Kazakhstan and UK Deepen Cooperation on Critical Minerals and Technology

During an official visit to London, Kazakhstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yermek Kosherbayev, held talks with Chris Bryant, the UK's Acting Minister for Business and Trade and co-chair of the Kazakh-British Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. The discussions focused on expanding strategic partnership in several key sectors.

The ministers highlighted the positive momentum in bilateral relations, noting a significant 84% increase in trade volume, which reached $1.6 billion last year. They emphasized the active role of British investment, with over 500 UK-funded companies successfully operating in Kazakhstan's priority areas.

A central topic was cooperation in critical minerals. Kosherbayev underscored the strategic importance of this sector and pointed to successful joint projects with companies like Rio Tinto and Maritime House. The parties agreed to intensify collaboration under a signed Roadmap for Critical Minerals, focusing on exploration, extraction, and processing of rare earth elements.

Kazakhstan's role as a key partner was reinforced by its production of 22 out of 36 minerals deemed strategically important by the UK, including uranium, titanium, silicon, and rhenium. The dialogue has now shifted to practical implementation, with a priority on creating added value through processing, refining, developing recycling capacities, and establishing transparent financial mechanisms for projects.

In the energy sector, both sides confirmed the stability of Kazakh oil supplies to Europe and discussed prospects for broader cooperation with British firms.

Educational ties formed another major pillar of the talks. Discussions covered the opening of a new Coventry University campus in Almaty and plans to expand the presence of Heriot-Watt University in Kazakhstan. Achievements noted included dual-degree programs, academic mobility initiatives, the publication of the first Oxford Dictionary of the Kazakh language, and new Kazakh language courses at the University of Oxford.

The ministers also explored prospects for digital and technological partnership. This included collaboration with satellite communications company OneWeb and joint work in artificial intelligence. The contribution of British experts to modernizing Kazakhstan's national healthcare system was also acknowledged.

Concluding the meeting, Chris Bryant confirmed the United Kingdom's readiness to further deepen its strategic partnership with Kazakhstan. He expressed commitment to implementing practical projects and enhancing intergovernmental dialogue to achieve concrete results in economics, science, and technology.