Central Asia gets closer to Africa through Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is bringing Central Asia closer to Africa. Among the recent visits was that of the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame. It was his second visit to Kazakhstan, with the first in 2015.

“Our two countries are good friends and partners, and we want to build on this strong foundation to further deepen our partnership,” said Kagame during a May 28 meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

“Whether in the fields of trade, technology, or agriculture, our two countries are eager to learn from each other,” he added.


Kagame, who also addressed the Astana International Forum on May 29, reiterated that Rwanda can “benefit immensely from Kazakhstan’s know-how,” referring to a cooperation agreement on critical minerals signed between the Rwanda Mining Board and Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund.

The big forum was also attended by King Ife of Nigeria Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Françoise Joly, a special representative of the President of Congo; and Lassina Zerbo, a former prime minister of Burkina Faso.

African continent is taking on an increasingly important role in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy priorities, said Aibek Smadiyarov, a spokesperson for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The ministry is currently developing a Strategy for Cooperation with African States and the African Union for 2025–2030.

“Kazakhstan’s growing engagement with Africa is being carried out in line with the President’s directive to strengthen cooperation with countries across the continent, as part of the nation’s multi-vector foreign policy doctrine,” said Smadiyarov at a June 2 press briefing in Astana.

“Over the past two years, Kazakhstan has welcomed official visits from the Presidents of Togo, the Republic of the Congo, and Guinea-Bissau, as well as the foreign ministers of Sierra Leone, Benin, and Rwanda,” he added.

Kazakhstan’s exports to Africa include sulfur, petroleum coke, metal products, agricultural goods, and mineral fertilizers. In May, the first shipment of Kazakh grain in 15 years was sent to Morocco, which, as he puts it, is a “significant step toward diversifying export destinations.”

Since 2013, Kazakhstan has held observer status with the African Union and continues to deepen its engagement with member states through other multilateral frameworks.