The consistent promotion of productive and dynamic bilateral trade and economic cooperation became possible largely due to strong support at the highest level. The heads of Kazakhstan and South Africa traditionally pay great attention to the development of bilateral relations in this field.
Today South Africa is one of the leading foreign economic partners of Kazakhstan in Africa. The most promising areas of cooperation are the agro-industrial complex, the mining industry, the military-industrial complex, tourism, and etc.
On the other hand, the fact that two states are actively participating in the implementation of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is also catalysing bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Hence, Kazakhstan has significant inland transit and transport potential in the Eurasian geography, while South Africa is a significant maritime power “at the junction of three oceans”.
Active participation of South Africa in the International Exhibition “EXPO-2017” in Astana, the introduction in 2019 of Kazakhstani electronic visas for South African citizens, and the establishment in 2020 of a visa-free regime for holders of diplomatic and service/official passports (in accordance with the ‘Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on mutual exemption from visa requirements of holders of diplomatic and official passports’, signed by the Republic of Kazakhstan in December 2019 and by South Africa – to be signed by the end of 2020) are stimulating prerequisites for the strengthening further mutually beneficial economic cooperation of two countries.
South African capital funds and assets, represented in a number of sectors of the Kazakhstani economy, are another confirmation of the consistent deepening and the active development of economic ties of two countries in different areas. Yet, dozens of enterprises established in partnership with South African companies are operating in Kazakhstan nowadays.
Hence, in December 2015, the Joint Venture “Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering” (established by the Republic of South Africa and Kazakhstan in 2015) was launched in Astana. H.E. Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of Kazakhstan attended the opening ceremony organized to this end.
In March 2019, the official delegation of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa visited Astana and hold a meeting with counterparts from the Government of Kazakhstan. It was another evidence of the importance the Republic of South Africa attaches to the trade, economic and investment interaction with Kazakhstan.
Despite the relatively low level of trade turnover between the Republic of Kazakhstan and South Africa, after the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of South Africa, there has been a positive trend in the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Hence, in 2015, the trade turnover between the Republic of Kazakhstan and South Africa amounted to USD 18.7 million (export – 0, import – USD 18.7 million). In 2016 – to USD 35.8 million (export – USD 3 million, import – USD 32.8 million). In 2017 – to USD 39.2 million (export – USD 6.6 million, import – USD 32.6 million). In 2018 – to USD 46.8 million (export – USD 24.6 million, import – USD 22.2 million dollars). In 2019 – to USD 50.09 million (export – 22.1 million dollars, import - 27.9 million dollars). In 2020 – to USD 67,75 million (export – USD 2,7 million, import – USD 64,9 million). In 2021 – to USD 59,5 million (export – USD 9,8 million, import – USD 49,6 million), Finally in 2022 – to USD 80,7 million dollars (export – USD 28,14 million, import – USD 52,61 million).
The main items of Kazakhstani exports to the Republic of South Africa are the following:
as radioactive elements or isotopes;
devices), floating equipment and other devices and equipment related to transport;
On the other hand, the main items of imports from South Africa to Kazakhstan are as follows:
and other printing products;
and other similar products from ferrous metals;