Rome, October 7, 2026 – As part of his working visit to the Italian Republic, Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliev chaired the 10th meeting of the Intergovernmental Kazakhstan–Italy Working Group on Industrial and Economic Cooperation and Exchanges, as well as a series of meetings with the heads of Italian companies and business associations.
The Italian side at the Working Group meeting was headed by Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic. The sides reviewed progress in implementing previously reached agreements and discussed further expansion of trade, economic and investment cooperation. Particular attention was paid to diversifying bilateral trade, developing industrial cooperation, implementing joint investment projects, and strengthening cooperation in energy, transport and logistics, the agro-industrial sector and other promising areas.
In 2025, bilateral trade amounted to approximately USD 16.9 billion. In January–July 2026, trade turnover reached USD 9.79 billion, including approximately USD 9 billion in Kazakhstan’s exports and USD 789.6 million in imports from Italy. At the same time, Italian exports to Kazakhstan increased by 13.5%.
One of the key priorities identified by the sides was further diversification of bilateral trade and expansion of supplies of higher value-added products. According to the Kazakh side, the potential for additional exports of Kazakh products to the Italian market is estimated at approximately USD 307.5 million. Significant opportunities exist in metallurgy, petrochemicals, food and chemical industries, mechanical engineering and other sectors.
An important practical platform for strengthening business ties is the Kazakhstan–Italy Trade House, opened in Almaty in February 2026. The platform is focused on promoting exports, supporting investment projects, developing industrial cooperation and establishing direct contacts between businesses from the two countries.
Investment cooperation was another key area of discussion. To promote joint projects, the sides expressed interest in making greater use of the opportunities offered by the Astana International Financial Centre and expanding cooperation between financial institutions and business communities of the two countries.
Considerable attention was also paid to the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) as a reliable and efficient multimodal corridor connecting Central Asia and Europe. Kazakhstan invited Italian railway and logistics companies to participate in joint projects using the capabilities of the ports of Aktau and Kuryk. In the energy sector, the sides confirmed their interest in further developing cooperation in traditional areas.
In the agro-industrial sector, the sides discussed prospects for cooperation in crop production, grain processing and livestock farming. They agreed to continue efforts to increase the level of localization and develop the component base, with a view to integrating Kazakh-made components into global supply chains.
The sides also agreed to expand cooperation in environmental protection and sustainable water resource management, tourism and sports, culture and education. Particular attention will be given to climate initiatives, energy efficiency, decarbonization, the introduction of modern engineering and digital solutions in water management, as well as the development of professional and educational exchanges.
The business programme of the visit served as a practical continuation of the Working Group’s agenda. The key focus of meetings with Italian companies was to expand practical cooperation between businesses in Kazakhstan and Italy – from promoting Kazakh products and establishing direct commercial ties to attracting investment and technology and implementing joint projects.
A significant part of the discussions focused on attracting Italian and European businesses to investment and industrial projects in Kazakhstan. During meetings with representatives of Blacktrace and Value Partners, the sides explored opportunities to develop a concrete project pipeline and attract investors, technology providers and engineering partners. Potential areas included the deep processing of critical minerals and rare earth metals, development of logistics infrastructure along the Middle Corridor, water-saving technologies, data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
At the same time, the Kazakh side emphasized that its interest extends beyond attracting investment and contractors to deeper industrial cooperation, including localization of engineering expertise and technologies, greater involvement of domestic contractors, workforce training and a gradual increase in local content. As a next practical step, the sides proposed identifying several pilot projects and developing specific cooperation models for them.
Another important area of the business programme was the creation of new channels for Kazakh producers to enter the Italian market. During talks with Crai Mediterranea, the sides discussed the possibility of direct supplies of Kazakh food products to Italian retail chains. Promising categories include vegetable oils, honey, confectionery, grain and flour products, pulses and organic products. As a practical mechanism, the sides proposed launching a pilot shelf featuring Kazakh products in selected stores, followed by an expansion of supplies through the Gruppo CRAI network. The possibility of producing goods by Kazakh companies under the Italian group’s private-label brands was also discussed.
The export agenda continued during talks with ASSOEBIOS, which represents Italian electricity sector operators working with sustainable bioliquids. The Italian side expressed interest in purchasing Kazakh agricultural raw materials for further processing and use in bioenergy. There is potential for supplies of oilseeds and their processed products, including sunflower, rapeseed and vegetable oils.
Alongside major investment and export initiatives, the sides discussed opportunities to introduce new technology-driven business models to the Kazakh market. With CoolXp, they explored the possibility of using Kazakhstan as a pilot market for the subsequent expansion of the company’s business across Central Asia. At the initial stage, the sides proposed testing the company’s equipment in Astana and Almaty. Subject to achieving the required volumes, the parties may subsequently consider the gradual localization of service maintenance, consumables and selected components.
The issue of systematic cooperation between entrepreneurs from the two countries was also discussed with the leadership of the Italy–Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce. The sides highlighted the importance of expanding direct business contacts, supporting Kazakh companies in entering the Italian market and further strengthening ties between the business communities of Kazakhstan and Italy.
Following the meetings, the sides agreed to move the initiatives discussed towards practical implementation by identifying specific projects and potential partners, arranging direct negotiations between companies and continuing work on possible cooperation formats. The Ministry of Trade and Integration, together with QazTrade, is ready to facilitate the necessary contacts with government agencies, development institutions and Kazakh businesses to further implement the agreements reached.
