Kazakhstan and UK Forge Deeper Ties in Critical Minerals and Education

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 bilateral intergovernmental commission. The discussions focused on expanding strategic cooperation across several high-priority sectors.

The ministers highlighted the robust growth in bilateral trade, which surged by 84% last year to reach $1.6 billion. They noted the significant role of British investment in Kazakhstan's economy, with over 500 UK-linked companies operating successfully in areas such as critical minerals, green energy, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence.

A central theme was collaboration on critical raw materials. Kosherbayev emphasized 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 work 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 underscored by its production of 22 out of 36 minerals deemed strategically important by the UK, including uranium, titanium, silicon, and rhenium. The talks centered on moving cooperation into a practical phase by developing value-added activities like refining, recycling capacities, and transparent financial mechanisms for projects.

Educational partnership formed another major pillar of the dialogue. Plans were discussed for Coventry University to open a new campus in Almaty and for Heriot-Watt University to expand its presence 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 meeting also covered prospects in digital and technological cooperation with entities like OneWeb, collaboration in AI development, and the contribution of British expertise to modernizing Kazakhstan's healthcare system.

In conclusion, Chris Bryant reaffirmed the United Kingdom's commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Kazakhstan through practical projects aimed at delivering concrete results in economic and technological spheres.