Norwegian companies are finding customers in Kazakhstan. The relationship now includes a bilateral business council, regular commercial missions and exchanges on resource management and higher education. These developments make Kazakhstan a useful starting point for understanding Norway’s interests in Central Asia and the institutions through which it pursues them.
Glenn Agung Hole. Photo credit:Author’s personal archive According to Kazakh figures presented at the business council, bilateral trade rose from $123.1 million in 2024 to $169.2 million in 2025, predominantly Norwegian exports. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry also reports $1.6 billion in cumulative gross direct investment inflows from Norway since 2005.
The business council was established in December 2024. Its first meeting took place in Oslo in 2025, followed by a second in Astana in May 2026. The EAST Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Norway organized business missions to Kazakhstan in both years. Norwegian interests and public commitments Diplomacy provides part of that foundation.
Norway’s embassy in Astana closed in 2016, a decision its budget documents attributed to financial constraints. Responsibility now rests with a home-based ambassador in Oslo. Kazakhstan established diplomatic representation in Oslo in 2004 and upgraded it to an embassy in 2012.
Political dialogue has continued under these arrangements. According to Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry, the fifth round of bilateral consultations on July 2, covered economic relations, parliamentary dialogue and cooperation through multilateral institutions. Norwegian policy in the wider region also includes security and institutional development.
In a statement on the OSCE’s work in the Kyrgyz Republic on July 23, Norway identified the rule of law, human rights, gender equality, youth and security-sector capacity building as areas close to its priorities. It also supported the academic autonomy of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek.
Commercial engagement has public support mechanisms of its own. Export Finance Norway, known as Eksfin, provides state-backed loans and guarantees to support Norwegian exports. It participated in the May 2026 business mission to Kazakhstan, alongside companies working in energy, aquaculture and other industries.
Financing remains subject to project assessment; participation in a delegation is not a lending commitment. These channels serve different purposes. A company seeks a viable contract; an export credit agency assesses financial risk; diplomats handle relations between states.
Their work intersects when an investment depends on regulatory clarification as well as finance. The quality of the connection can then matter as much as the performance of any one organization. At a business meeting in Oslo in January, Gexcon described how participation in the previous year’s delegation had helped it enter the Kazakh market, according to the chamber of commerce’s account.
Entering a new market takes more than finding customers. Companies need to understand how decisions are made and whom to contact when something goes wrong. Optimar’s work with Organic Fish shows what can follow. In December 2025, the Norwegian supplier announced a contract for harvesting and processing equipment for a trout-farming project in the Caspian Sea.