Kazakhstan and Switzerland set new horizons for cooperation

Switzerland is one of Kazakhstan’s largest investors. Over the past 15 years, this European country has invested US$28 billion in the domestic economy. Kazakh business also invests in the Swiss economy, but the volume of these investments is much more modest. Moreover, Switzerland is one of the leading trade partners of Kazakhstan. The products made in Kazakhstan  are highly valued there. Representatives of domestic enterprises actively supply energy commodities, precious stones and metals, as well as agricultural products to the Alpine region. In the near future, the countries also intend to assemble cars using European technology and more.

“The Stadler company enters our country. It is the world leader in the production of passenger cars. The production will be deployed with localization. This will enable us to gain competencies, attract investments and new technologies,” said Meiram Pshembayev, Head of Kazakh Union of Mechanical Engineers.

“They will be ready very soon. The first recycle plant can be built in a, it’s planned to be built in Taraz. It’s quite well-developed,” added Martin Miller, Managing Director of a Swiss company.

It’s worthwhile noting that investors who cooperate with the Astana International Financial Center, which is one of its kind in Central Asia, get good preferences. Presently, eight Swiss companies have already been registered at the AIFC site.

“It is a very interesting experience for Switzerland to develop cooperation with Kazakhstan. And I believe that the Swiss-Kazakh cooperation will be enhanced in the coming years,” noted Alisher Abdreshev, Research Fellow at Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies.

 

Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova

Editing by Saule Mukhamejanova