General information
A joint communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Qatar was signed on July 1, 1993.
The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Doha was opened in May 2007. Since September 2, 2020, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Qatar is A.K. Issagaliyev.
The Embassy of the State of Qatar in the Republic of Kazakhstan has been operating since March 2008. Since October 6, 2019, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar is Abdulaziz Al-Rumaihi.
Interaction in the political sphere
Kazakh-Qatari relations are distinguished by active contacts at the highest level.
On February 13-14, 2024, the state visit of the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Qatar. During the visit, the President of Kazakhstan held negotiations with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh T. Al Thani.
On October 5, 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had a telephone conversation with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. During the conversation, prospects for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the trade and economic spheres were discussed.
On June 7-8, 2023, the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh T. Al Thani, paid a working visit to Kazakhstan as part of his participation in the Astana International Forum. During the visit, the heads of state discussed a number of issues to expand trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
On October 12-13, 2022, the state visit of the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh T.Al Thani, to Kazakhstan took place. As a result of the visit, 12 bilateral documents were signed at the government and interdepartmental levels. The Head of State presented the Emir of Qatar with the highest state award of the Republic of Kazakhstan - the Order of Altyn Kyran.
On June 21-22, 2022, the Head of State, at the invitation of the Emir of the State of Qatar, took part in the work of the II Qatar Economic Forum. During the visit, the President of Kazakhstan held negotiations with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh T. Al Thani.
On December 19, 2022, a telephone conversation took place between the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Emir of the State of Qatar. In the conversation, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan congratulated the Emir of Qatar on the excellent organization of the World Cup, which has become an event of global scale. The interlocutors highly appreciated the prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation, primarily in the trade, economic and investment spheres.
Contacts at high and other levels
On December 20, 2023, the 2nd round of Kazakh-Qatari political consultations took place in Doha, co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan A. Bakayev and Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H.Al-Hammadi. During political consultations, the parties reviewed the progress of implementation of agreements reached following the mutual visits of the heads of the two states, including on the development of trade, economic and investment cooperation.
On October 2-3, 2023, the 6th meeting of the joint high-level intergovernmental commission was held in Doha, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan S. Zhumangarin and the Minister of Trade and Industry of the State of Qatar Sheikh M. Al Thani.
Following the commission meeting, the heads of the delegations of the two countries signed a protocol that approved areas of cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, renewable energy, air travel, agriculture, food technology, tourism, higher education and medicine.
On May 22-24, 2023, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan A. Smailov took part in the work of the III Qatar Economic Forum. During the visit, he held talks with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister-Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Muhammad Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the leadership of Qatar Investment Authority and Power International Holding.
On December 15, 2023, on the sidelines of the XXI Doha Forum, the Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan A. Kuantyrov met with the Minister of Trade and Industry of the State of Qatar Sheikh M. Al Thani and the Minister of Finance of the State of Qatar A. Al-Kuwari
On December 12, 2023, Akim of the Turkestan region D. Satybaldy visited Qatar, during which a meeting was held with the management of Widam Food Company and Kowkabet Al Sharq, which import meat products to Qatar.
Interparliamentary cooperation
On December 14-15, 2021 in Doha, members of the Senate and Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan took part in a round table on the topic “The role of parliamentarians in the implementation of national action plans to combat terrorism and violent extremism”, held within the framework of the UN and European Union STRIVE Asia initiative and a regional joint UNCTC project. On the sidelines of the forum, the Kazakh delegation met with the Chairman of the Advisory Council of Qatar (Majlis Al-Shura) Hassan Al-Ghanim and discussed with him ways to expand inter-parliamentary cooperation.
On April 6-8, 2019, a parliamentary delegation led by the Chairman of the Mazhilis visited the State Committee to participate in the work of the 140th AMPS, during which they held a meeting with the Chairman of the Parliament of the State Committee.
On September 21-25, 2019, the parliamentary delegation of the State of Qatar, led by Speaker A. Al-Mahmoud, took part in the IV Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of Eurasian Countries and held meetings with the leadership of both chambers of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Military cooperation
On December 12-13, 2023, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan R. Zhaksylykov visited Qatar, during which a bilateral meeting was held with the Deputy Prime Minister - State Minister for Defense Affairs of the State of Qatar Kh. Al-Attiya. As a result of the negotiations, an Agreement on military cooperation was signed between the governments of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State of Qatar.
March 20-23, 2022 First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Khusainov took part in the 7th international military-technical exhibition “DIMDEX-2022”.
