Kazakhstan offers ample opportunities for Iranian cooperation
The Republic of Kazakhstan, a member-state to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), boasts numerous mineral and agricultural resources that Iranian engineers can tap into to contribute to the country’s development. Iranian experts have already constructed a part of Kazakhstan’s first tunnel, and several urban development projects have been implemented through the export of Iranian technical and engineering services. However, opportunities such as transboundary farming are still available for Iranian engineers in this country.
Kazakhstan is the fourth-most populous country among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations. As the world's largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan has a relatively low population density. With a population of 19 million, Kazakhstan is the eighth-largest country in the world and the second-largest among the former Soviet republics, covering an area of 2,717,300 square kilometers. The capital, Almaty, is the largest and most populous city, although the capital has been transferred to Astana, located in the north of the country, in recent years.
Agricultural and mineral resources
The economy of Kazakhstan is heavily dependent on agriculture. With the highest GDP and per capita income among the newly independent states, Kazakhstan is also a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The country is rich in mineral resources, with over $40 billion in foreign investment in the sector since 1993. Kazakhstan is estimated to have the world’s second-largest reserves of uranium, chromium, zinc, and lead, and the third-largest reserves of manganese. The country ranks among the top 10 in the world for coal, gold, and copper reserves, and has the 11th-largest reserves of oil and natural gas.
Technical and engineering
services
Investing in joint ventures in the fields of technical and engineering services and agriculture is one of the priorities being discussed in relation to Kazakhstan, as Iran has had good experiences in this area in the past. Strengthening bilateral cooperation with this country is one of the goals of the Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Chamber, and in this regard, Amir Abedi, the Chairman of the Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Chamber, discusses opportunities for cooperation between Iran and Kazakhstan, from transboundary farming to investing in Kazakhstan’s mines and ways to optimize the use of the North-South Corridor.
Abedi says, during the past 30 years, “Kazakhstan has joined regional agreements such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the EAEU, and international treaties like the World Trade Organization (WTO), and has managed to establish a good position in international relations. The country has ranked 25th in the ease of doing business index and is among the developed countries.”
He says, “Kazakhstan is located on the Silk Road and the North-South Corridor, and its proximity to the Caspian Sea and the ‘One Belt, One Road’ project has created an important opportunity for the country to play a more significant role in regional exchanges. Kazakhstan has a unique position in terms of mineral resources, and its vast territory makes it the ninth-largest country in the world. It also has a favorable position in terms of natural resources and produces 20 million tons of grain annually, more than half of which is surplus and exported.”
Mining cooperation
Given the commonalities in the mining industry and similarities in the mining chain, including steel production and downstream industries, Iran and Kazakhstan have opportunities for cooperation in the exchange of raw materials.
An official from the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) has stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries in the mining sector, referencing the strategic document signed between Iran and Kazakhstan.
Director of International Affairs at IMIDRO Fazlollah Heydari Farzan, in his meeting with the country’s ambassador to Iran, Oantalap Ounalbayev, in April 2023, highlighted Iran’s progress in the mining industry and the capabilities of its specialized workforce, stating, “Iran is ready to cooperate in the transfer of technical knowledge by Iranian experts to Kazakhstan.
Urban development
by Iranian engineers
A portion of Kazakhstan’s first and longest road tunnel, Shakpak Baba Pass, located in the Shakpak Baba pass, 600 kilometers from Almaty, has been constructed by Iranian engineers. Part of this project, which is a significant section of the international highway ‘Western China - Western Europe,’ has been implemented by an Iranian company over a distance of 40 kilometers between the cities of Taraz and Chimkent in southern Kazakhstan, at a cost of $100 million. The project was implemented with the participation of 170 Iranian experts and 700 experienced Kazakh workers.
Majid Damirchilu, the former Iranian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, during his visit to the tunnel project has stating, “The export of technical and engineering services in Kazakhstan, particularly in the field of road construction, demonstrates the high capabilities of Iranian engineers, and we hope that experienced Iranian companies will enter this competitive field in other areas of technical and engineering services.”