Kazakhstan-Thailand Trade Turnover Exceeds $255 Million
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Thailand, Margulan Baimukhan, held a meeting with Adis Harinsut, Adviser of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand and Chanthapat Panjamanond, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade of the Ministry of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
Parties discussed the current state and prospects of Kazakhstan-Thailand trade and economic cooperation, as well as measures to further expand bilateral trade, investment, and business ties.
Particular attention was paid to preparations for the first meeting of the Kazakhstan-Thailand Joint Trade Committee, which is tentatively scheduled to take place in September this year. The parties also discussed the need to enhance the work of sectoral cooperation mechanisms, including the Working Group on Agriculture and cooperation in the field of transport and logistics.
Ambassador Baimukhan emphasized the importance of further strengthening the bilateral legal framework, including advancing the Agreement on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments and the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation. It was noted that these agreements would contribute to expanding investment cooperation and creating a more favorable environment for business.
The interlocutors exchanged views on the development of international transport corridors and the removal of logistical barriers, including routes passing through China and Central Asia. The Kazakh side expressed interest in more actively utilizing Kazakhstan’s potential as a transport, logistics, and trade hub for facilitating Thai companies’ access to the markets of Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Special attention was also paid to prospects for expanding cooperation in agriculture, food security, logistics, digital technologies, and the implementation of joint projects in third-country markets, including African states.
The Thai side expressed its interest in further developing cooperation with Kazakhstan, noting the high potential of the Kazakh market and the positive perception of Thai products among Kazakh consumers.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close cooperation in trade, investment, and logistics, and underscored the importance of sustaining an active dialogue between relevant government agencies and business communities of the two countries in order to realize the full potential of Kazakhstan-Thailand partnership.
Bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Thailand amounted to USD 255.1 million in 2025. Kazakhstan remains Thailand’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. Significant potential for further growth exists in the areas of agribusiness, food industry, logistics, digital economy, tourism, and investment cooperation.
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IAEA International Conference on Research Reactors to Be Held in Almaty
Almaty will host the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Conference on Research Reactors in 2028. The event will be held, among other venues, at Kazakhstan’s Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP), INP Director General Sayabek Sakhiev told journalists during a press tour.
According to Sakhiev, the IAEA organises the conference once every four years, bringing together around 400 scientists, specialists and experts from across the globe.
Kazakhstan was among the first countries to submit a bid to host the 2028 conference. On May 26, during IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s visit to Astana, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency Almassadam Satkaliyev handed over the relevant letter. We received confirmation nearly two weeks ago that the IAEA will hold the event in Almaty, naturally with the Institute of Nuclear Physics serving as one of the host venues," Sakhiev said.
He noted that leading international experts in the field of research reactors are expected to attend the conference.
We expect prominent scientists, specialists and experts in research reactors from all over the world. By that time, we hope to have made a decision on our new research reactor. We will once again present our plans and seek the opinions of the world’s experts on whether we have chosen the right reactor," he said.
According to the head of the institute, the new research reactor is expected to support not only fundamental and applied scientific research but also the development of high-tech industries.
In the future, it should serve not only fundamental and applied science but also the production of radiopharmaceuticals. Potentially, it could even support the manufacture of microchips and semiconductors in Kazakhstan," Sakhiev added.
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Nuclear Physics Institute Reactor Planned to Remain in Operation Until at Least 2040
The WWR-K research reactor at Kazakhstan’s Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) is expected to remain in operation until at least 2040. To achieve this, the institute plans to seek an extension of the reactor’s service life through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the coming years. The announcement was made by INP Director General Sayabek Sakhiev during a press tour for journalists.
Over the next three to four years, we will apply to the IAEA to extend the reactor’s operational lifespan by another 10 to 15 years. If we secure such an extension in 2030, it would allow the reactor to operate until 2040-2045. What happens after that will depend on future developments," Sakhiev said.
He recalled that in September 2025, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to consider the construction of new research reactors at the Institute of Nuclear Physics.
The institute expects that by the time the current reactor reaches the end of its service life, a new research reactor will already be operating in Kazakhstan. The existing facility could then be used to train specialists for the nuclear industry, including personnel for the country’s future nuclear power plant.
Sakhiev also stressed the importance of uninterrupted production of radiopharmaceuticals used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The reactor currently operates on a cycle of three weeks of operation followed by one week of shutdown and undergoes two months of scheduled maintenance during the summer.
