ALMATY – The relationship between Kazakhstan and the United States has reached a period of “unprecedented momentum,” U.S. Consul General Peter Kaufman said at a Sept. 17 press briefing in Almaty, as Kazakhstan prepares for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s participation in the G20 Summit in Miami in December and the two sides deepen cooperation on critical minerals and other strategic areas.
The consul general began his assignment in Almaty in July. Photo credit: U.S. Consulate General. Tokayev is expected to attend the G20 Summit at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, with Kazakhstan’s participation in the December meeting adding a high-level dimension to an already active period in bilateral relations.
Kazakhstan and the U.S. have also been expanding cooperation through the C5+1 framework, including the first C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue held in Astana in June. “The U.S. was the first to establish diplomatic ties with Kazakhstan, and since that moment, our relationship, our ties, have only grown stronger.
We remain committed to Kazakhstan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Kaufman said. The consul general, who began his assignment in Almaty in July, said his priority is to build on the existing momentum. “My work here is to build on that momentum.
My main message is, this relationship has never been stronger. We’re seeing tremendous momentum across all of these sectors,” he said. The timing also places economic cooperation at the center of the bilateral agenda. According to Kaufman, agreements between U.S.
and Kazakh companies reached $17 billion over the past year, while bilateral trade reached $7 billion, doubling since 2020. American companies have invested more than $100 billion in Kazakhstan over the past 35 years. “Transportation, logistics, AI, minerals, Kazakhstan’s mineral wealth, of course.
That’s where we’ve seen the most tremendous commercial successes in recent years. But I wouldn’t limit it to those sectors,” he said. Critical minerals gain strategic importance U.S. Consul General Peter Kaufman. Photo credit: The Astana Times. Critical minerals have emerged as one of the most significant areas of potential cooperation, particularly as Kazakhstan seeks to develop its resource base beyond raw material extraction and attract investment and technology for processing.
Kaufman said U.S. companies are increasingly interested in Kazakhstan’s mineral potential. He also said U.S. investment can bring technology and expertise while creating economic opportunities in Kazakhstan.