the Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council (KBTIC), established in 1995.  Directed by senior business leaders and ministers from both countries KBTIC identifies key sectors for co-operation, business opportunities and trade & investment issues that need to be jointly addressed. The Council met last in London in July 2008 and the 2009 meeting is due to take place in Astana.

UK businesses already engaged in Kazakhstan enjoy an excellent reputation as reliable and socially-responsible business partners offering a range of good quality products and services appropriate to Kazakhstan’s needs, as well as investment in key areas such as oil & gas exploration and production, mining and steel. ‘Blue chip’ corporations such as BG, Shell and Amec which are heavily engaged in oil & gas projects in west Kazakhstan are obvious examples. But with well over a hundred UK enterprises, invariably operating with Kazakh partner companies, our smaller supply and services companies also make a significant contribution to the relationship.

• This is especially relevant in vocational education and skills-development, an area vital to Kazakhstan’s development needs, where co-operation is strengthening. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science has signed a MOU covering co-operation with Technical Vocational Education & Training UK (TVET UK) which represents a wide range of British VE colleges, accreditation bodies and corporate training providers. This initiative builds on the good foundation laid by many individual UK companies. The Kazakh-British Technical University was established in 2001 to help provide young Kazakhs with the skills they need to develop a modern economy. The British Prime Minister and President Nazarbayev are patrons of the university. Several British universities are involved in running programmes, and Shell and British Gas have provided substantial funding for the post-graduate school. In 2008 Haileybury School opened in  Kazakhstan’s largest City, Almaty, and intends to also establish a school in the Capital, Astana.
• Day to day support for the relationship is provided by UK Trade & Investment, the UK government department responsible for helping UK enterprises develop their trade and investment interests overseas and Kazakhstani companies who wish to trade with UK companies or to invest in the UK. In Kazakhstan the UKTI is represented by the Trade and Investment Section of the British Embassy in Astana, whose full role is described in (LINK). The team also operates an office in Atyrau on the Caspian Sea, charged particularly with supporting co-operation in the very important energy sector and especially bring UK expertise to help Kazakhstan’s development of its substantial oil & gas reserves. Please contact any of the team.