The second meeting of the Kazakhstan–Netherlands Business Council was held in Astana on 23 June 2026, serving as an authoritative platform for deepening cross-border investment cooperation and technology transfer.
Beeld: © Embassy of the Netherlands in the Republic of Kazakhstan / Ambassador of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan, Nico Schermers
Bilateral economic partnership, which has been successfully developing for more than 35 years, has entered a phase of large-scale qualitative transformation. Today, the Kingdom of the Netherlands maintains its position as the absolute leader in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kazakhstan’s economy, surpassing other major global markets.
During the meeting, the experts discussed the structural diversification of bilateral investment, as well as new financial instruments to support projects in the agro-industrial sector.
Kazakhstan imports pharmaceuticals, machinery and equipment, high-tech medical and veterinary devices, as well as agricultural products, including flowers, from the Netherlands.
The Netherlands' high-tech agro-industrial expertise and water resource management remain among the most important areas for the transfer of Dutch innovation. Cooperation and knowledge exchange in water management received a significant institutional boost following the devastating floods, demonstrating the readiness of European partners to provide timely technical assistance. In agriculture, the Netherlands' advanced expertise is being applied in precision farming, the poultry industry, and greenhouse development. A notable example is the year-round Food Ventures greenhouse complex in Aktobe.
Beeld: © Embassy of the Netherlands in the Republic of Kazakhstan / Brochures
To provide systematic financing for projects of this kind, the Kazakhstan Investment Corporation, part of the national holding company Baiterek, launched the specialized Adal Fund in early 2026 with a target capital of US$1 billion. Bringing together resources from domestic private capital as well as institutional investors from China and Pakistan, the fund is designed to finance the entire agricultural value chain—from modernizing farmers' machinery to developing automated trade and logistics platforms.
Beeld: © Embassy of the Netherlands in the Republic of Kazakhstan / Meeting of the Kazakhstan–Netherlands Business Council in Astana
The outcomes of the recent Business Council clearly demonstrate that cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands has evolved well beyond the framework of a traditional commodities-based partnership. Today, the emphasis is increasingly on creating high added value through the transfer of advanced technologies, the comprehensive modernization of transport and logistics infrastructure, and the adoption of cutting-edge standards in development projects.