A Kazakhstan–Israel business forum was held in Astana with the participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel Gideon Sa’ar. The event took place as part of the official visit of the head of Israel’s foreign ministry to Kazakhstan and became a key platform for discussing the expansion of trade and investment cooperation and the development of business ties between companies of the two countries.

At the opening of the forum, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov delivered a welcoming address. He noted that the business forum is not merely a business event, but an important step toward shaping a new stage of trade and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and Israel. According to him, despite the stable dynamics of bilateral trade turnover, which amounted to USD 162 million over the first 11 months of last year, there remains significant unrealized potential for expanding economic interaction between the two countries, primarily in the areas of the agro-industrial complex, digitalization, innovation, and water infrastructure.

“Kazakhstan and Israel complement each other in many areas — from agricultural technologies and food security to digital solutions and water resource management. We are interested in launching joint projects, creating new production chains, and forming long-term partnerships. Kazakhstan is ready to offer Israeli business a stable, open, and predictable investment environment,” Alibek Kuantyrov emphasized.

Representatives of relevant government bodies, business associations, and companies from both countries also spoke at the forum. On the Israeli side, the event was attended by heads of leading companies and sectoral associations, while the Kazakh side was represented by officials from central government bodies, development institutions, and the business community. The forum was moderated by Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of KAZAKH INVEST National Company JSC Madiyar Sultanbek.

In his remarks, Madiyar Sultanbek presented Kazakhstan’s investment opportunities, outlined priority areas of cooperation, and invited Israeli companies to implement joint projects in manufacturing, the agro-industrial complex, high technologies, and infrastructure.

Within the business program, participants discussed prospects for expanding trade and economic ties, implementing joint investment projects, technology transfer, and accessing new markets. Particular attention was paid to opportunities for cooperation in agrotechnologies, the IT sector, fintech, water management, and infrastructure modernization.

Following the forum, a ceremony was held to sign three commercial documents. These included a memorandum of understanding on developing cooperation in the modernization of housing and communal services and water infrastructure with the participation of the Israeli company Mekorot Development & Enterprises Ltd., an investment agreement for the implementation of a bitumen plant construction project in Atyrau Region, as well as a memorandum of cooperation in the field of electric power using renewable energy sources in East Kazakhstan Region.

About 30 Israeli companies representing a wide range of industries — from manufacturing and high technologies to agriculture and healthcare — took part in the business forum. The event continued in a practical B2B format, during which Kazakh and Israeli companies discussed specific areas of cooperation and opportunities for implementing joint projects.