If a second research reactor is built, we will be able to distribute this workload and avoid interruptions," he said.
The Institute of Nuclear Physics is Kazakhstan’s only research organization dedicated to the peaceful use of atomic energy that carries out a full cycle of scientific research and experimental design work, including fundamental and applied research, technology development and production.
The institute conducts testing of materials for next-generation nuclear reactors and fusion facilities, applies nuclear technologies in industry, scientific research and medicine, and produces essential radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The INP currently operates 12 major experimental facilities, including the WWR-K research reactor, a critical assembly, storage facilities for radioactive waste and spent ionizing radiation sources, as well as six charged-particle accelerator complexes.
The WWR-K reactor is Kazakhstan’s only multipurpose reactor. In addition to fundamental nuclear physics and materials science research and in-reactor testing, it is used for the production of medical radioisotopes, gamma radiation sources for industry, neutron activation analysis and material modification through neutron irradiation.
The WWR-K reactor and the Cyclone-30 cyclotron form the basis of Kazakhstan’s only GMP-accredited production facility for reactor-based radiopharmaceuticals. The institute currently manufactures and supplies three radiopharmaceuticals to medical centers across the country, including products based on iodine-131 and molybdenum-99/technetium-99m.
Iodine-131 is used to treat thyroid diseases, including cancer, while technetium-99m is widely used in the diagnosis of diseases affecting virtually all human organs and body systems. Technetium-99m generators are also produced by the institute using a patented technology.
Overall, the institute’s product line covers key isotopes used in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular diseases and in the treatment of thyroid cancer. The INP supplies approximately 85% of Kazakhstan’s demand for radiopharmaceuticals.
The Cyclone-30 facility is designed for the industrial-scale production of radioisotopes and is currently operating at near-full capacity producing fluorine-18 for PET diagnostics, demand for which continues to grow steadily in Kazakhstan.
INP products are used annually in the treatment and diagnosis of more than 18,000 patients, while industrial radioisotopes are exported to Europe, the United States and Central Asian countries.
The institute is also implementing investment projects aimed at localizing the production of strategically important radioisotopes, including molybdenum-99 produced through the fission method and lutetium-177, while expanding its commercial activities.
The INP is the country’s sole producer of ionizing radiation sources, including cobalt-57, iridium-192 and antimony-124. Cobalt-57 is currently exported to Germany, France and Russia.
The institute operates training centers that have educated more than 4,500 specialists and plans to open a regional training center for nuclear forensics in 2026. It also conducts research in radiation ecology and monitors radiation-hazardous facilities.
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Kazakhstan’s Budget Revenues Rise 13.2% to 1.8 Trillion Tenge, Finance Minister Says
Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 6.5% in 2025, driven primarily by the transport, construction, mining and trade sectors, Finance Minister Madi Takiyev told a Senate session.
According to the minister, annual inflation stood at 12.3%, while the average monthly wage reached 442,000 tenge. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6%.
Public debt remained within the established threshold, amounting to 22.8% of GDP, or 36.4 trillion tenge. Assets of the National Fund reached $73.8 billion at the end of 2025, including $63.9 billion held in the foreign currency portfolio.
Revenues to the republican budget totaled 21.4 trillion tenge, representing 99% of the planned target. The shortfall amounted to 336 billion tenge.
Takiyev said budget execution was affected by a decline in the average oil price from $75 to $69 per barrel, a $1.7 billion reduction in exports, and a 709.3 billion tenge decrease in tax payments from 134 major enterprises amid the geopolitical situation.
At the same time, the republican budget’s own-source revenues increased by 1.8 trillion tenge compared with 2024, representing growth of 13.2%.
Tax revenues rose by 2.2 trillion tenge, or 17.5%. Corporate income tax receipts increased by 880 billion tenge, or 24%, while value-added tax (VAT) revenues grew by 932.5 billion tenge, or 18%.
As a result of desk audits, authorities recovered 388 billion tenge for the budget, 126 billion tenge more than a year earlier.
The government also continued to meet its obligations to businesses. In 2025, VAT refunds totaling 1.354 trillion tenge were paid from the budget.
According to the minister, revenue growth was driven by economic expansion, higher corporate income tax and VAT collections, increased imports, and improved tax administration efficiency.
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Assets Generating 3.4 Trillion Tenge in Revenue to Be Transferred to Competitive Market Environment
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Assets Generating 3.4 Trillion Tenge in Revenue to Be Transferred to Competitive Market Environment
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev heard a report from Marat Omarov, Chairman of the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition, on the implementation of the presidential decree on economic liberalisation.