On October 2-3, 2023, Deputy Minister of Defense S. Kamaletdinov visited Doha.
Cooperation in trade, economic and investment spheres
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, trade turnover between the two countries 2023 amounted to $9.9 million (exports - $5.6 million, imports - $4.3 million), for 2022 it amounted to 6.6428 million US dollars (exports - 5.921 million dollars, imports - 1.079 million dollars), for 2021 - 6 million 339.6 thousand US dollars (exports - 5 million 921 thousand dollars. , import - 418.6 thousand dollars), for 2020 - 8.55 million US dollars (export - 5.75 million, import - 2.8 million), for 2019 - 1, 99 million dollars (exports - 1.89 million, imports - 97 thousand), and for 2018 - 429 thousand dollars (exports - 194.9 thousand, imports - 234 thousand).
An important mechanism for the development of bilateral cooperation is the Kazakh-Qatari high-level joint commission. The Kazakhstan part of the Commission is headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan S. Zhumangarin, and the Qatar part is headed by the Minister of Trade and Industry Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani. Six meetings of the Commission were held (in Doha - June 2000, October 2015 and October 2023; in Astana - May 2001, October 2009, February 2020).
According to the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the volume of foreign direct investment from Qatar to the Republic of Kazakhstan amounts to 75.9 million US dollars. According to data as of January 1, 2024, 3 legal entities associated with Qatari capital are registered on the territory of Kazakhstan, of which 2 legal entities are active.
Events in the trade, economic and investment sphere
On October 3, 2023, a business forum was held in Doha with the participation of large businesses from the two countries. The total number of delegates was more than 150 people.
On June 8, 2023, as part of the working visit to Kazakhstan of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh T. Al-Thani, a round table was held in Astana with the participation of the management of the top 10 large companies in Qatar, as a result of which the parties signed 5 documents totaling more than $500 million.
On October 13, 2022, as part of the state visit to Kazakhstan of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh T. Al-Thani, the Kazakh-Qatari Investment Forum was held in Astana. Representatives of large businesses from the two countries took part in the high-level event. The total number of delegates was more than 200 people. On the sidelines of the Investment Forum, a ceremony was held to sign 13 bilateral documents totaling more than $625 million.
On March 27, 2022, as part of a visit to Doha, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Tileuberdi held a number of meetings with the heads of government agencies, the "Qatar Investment Authority", "Power International Holding", the Qatar Businessmen Association, "Faisal Holding" with the aim of discussing the creation of a joint investment fund and the implementation of a number of large investment projects in the mining industry, agriculture, medicine and tourism.
On December 8, 2021, as part of the fourth annual round table on global investments, the Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR-2021), a trilateral memorandum on the construction of a milk processing plant in the Almaty region was signed between Kazakh Invest, the agricultural holding Dinara Group and the Qatari company Baladna.
On November 19, 2021, a direct flight of Qatar Airways was launched on the Doha – Almaty route. On November 20-21 in Doha, the parties agreed on a draft intergovernmental Agreement on Air Services and the further expansion of air services between the two countries.
On October 5, 2021, the leading Qatari IT company Snoonu officially opened the Center for Innovation and Technological Development in the international technology park Astana Hub. Snoonu became the first Arab information technology company to register its representative office in Astana.
On August 22, 2021, the first meeting of the Kazakh-Qatari Business Council was held in Doha, chaired by the head of Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC A. Satkaliyev and the First Deputy Head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the State Corporation M. Al-Kawari with the participation of the heads of large private companies of the Republic of Kazakhstan and GK.
On August 22-23, 2021, a delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.A.Smailov visited Doha. The head of the delegation was received by the Emir of Qatar. Negotiations were also held with the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs, the ministers of municipality and environmental protection, trade and industry, as well as with the heads of Qatar Airways, the national investment fund Qatar Investment Authority and the companies Hassad Food, "Qatari Diar, Qatar Mining, Al Fardan Group and Baladna. During the meetings, specific investment projects in the mining and metallurgical industry, agriculture, banking sector and tourism were presented to the Qatari side.
During the period from October 31 to November 3, 2020, a delegation led by the Deputy Head of the Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan T. Suleimenov and the Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources M. Mirzagaliyev visited Doha on a working visit. Meetings were held with the Emir of Qatar, the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of State of Defense, the ministers of industry and trade, municipality and environmental protection, the heads of the Qatar Investment Fund, the Central Bank and key Qatari banks, as well as the national companies “Qatar Mining”, “Qatari Diar”, “ Hassad Food" and private investors.
