From 10 to 13 October 2025, with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Lord John Alderdice – UK Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia and Member of the House of Lords – paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. The visit served as a vivid confirmation that the partnership between the two countries is rising to a new strategic level, bringing together economy, education, innovation, and sustainable development.

The programme included visits to Almaty and Astana. In Almaty, Lord Alderdice held meetings with Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek Kuantyrov, as well as representatives of Kazakh business. In Astana, he held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, Chairman of the Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund Nurlan Zhakupov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre Renat Bekturov, and other senior officials.

The parties discussed expanding the participation of British companies in Kazakhstan’s investment and infrastructure projects, as well as exploring new areas of cooperation in critical minerals, energy, transport, healthcare, finance, digitalisation, and education.

One of the most important themes of the visit was education – the foundation of long-term partnership. Lord Alderdice visited the campuses of British universities in Kazakhstan, including De Montfort University Kazakhstan, Cardiff University Kazakhstan and Coventry University Kazakhstan, which are bringing world-class standards to the region, and also took part in the roundtable hosted by the Kazakh-British Technical University. De Montfort University graduated its first cohort of students last month, marking a major milestone in the history of British academic presence in the country. Together with Minister Sayasat Nurbek, Lord Alderdice discussed ways to further advance cooperation in order to elevate the educational partnership to a new level.

A particularly strong impression came from his visit to Narxoz University, where a dual-degree programme with Queen’s University Belfast – Lord Alderdice’s alma mater – is being successfully implemented. These examples highlight how strong and dynamic the educational ties between the two countries have become. “These universities create opportunities for students not only from Kazakhstan, but from around the world, shaping a truly international community,” Lord Alderdice emphasised.

During his tour of the Astana International Financial Centre, he noted the unique application of English law in Kazakhstan as an instrument for attracting investment and creating a transparent business environment. “Kazakhstan is a key partner for the United Kingdom in Central Asia, and there is enormous potential to expand our trade and investment cooperation across various strategic sectors. We must build on this momentum and unlock opportunities that will benefit businesses and communities in both our countries,” he stated.

This visit reflected the United Kingdom’s broader policy of strengthening economic cooperation with Kazakhstan and supporting sustainable growth. Over the first eight months of 2025, trade between the two countries increased by 51.1%, reaching USD 874 million – a clear indicator of the growing importance of the partnership.

In recent years, Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom have achieved significant success: the opening of British university campuses and schools, the development of partnerships in critical minerals, the launch of innovative projects such as the world’s first satellite internet service on trains (by OneWeb and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy), the promotion of British expertise in the creative and infrastructure sectors, and deeper collaboration in agriculture and mining. A striking symbol of environmental cooperation is the “Altyn Dala” initiative, implemented by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which received the prestigious Earthshot Prize for its contribution to biodiversity conservation.

Lord Alderdice’s visit confirmed that relations between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom are not just growing stronger – they are becoming a benchmark for international cooperation based on trust, innovation, and a shared vision for the future.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-london/press/news/details/1086205?lang=kk