Kazakh-Dutch relations

The Netherlands are among the main partners of Kazakhstan from the European Union in terms of foreign trade turnover. In addition, today, in terms of the volume of direct investments in the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country has rightfully earned the title of the “number one” investor.

The Netherlands is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan. From 1991 to 2019, $90,4 billion of foreign direct investment was sent from the Netherlands to Kazakhstan. Dutch companies invested $7,3 billion in the Kazakh economy in 2019, representing 30,2% of total FDI this year and remaining the largest investors in the Central Asian country.

Since the beginning of Kazakhstan's independence and the establishment of trade and economic relations in foreign trade, the kingdom has been among the five partner countries. Until recently, the Netherlands accounted for about 10% of foreign trade turnover. In 2018, almost all regions of Kazakhstan, to varying degrees, maintained trade and economic relations with the kingdom. According to the Statistics Committee of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, last year Kazakhstani exports to the Netherlands reached $6,1 billion (+30% compared to 2017), while imports from the Netherlands totaled $307 million (+9%).

There is significant trade between the two countries in the agricultural, oil, chemical and engineering sectors.

In general, there is no end to promising areas of cooperation for both countries. But as experience shows, it is important not only to maintain interaction with companies in terms of promoting the localization of foreign production, but also to find partners among Kazakh SMEs.