Dutch Investment in Kazakhstan Exceeds $100 Billion

A Kazakh-Dutch investment round table was held at the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk, attended by officials and representatives of the business community.

Guests were welcomed by Mayor of the Municipality of Westland Bouke Arends, Director of the World Horti Center Pak van Holstein, Acting Director of Dutch Greenhouse Delta Miriam Bokesteijn, as well as representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality — Secretary-General Jan-Kees Goet and Special Envoy Frederik Vossenaar.

According to Mayor of Westland Bouke Arends, over the past three decades Kazakhstan and the Netherlands have built a strong and reliable cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres. The two countries have enormous opportunities to expand joint projects in agro-industry, geological exploration, mining, metallurgy and electrical engineering.

Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Ardak Zhabishev, welcoming the guests, stressed that the Netherlands is the number one investor in Kazakhstan's economy. Over the past 30 years, direct investment has totalled around $110 billion, and this figure grows every year. The Netherlands ranks among Kazakhstan's top five trading partners. Moreover, trade volumes have grown steadily in recent years. More than 900 companies with Dutch capital currently operate on the Kazakh market.

Kazakhstan's investment opportunities were presented by Meirzhan Yussupov, Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest National Company JSC. Kazakhstan's strategic location at the centre of Eurasia, its abundant natural resources and favourable investment climate create opportunities for implementing projects in various sectors of the economy, particularly in the agro-industrial complex. In addition, the country offers comprehensive state support measures and a relatively affordable and skilled workforce. Access to the world's largest markets is also one of the main advantages, he stressed.

By the end of 2021, the Netherlands retained its status as the EU's largest and the world's second-largest (after the US) exporter of agricultural products and food. This was noted by speakers from the Dutch side, Acting Director of Dutch Greenhouse Delta Miriam Bokesteijn and Marco Hoffman, Deputy Secretary-General of the phytosanitary service Naktuinbouw. Managing Director of Baiterek National Managing Holding JSC Niyaz Koshkimbayev and Director of KIDF's Direct Investment Department Azamat Aldiyarov spoke about financial instruments for business development in Kazakhstan.

Participants in the investment round table visited the World Horti Center greenhouses as part of the event and viewed stands presenting the work of Dutch companies operating in water- and energy-saving technologies, biosecurity and nutrition, IT, and AI-based solutions.

Following the round table, bilateral documents were signed: between MJ Tech and the Kazakhstan Greenhouse Association on cooperation to implement an irrigation-equipment production project; between Royal GD and the Republican Veterinary Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan; and a trilateral Memorandum between Karaganda Agricultural Experimental Station LLP, the Kazakh Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry LLP, and the Dutch company Royal Eijkelkamp.

In addition to the above event, the Kazakh delegation held bilateral meetings with local business community representatives in Naaldwijk, Rotterdam and The Hague.

Following talks with the management of the investment fund Invest International (finance), Els Hantijs, an agreement was reached to form a pool of investment projects with the participation of Dutch companies for further financing as part of export and project financing support from the Government of the Netherlands.

Background:

Invest International was established in October 2021; it is a private company financed by public funds. Its main shareholder is the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

For governments of developing countries, Invest International provides access to Dutch public funds intended for infrastructure projects in developing countries. Support includes export financing, project financing, and value-chain financing.

A meeting was also held with the management of MJ Tech (agri-tech), Jurriaan van den Bremer, who noted that Kazakhstan could serve as a hub for neighbouring countries given its advantageous strategic location, and expressed hope that the company's next international project on producing high-pressure fogging systems used in horticulture, agriculture and industry would be based in Kazakhstan.

Background:

The family-owned company MJ-Tech develops, manufactures and supplies high-pressure fogging systems used in horticulture, agriculture and industry. The company provides full support: from concept, design and production of its own components to assembly, pre-delivery testing, installation and commissioning.

The company's products are used in more than 50 countries. In 2021 it also opened production in Canada. The company is exploring the possibility of opening production in Kazakhstan.

Director of Royal Eijkelkamp (agricultural equipment) Alfred Geitenbeek confirmed the intention to continue cooperation, in particular the possible launch of compost production in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Background:

Royal Eijkelkamp has been developing, manufacturing and supplying solutions for soil and water research projects worldwide since 1911.

The company is a leader in developing solutions for soil and water projects related to food security, urbanisation and soil pollution.

Present on 5 continents and in more than 90 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and solutions, from field measurement equipment to smart sensors, from Edelman augers to ultrasonic drilling rigs. The company is interested in establishing compost production in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

A meeting was also held with the management of the Port of Rotterdam, including a tour of its port infrastructure. The Port of Rotterdam is currently the largest deep-water port in Europe and ranks among the world's ten largest ports. Today its average annual seaborne cargo volume is 460 million tonnes, with 30,000 seagoing vessels and 105,000 inland vessels calling at the port each year.

The Kazakh delegation's programme in the Netherlands concluded with a meeting with Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration Garth Schofield. Established in 1899, the PCA is an intergovernmental organisation providing the international community with a range of dispute-resolution services.

It should be noted that the above events were organised on the Kazakh side by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and KAZAKH INVEST, and on the Dutch side by the World Horti Center and Dutch Greenhouse Delta.

Source: invest.gov.kz