Kazakhstan burst forth onto the global stage in 1991 as the second-largest member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Since the start of the millennium, the country has averaged near 10% GDP growth until 2007, and has been the second-largest recipient of FDI throughout the CIS region. Following liquidity injections from the National Oil Fund, established in 2001 to ward off the dangers posed by commodity price swings, the government has successfully defended the real economy throughout the global financial crisis. Via its Business Road Map 2020 program, Kazakhstan is actively looking to create higher levels of value-added from its extensive natural resource base, and improve the spread of economic diversification across the country. The government has also actively sought to improve the business environment for foreign investors, and has seen its ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business survey surge from 74th in 2010 to 59th in 2011. GDP growth has responded in turn, up by 4% in 2010, while IMF estimates put it at 5.6-6.5% over the 2011-2012 period.

Kazakhstan is also looking to leverage its role as a key land transit state between Europe and China through highway upgrade projects, while seeking to expand its trading relations through the Customs Union it has with Russia and Belarus. The oil and gas sector has been a key mainstay of the economy, generating the wealth needed to provide the economy with new growth opportunities across the board. Additionally, the strengths Kazakhstan holds in the mineral resources and agriculture sectors allow it to punch well above its weight in not only regional but also international trading terms.

The Business Year presents the real opportunities and those creating them—diplomats, business people, civil servants, and key stakeholders—to introduce Kazakhstan and its many unexpected faces in the world of business.

Photos. 6 April

Photos. 7 April

Exhibition

Gala Dinner and Drinks

KBCC’s main objective is to help UK and Kazakh members of the Chamber to establish new and develop existing business relationships with a particular focus on promotion and development of exporting capabilities of SME companies in both countries.

By promoting Kazakhstan to UK businesses and UK to Kazakh businesses and by fostering an environment wherein individual business owners, corporations and small and medium enterprises can network and benefit from the collective power of others, we are raising the bar with regard to the business environment in Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.

Our key goals:

• Active promotion of the positive country image of Kazakhstan among political and business circles of the UK
• Development of external trade in equipment, consumer goods, commodities, materials and services between Kazakhstan and the UK with a particular focus on SME export
• Facilitation of the liaison between government authorities and trade missions
• Provision of reliable information and access to prospective partners, facilitation – of networking among companies, professionals and business leaders
• Promotion of free market principles for further development of bilateral economic relations between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Assistance in implementation of European and World Standards in Kazakhstan (ISO)
• Support in bringing investments, legal and financial aspects of Kazakh-British business, conducting feasibility studies in Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.