Omarov said that, with the participation of the National Privatisation Office, a plan had been approved to optimise quasi-state sector entities and state-owned assets for the 2026-2030 period. The assets scheduled to be transferred to the competitive market environment generate combined revenue of 3.4 trillion tenge.
The parties also discussed reforms to the public procurement system. As a result of measures already implemented, the share of single-source procurement has fallen from 39% to 24%. Consequently, the volume of competitive procurement increased from 6.2 trillion to 8.1 trillion tenge.
The agency chief also reported on efforts to remove barriers to business activity, eliminate unproductive intermediaries in key markets, and develop new approaches to regulating the digital economy.
Following the meeting, Tokayev issued a number of instructions.
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Finance Ministry Reveals Size of Kazakhstan’s Public Debt
Speaking on the sidelines of a Mazhilis session, Kazakhstan’s Finance Minister Madi Takiyev outlined the structure of the country’s public debt and the cost of servicing it.
We do not include the quasi-public sector in these calculations. Kazakhstan’s sovereign government debt stands at $17 billion, or 4.5% of GDP. This is significantly lower than in neighbouring countries," Takiyev said.
According to the minister, debt servicing costs amount to approximately 3.5 trillion tenge.
We spend 3.5 trillion tenge on debt servicing. However, through diversification of our debt portfolio, we have already saved 115 billion tenge this year," he said.
Takiyev also explained the government's approach to accounting for debt owed by quasi-state entities. Such liabilities are not included in the public debt calculation because the companies themselves are responsible for repaying their borrowings.
These are obligations between business entities. They borrow independently and repay independently. The state has not provided guarantees for these loans," he said.
He added that state guarantees are issued only in specific cases, such as infrastructure projects.
The government may provide guarantees, for example, for road rehabilitation projects. But the amount involved is only about 2 trillion tenge. We bear no responsibility for all other debts," the minister explained.
Earlier, the Mazhilis ratified loan agreements between Kazakhstan, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
The agreement with the IBRD provides for a loan of 92.3 billion Japanese yen with an 11-year maturity, including a five-year grace period. The agreement with the AIIB предусматривает a loan of 62.4 billion yen on similar terms.
According to the explanatory note accompanying the legislation, the financing is intended to support the resilience of the national economy within the framework of the approved republican budget deficit for the planning period.
The interest rate on both loans will be calculated using the Tokyo Overnight Average Rate (TONA) plus a variable spread. The agreements also provide for a one-time fee of 0.25% of the loan amount and a commitment fee of 0.25% per annum on undisbursed funds.
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Trade Between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Reaches $4.8 Billion
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Trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by 16.2% in 2025 to reach $4.8 billion, according to discussions held during a meeting between Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the Kazakh government's press service reported.
Bilateral trade amounted to $1.9 billion in January-April, which is 42.1% higher than during the same period last year," the press service said.
Particular attention was also paid to the development of trade and economic ties, industrial cooperation, transport and logistics connectivity, as well as collaboration in the fields of energy, water resources and tourism.
Speaking at the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum, Bektenov said Kazakhstan supports further deepening cooperation among countries in the region in order to unlock the economic potential of Central Asia.
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Trade Ministry Comments on Food Price Growth
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Kazakhstan's Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev has commented on whether food prices could rise following increases in electricity tariffs and fuel prices, speaking on the sidelines of a Mazhilis session, an agency correspondent reported.
I cannot say that electricity costs have no impact; they are certainly one of the factors affecting production conditions. However, fluctuations in these prices are not critical. The key factor in production costs remains primary raw materials," the minister said.
He noted that raw materials account for the largest share of production costs for most food products. In dairy products, raw materials make up as much as 80% of total costs; in bakery products, flour accounts for around 65%; while feed represents up to 80% of the cost of beef production.
According to Shakkaliyev, price growth is also influenced by the balance between supply and demand, as well as seasonal factors.
There are consumption patterns, and seasonality also plays a role - all of these factors influence prices. Prices never remain static, but they are stable when the market is sufficiently supplied. Food inflation exists. Our task is to prevent increases in the prices of the most in-demand goods and avoid sharp spikes. Growth itself is also a law of economics," he said.
The minister also reported that prices for socially important food products have risen by 1.5% since the beginning of the year, which is 4.5 times lower than during the same period last year.
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