ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic, technological, and investment cooperation during the Kazakhstan–Jordan Business Forum on Aug. 27, highlighting opportunities in energy, agriculture, logistics, medicine, and finance.
Photo credit: Akorda
President Tokayev welcomed King Abdullah II and emphasized the importance of his visit, reported Akorda.
“Your Majesty and Queen Rania enjoy great respect worldwide as wise, highly educated, and enlightened leaders. The modern world needs leaders like you,” said Tokayev.
He noted Kazakhstan’s strong economic performance, with GDP growth of 6.3% in January-July, and highlighted the country’s role as a strategic logistics hub with 12 international transport corridors and key infrastructure at the ports of Aktau and Kuryk.
Tokayev underlined the significance of Kazakhstan’s leadership in uranium production, accounting for nearly 40% of the global market, and described the agreement between Kazatomprom and Jordan’s JUMCO as a milestone in strengthening bilateral economic ties.
President Tokayev also drew attention to Kazakhstan’s potential as a leading grain exporter, underlining opportunities for high-quality halal and organic supplies to Jordan. He welcomed the initiative of Aljazeera Agricultural to establish a poultry farm in Kazakhstan as a concrete step in agricultural cooperation.
Highlighting prospects in medicine and pharmaceuticals, President Tokayev stressed Jordan’s role as a major medical hub and referred to plans by QazBioPharm and Jordan’s DADvet to expand vaccine exports to the Middle East and Central Asia.
On technological cooperation, President Tokayev mentioned Kazakhstan’s leadership in digital innovation, including the digital tenge and the establishment of the International Artificial Intelligence Center. He proposed strengthening ties between Astana Hub and the King Hussein Business Park.
He also invited Jordanian businesses to explore opportunities at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which offers favourable investment conditions, including tax and visa benefits, a legal framework based on English common law, and a broad range of Islamic finance instruments.
President Tokayev concluded by underlining the importance of friendship and trust between the two nations.
“Yesterday, Your Majesty kindly allowed me to call you not only a friend but also a brother. Thanks to you, Jordan has become a country close to our hearts. I am confident our peoples will remain good friends, brothers, and reliable partners forever,” he said.
King Abdullah II expressed appreciation for the forum and the participation of business representatives.
“I am confident this forum gave your companies and institutions the chance to explore new investment opportunities. Let us ensure that the spirit of this forum is embodied in concrete projects and long-term partnership,” he said, inviting Kazakh partners to visit Jordan and explore the opportunities the country has to offer.
Kazakh President and King of Jordan II visited Astana Hub, AIFC
Earlier today, President Tokayev and King Abdullah II of Jordan visited Astana Hub, Central Asia’s largest innovation cluster, home to over 1,700 IT companies. In 2024, the hub attracted $700 million in investments and achieved over $650 million in IT exports.
The officials were introduced to educational programs such as Tech Orda, TUMO, and Tomorrow School, as well as Google for Startups accelerator programs. Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiev also presented plans for the AlemAI International Artificial Intelligence Center, set to open in Astana this fall.
They reviewed projects from leading Kazakh companies, including epsilon3ai, Qalan, inDrive, and KazDream, which are expanding to global markets.
During the visit to the AIFC, Governor Renat Bekturov briefed the officials on the AIFC Court, the International Arbitration Center, the Financial Services Regulatory Committee, and the AIFC Exchange.
Since its establishment, the AIFC has attracted over $17 billion in investments and brought together more than 4,200 companies from 85 countries.
