NUR-SULTAN: Opportunities for investment, trade and economic cooperation of Kazakhstan with Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway were discussed during the first business meeting “Kazakhstan – Northern Europe” on December 3. Over 200 companies from the Nordic countries participated in the event, Kazakh Invest national investment promotion company.
Speakers of the event were the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Almas Aidarov, Director of Danish Industry Jens Holst-Nielsen, Head of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan Sven-Olov Carlsson, as well as representatives of the business community, chambers of commerce, industry ministries and quasi-state bodies of the two countries.
Opening the event, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Almas Aidarov said that, despite the negative impact of the pandemic, Kazakhstan continues to search for new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. In this regard, Kazakhstan is interested in expanding and deepening partnership with the Nordic countries.
“For the first time in the history of Independent Kazakhstan, we are organizing an investment forum with the participation of the Nordic countries. I believe that the level of our cooperation is unreasonably low. Our countries have a great potential for mutually beneficial long-term cooperation, especially in such important sectors as the fish farming and processing, growing of wheat, renewable energy sources, the production of equipment for petrochemical projects, as well as digitalization. Our country has been consistently developing reforms aimed at improving the investment climate. We provide a direct and open dialogue between the Government and investors, as well as constant improvement of infrastructure to attract new investments, advanced technologies and know-how,” said Aidarov. The Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest Baurzhan Sartbayev presented measures of state support for foreign businesses, and also shared with the forum participants about the country’s investment potential. In his words, today, the company offers more than 100 investment proposals to investors looking to invest in Kazakhstan. Investment proposals include a business plan, financial model and selection of a potential local partner. Bilateral meetings with such large companies as Aller Aqua AS, BTG Solenergy, Arla Foods Amba AS, AF Gruppen, ThermoSeed Global AB, Trade Scandinavia AB, Geodesign Barriers, Nord Development Consulting, Swedavia Airports, and others were organized during the event. Since 2005, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland have cumulatively invested over $2.4 billion in the economy of Kazakhstan. In the last four years alone, trade between these countries and Kazakhstan amounted to over $3 billion. –PNP