On December 1-3, 2019, a delegation of heads of financial, banking and investment structures headed by the Chairman of the Central Bank A. Al-Thani visited the Republic of Kazakhstan, which was received by President K. K. Tokayev, Prime Minister A. Mamin and the Governor of the AIFC K Kelimbetov, Chairman of the Board of the Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund A. Yesimov and Minister of Industry B. Atamkulov. The parties discussed projects of financial and investment cooperation, including the opening of banks and the creation of joint investment funds.
On November 26-28, 2019, a delegation led by the Deputy Head of the Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan T. Suleimenov visited Doha for the purpose of holding negotiations with the Head of the Administration of the Emir of the State of Qatar, the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the Central Bank and large quasi-state organizations ("Qatar Foundation", “Qatar Investment Authority”, etc.) on the development of political, trade, economic, and investment relations.
On November 7-8, 2019, a Memorandum was signed in Doha on the operation of regular 7 flights per week between Astana and Doha, 7 flights per week between Almaty and Doha, as well as 7 cargo flights per week. Based on the results of the 6th meeting of the IPC, from October 2023, the number of flights was increased to 14 flights per week. Also, starting from November 2023, Kazakh airlines Air Astana and FlyArystan launched direct charter flights from 5 cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktobe and Aktau) to Doha.
On October 14-15, 2019 in Astana, a business delegation led by the President of the Regency group company I. Al-Asmakh was received by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev and held meetings with the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MIID, Kazakh Invest, AIFC , within the framework of which it outlined projects for the construction and operation of schools and hospitals in large cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
On September 22-23, 2019 the delegation of "Tau-Ken Samruk" visited Doha and held negotiations on the development of mineral deposits with the management of the company "Qatar Mining", the Qatar Investment Authority and the holding "Alfardan".
On April 1-3, 2019. the delegation of the Qatari state company "Qatar Mining" paid a visit to Astana and held meetings with the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry, "Samruk-Kazyna", "Tau-Ken Samruk", AIFC, "Kazakh Invest".
On January 18, 2019 the first cargo flight of "Qatar Airways" airline Doha - Almaty - Hong Kong - Doha started.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation
On January 21, 2024, the President of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zh. Tuimebayev held a meeting with the President of Qatar University Omar Al-Ansari.
On November 29, 2023, the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan S. Nurbek took part in the “WISE” forum, within the framework of which a meeting was organized with the Minister of Education and Higher Education B. Al-Nueimi.
On November 1-2, 2023, Quran reciters from Qatar took part in the first international competition for reciting the Quran by heart, organized by the Assembly of Muslims of Kazakhstan on the occasion of Republic Day in Astana.
On October 18, 2023, the National Museum of Qatar launched an audio guide telling about the history and culture, unique traditions and way of life of Qatar in the Kazakh language.
On November 19-21, 2022, a delegation led by the President of the Football Federation of Kazakhstan A. Barmenkulov took part in the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup.
On July 7-10, 2022, the Chairman of the Sheikh Hamad Prize for Translation and International Understanding Foundation at Qatar University, Hanan Fayyad, paid a working visit to Almaty, where she held meetings with the leadership of KazNU. Al-Farabi and the Center for Arabic Studies, where she announced the inclusion of the Kazakh language in the competition for the Sheikh Hamad Prize for the best translation and strengthening of international understanding.
On September 14-15, 2022, a delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Khalifa Al-Kawari, as well as Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, Member of the Board of Directors of the Doha Center for Interreligious Dialogue, took part in the work of the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In June 2021, a Memorandum was signed between the Akimat of the Almaty region and the Qatar Development Fund on the construction of a perinatal center in the village of Otegen Batyr, Ili district, Almaty region.
On March 12, 2021, Nazarbayev University signed a memorandum of cooperation with the leading Qatari university Hamad bin Khalifa.
On May 21, 2020, as part of the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Qatar Development Fund sent humanitarian aid to Kazakhstan weighing 8 tons.
On May 10, 2019, a meeting of the delegation of Hamad bin Khalifa University led by President Ahmad Hasna took place at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. As part of the delegation's visit, the opening of the scientific and educational Center for Islamic Finance took place in cooperation with the AIFC and Qatar University.
On September 1, 2018, the opening ceremony of the school named after Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, which was erected as a gift for the 20th anniversary of the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In March 2002, the Days of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan were held in Qatar, in June 2008 - the Days of Culture of the Civil Code in Kazakhstan.