BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13. The state visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Kazakhstan, scheduled for May 13-14, will occur against the backdrop of deepening economic and political cooperation between Kazakhstan and Türkiye. The two countries are expanding collaboration across multiple sectors, including logistics, energy, technology, and agriculture. This process is further reinforced by the development of Turkic integration and the increasing significance of the Middle Corridor in regional trade.
President Erdogan’s visit follows closely on the heels of the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, held in Astana with the participation of Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz. During that meeting, both parties reaffirmed their plans to expand investment cooperation and to further develop the Middle Corridor, which connects China and Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Türkiye. Over the past seven years, freight traffic along the corridor has increased fivefold, while delivery times have been reduced to 13 days.
Transport remains a central component of the bilateral agenda. Rail freight between Kazakhstan and Türkiye grew by 35% in 2025, reaching 6.4 million tons, while freight volumes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route exceeded 4 million tons.
The increasing significance of these transport routes reflects broader changes in Eurasian logistics chains and the efforts of regional countries to reduce dependence on traditional transit corridors. Kazakhstan and Türkiye view the Middle Corridor as a long-term infrastructure project and are working on railway modernization, expansion of port capacities, and tariff policy coordination.
According to the Kazakh government, Türkiye ranks among Kazakhstan’s five largest trading partners. In 2025, bilateral trade turnover increased by 9%, while exports of Kazakh products grew by 17.7%, reaching $3.9 billion. Concurrently, Astana seeks to shift cooperation toward higher value-added sectors, including metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, and machinery. In the previous year, Turkish investments in Kazakhstan’s economy amounted to approximately $390 million, bringing the total inflow over the past two decades to more than $6 billion.
Energy continues to represent a promising area of cooperation. Kazakhstan maintains the use of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline for oil exports through Turkish territory. According to Sanzhar Zharkeshov, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a key focus of bilateral collaboration includes electricity projects. Notably, the "Kyzylorda" combined cycle power plant, with a capacity of 240 MW, is being implemented in the Kyzylorda region with the participation of a Turkish company. Additional electricity sector projects are currently under detailed review.
The development of the petrochemical industry constitutes another significant area of cooperation. Kazakhstan plans to implement petrochemical projects valued at $15 billion and has invited Turkish companies to participate in these initiatives.
At the same time, the parties are expanding cooperation in the technology sector. In May, in Almaty, Turkish holding ARDVENTURE YATIRIM HOLDİNG A.Ş. and Astana Hub signed a memorandum of partnership in venture investments and startup support. The agreement provides for the launch of joint acceleration programs, exchange of expertise, and promotion of technological projects in Central Asia and the MENA region.
Agricultural trade between Kazakhstan and Türkiye increased by more than 25% in 2025, reaching approximately $360 million. In recent years, Kazakhstan and Türkiye have implemented around 10 projects worth approximately $400 million, covering agricultural production and processing, as well as confectionery manufacturing.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Yermek Kenzhekhanuly, stated that the parties continue to discuss new initiatives. In particular, negotiations are underway on the construction of a sugar plant with the participation of a Turkish company.
It is expected that several bilateral agreements will be signed following the Erdogan visit. After the talks in Astana, the Turkish leader will take part in the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Turkestan on May 15, dedicated to the theme "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development."
Notably, Erdogan is visiting Kazakhstan less than a year after the official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye in July 2025, following which the parties signed 18 agreements in logistics, energy, digitalization, and industrial cooperation. Since then, Astana and Ankara have been consistently expanding cooperation, shifting the focus from political declarations to the practical implementation of infrastructure and investment projects.
Overall, the visit of the President of Türkiye to Kazakhstan reflects not only a high level of bilateral relations but also a broader process of strengthening Turkic integration across Eurasia. Astana and Ankara are shifting cooperation from the political sphere to a practical one - through the development of transport routes, energy projects, industrial cooperation, and technological initiatives. It is expected that the outcomes of the visit will provide an additional impetus to joint projects and further deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
