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Astana, 25 September 2026. On 21 - 24 September 2026, Kazakhstan welcomed a parliamentary delegation from the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union ( BGIPU), which included Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords of the UK Parliament. The delegation was led by Tan Dhesi MP, Chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee.
In Astana, the British parliamentarians met with Nurlan Beknazarov, Deputy Chairman of the Kuryltai of Kazakhstan. The parties discussed political and constitutional reforms initiated by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, prospects for inter-parliamentary engagement and cooperation between relevant committees. Nurlan Beknazarov emphasised the historic significance of the visit, noting that it marked the first visit to Astana by a foreign parliamentary delegation following the formation of the unicameral Kuryltai. The British side welcomed the reforms initiated by the Head of State and reaffirmed their interest in strengthening bilateral inter-parliamentary ties and sharing practical experience.
At a meeting with Arman Issetov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the parties discussed the implementation of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom, which has recently entered into force, as well as cooperation between Astana and London on key issues on the international agenda.
Prospects for cooperation in education were discussed at a meeting with Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan. The British parliamentarians were briefed on Kazakhstan’s initiatives to establish a regional education hub, attract leading international universities and strengthen academic cooperation. As part of the visit, they also attended the opening ceremony of Coventry University’s second campus in Almaty.
The business part of the programme included discussions on prospects for trade and economic cooperation. The parliamentarians were introduced to the activities of the «Alem AI» International Centre for Artificial Intelligence and the «Astana» International Financial Centre. At a meeting with QazTrade’s leadership, the parties discussed the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and expanding exports of Kazakh products to the British market.
In Almaty, British MPs met with Deputy Mayor of the city Abzal Nukenov to discuss opportunities for British businesses to participate in urban development projects, as well as prospects for cooperation in tourism. The parties noted with satisfaction that more than 7,000 tourists from the United Kingdom visited Almaty during the first half of 2026.
During a substantive exchange of views with Maulen Ashimbayev, Head of the «Taldau AI Analytics Centre», the parties reaffirmed their interest in expanding cooperation between think tanks, analytical institutions, and research centres in Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.
The visit marked an important step in strengthening the parliamentary dimension of the Kazakhstan–UK strategic partnership and reaffirmed the shared commitment to further deepening political dialogue, trade and economic cooperation, and humanitarian ties.
Reference: The British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) serves as a platform for UK parliamentarians, and promotes interparliamentary relations, international dialogue and the exchange of legislative experience.
