ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Norway took a step toward deepening economic cooperation on May 21 as government officials and business leaders gathered in Astana for the second meeting of the bilateral Business Council, highlighting growing interest in trade, investment and joint projects in sectors ranging from renewable energy to aquaculture.
The first meeting of the Kazakhstan-Norway Business Council was held in Oslo in April 2025. Photo credit: Assel Satubaldina/ The Astana Times Economic ties between Kazakhstan and Norway have gained momentum over the past two years. In December 2024, the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan and Norway’s EAST Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed an agreement establishing a bilateral business council.
The council held its inaugural meeting in Oslo in April 2025, marking the first such gathering in the history of Kazakh-Norwegian business relations. In May 2025, a Norwegian delegation visited Kazakhstan and participated in the Astana International Forum, one of the largest Norwegian business missions to the country in recent years.
Bilateral trade has also shown strong growth. According to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Norway reached $169.2 million in 2025, up from $123.1 million in 2024. Imports in 2025 stood at $161.3 million. “These figures reflect the expansion of trade flows, the emergence of new niches for cooperation, and most importantly, strengthening of trust between Norway and Kazakhstan,” said Murat Karimsakov, chairman of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan and deputy chairman of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs.
From L to R: Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Norway is Adil Tursunov; Chairman of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan Murat Karimsakov; Chairman of Norway’s EAST Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ronny Solberg and Chief Legal Officer at Export Finance Norway (Eksfin) Ståle Torgersbråten.
Photo credit: Assel Satubaldina/ The Astana Times Addressing Norwegian counterparts, Karimsakov described Kazakhstan as a country with “vast resource potential, a strategic geographic position, and with ambitious programs of economic modernization.” He said Kazakhstan sees significant value in Norway’s expertise, particularly in agriculture, aquaculture and fish processing, industrial safety solutions for the oil and gas sector, and circular economy practices.
As of today, 18 Norwegian companies are registered in Kazakhstan. These enterprises include such companies as Jotun, Mill, Optimar, and Det Norske Veritas. “In 2025, these partners moved from negotiations to practical cooperation,” Karimsakov added, expressing confidence that institutional support will help scale such initiatives.
Reflecting on the delegation’s visit, which included stops in Almaty and Astana, Ronny Solberg, chairman of Norway’s EAST Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described meetings with government officials and business representatives as productive and constructive.