Kazakhstan and Qatar Launch $18-Billion Strategic Partnership

Kazakhstan, the largest and most economically developed of the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia, is strengthening its energy industry and finding technology and especially investment in Qatar. During a recent visit to Doha, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani announced the launch of a series of joint investment projects totaling $17.6 billion.

This is a practical implementation of the agreements that were previously reached by the leaders of the respective countries, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Emir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. As Prime Minister Bektenov said after the talks, “Qatar is one of Kazakhstan’s most important partners in the Arab world.”

According to Bektenov, both countries “are on the verge of developing important strategic investment projects worth an unprecedented amount of about 18 billion dollars.” Following the meeting, the parties signed an agreement on the development of projects in priority sectors, including a $5.7 billion project to build a number of gas processing plants in Kazakhstan. In addition, the construction of the Aktobe-Kostanai gas pipeline will be financed with Qatari money, and the construction of the Beineu-Bozoi-Shymkent gas pipeline (7.7 billion) will be completed. A 1100-megawatt cogeneration plant will be built, as well as a 350-megawatt hydroelectric plant ($2.7 billion). In addition to energy, Qatar will export modern agricultural technology to Kazakhstan, and the Kazakh government has committed to begin exporting grain and food products to Qatar.