Turkish Vice President Visits Kazakhstan to Boost Energy and Transport Ties

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz made a working visit to Kazakhstan on April 14-15, 2026. The primary purpose of the trip was his participation in the 14th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Turkey Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation (IGC).

The visit is seen as a significant diplomatic step aimed at deepening economic and strategic relations between the two nations. During his stay in Astana, Yılmaz attended a "Meeting of the Turkish Business World," organized by Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK). In his address, he highlighted Kazakhstan's central role not only in Central Asia but within Eurasia's evolving economic architecture.

Yılmaz pointed to Kazakhstan's natural resources, dynamic population, reform-oriented economy, open trade policy, and growing appeal to global investors. He expressed confidence that the bilateral trade target of $15 billion would be reached in the shortest possible time.

The Vice President also co-chaired a Kazakhstan-Turkey roundtable with Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. The high point of the visit was the IGC meeting itself, which concluded with the signing of a Protocol and a detailed 67-point Action Plan.

A key focus of the discussions was energy cooperation. Yılmaz framed this partnership as a foundation for regional stability, supply security, and Eurasia's strategic future. This context brought heightened attention to developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, commonly known as the "Middle Corridor."

The corridor's strategic importance has been amplified by recent global disruptions. Instability in the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran-US/Israel conflict caused fluctuations in energy supplies to Europe. Simultaneously, the war between Russia and Ukraine has impacted northern routes, while southern corridors have proven insufficient for growing demand.

In this landscape, Turkey's position as a reliable land and sea bridge between East and West is strengthened. It is poised to act as a strategic logistics hub for delivering energy and natural resources from Turkic nations—primarily Kazakhstan—to European markets. The Middle Corridor is thus viewed as a strategic move to enhance the international trade potential of the Turkic world.

Another crucial aspect of Yılmaz’s program was his meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Their talks covered a broad agenda including trade, energy, defense industry cooperation, education, transport, and cultural exchange.

Both sides reaffirmed their determination to develop cooperation aimed at increasing bilateral trade volume, strengthening mutual investments, and contributing to regional stability and prosperity.