The 7th Meeting of the Kazakhstan–Canada Business Council Held in Astana

On June 10, the 7th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Canada Business Council was held in Astana, bringing together representatives of government agencies, national companies, business communities, and international businesses from both countries.

The meeting was attended by Alibek Kuantyrov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Chris Duggan, Representative of the Government of Canada and Ambassador of Canada to Kazakhstan; Meirzhan Yussupov, Co-Chair of the Kazakhstan–Canada Business Council; Kanat Sharlapayev, Chairman of the Management Board of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”; as well as executives of leading Kazakh and Canadian companies.

During the meeting, participants discussed prospects for further development of trade, economic and investment cooperation, collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, mining and metallurgical industries, energy, agriculture, transport and logistics.

Speaking at the plenary session, Kanat Sharlapayev, Chairman of the Management Board of NCE RK “Atameken,” noted that Canada is one of Kazakhstan’s important investment partners. According to him, Canadian investments in Kazakhstan’s economy have exceeded USD 6 billion since 1994. Today, more than 160 enterprises with Canadian capital operate in Kazakhstan, while bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 457.9 million in 2025.

The Head of the National Chamber emphasized that these figures confirm the solid foundation of bilateral cooperation, while the potential for further interaction is significantly broader.

“Today, we are not simply talking about increasing trade turnover. We are building a new model of economic partnership based on technology, innovation, mutual trust, and the development of human capital,” said Kanat Sharlapayev.

Particular attention during the discussions was paid to cooperation in critical minerals and the mining and metallurgical sector, next-generation energy and decarbonization, digitalization and artificial intelligence, high-tech agriculture, as well as transport and logistics infrastructure. According to participants, these areas can become key drivers of a new stage in Kazakhstan–Canada partnership.

Kanat Sharlapayev also expressed the readiness of NCE RK “Atameken” to serve as a bridge between Kazakh businesses, government agencies, and Canadian partners by facilitating the search for reliable partners, organizing B2B and B2G negotiations, and supporting promising investment initiatives.

The Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan also took part in the meeting. In accordance with the Agreement on the Activities of the Kazakhstan–Canada Business Council, the Chamber serves as the Secretariat of the Council on the Kazakh side and provides organizational support for its activities. Its key responsibilities include preparing meetings, coordinating interaction with Canadian partners, and facilitating the implementation of agreements reached and the development of business ties between the business communities of the two countries.

Murat Karimsakov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, noted that the outcomes of the 7th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Canada Business Council clearly demonstrated the high level of business activity between the two countries and the strong interest of Canadian businesses in the Kazakh market. According to him, the broad participation and substantive discussions on promising areas of cooperation indicate the willingness of Canadian investors to expand their presence in Kazakhstan. The negotiations once again confirmed the significant potential for implementing new investment projects and further strengthening business partnership between Kazakhstan and Canada.