KAZAKHSTAN-ITALY RELATIONS
General information
Diplomatic relations were established on 21 August 1992.
In October 1992 the Embassy of Italy in Kazakhstan was opened.
Since September 2021 the Ambassador of Italy in Kazakhstan is M.Alberti.
In 1996 the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Italy was opened.
Since March 2021 the Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Italy is Y.Sembayev.
Political cooperation
Contacts at the highest level:
On 18-19 January 2024, at the invitation of the President of the Italian Republic S.Mattarella, the first official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev to Italy took place.
On 23 May 2023, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Italy G.Meloni at the initiative of the Italian side.
The first President of Kazakhstan visited Italy six times (4 times with state and official visits - in September 1994, September 1998, February 2003 and November 2009; with working visits (twice) - 17 October 2014 (ASEM Summit in Milan) and 27 June 2015 (at the opening of the National Day of Kazakhstan at the "EXPO-2015" in Milan).
The President of Italy O.Luigi Scalfaro visited the RK in May 1997.
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers (Prime Ministers) visited Kazakhstan seven times (3 times with official visits: R.Prodi - in September 1998 and October 2007, S.Berlusconi - in October 2008; with working visits (4 times): S.Berlusconi - in December 2010 (OSCE Summit), M.Monti - in March and April 2012, M.Renzi - in June 2014 (Borovoe village, within the framework of the Asian tour to Vietnam and China).
On the margins of international events, the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan met four times with the Prime Ministers of Italy (E.Letta - 6 September 2013 (G20 Summit in St. Petersburg), M.Renzi - 17 October 2014 (ASEM Summit in Milan) and 17 June 2016 (SPIEF in St. Petersburg), G.Conte - 19 October 2018 (ASEM Summit in Brussels).
High-level contacts:
February 1997 - visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev to Italy.
2010 г. - Working visit of the State Secretary - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the RK K.Saudabayev to Palermo.
29 August 2019 - participation of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Vice-President of the European Commission and President of the Institute of Eurasian Studies F.Frattini as a member of the Committee in the ceremony of awarding the "Nazarbayev Prize for a World without Nuclear Weapons and Global Security".
7-11 October 2019 - visit of the delegation of the General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan to Italy.
27 October - 1 November 2019 - visit of the delegation headed by the Commissioner for Human Rights of Kazakhstan E.Azimova to Italy.
9 June 2021 - online meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy L. Di Maio.
16 July 2021 - meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy M. Di Stefano on the margins of the conference "Central and South Asia".
8 December 2021 in Tashkent with the support of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy held the II-nd International Conference, in the framework of which Minister M.Tileuberdi met with his Italian counterpart L. Di Maio.
1 June 2022 - visit of the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi to Rome, within the framework of which he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic L.Di Maio and took part in the event "Economic and Investment Partnership Italy-Kazakhstan".
5 March 2023 - meeting of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Umarov with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy M.Tripodi in the framework of the Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (Doha, Qatar).
5 September 2023 - official visit of the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers - Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy A.Tajani to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
13 October 2023 - meeting of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Umarov with the Special Envoy of the Bid Committee "Expo 2030 Roma" G.Picchi.
Meetings of the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan and Italy in the framework of international events: 3 December 2015 (OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade), 10 January 2017 (UNSC in New York), 8 December 2017 (OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna), 7 December 2018 (OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan).
Inter-parliamentary co-operation
Visits to Italy:
- Chairman of the Senate K.Tokayev (June 2018);
- Deputy Chairman of the Majilis G.Isimbayeva (March 2019);
- Chairman of the Senate M.Ashimbayev (4-6 November 2021).
Visits to Kazakhstan:
- Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vice-President of the European Commission and President of the Institute of Eurasian Studies F.Frattini and a parliamentary delegation (5 June 2018, international conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the capital of Kazakhstan);
- Vice-President of the "Socialist International" (International Union of Social Democratic, Socialist and Labour Parties, includes about 150 parties of the world), Honorary President of the Organisation "Women of the Socialist International" and former member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament P.Locatelli (5 September 2018, regional conference "Empowering Women in Afghanistan");
- Vice Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament E. Rosato (25-26 November 2018, international conference dedicated to the Day of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan);
- Parliamentary delegation led by the Vice Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament E. Rosato (27-30 November 2018);
- Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament E.Rosato (8-11 June 2019, presidential elections of Kazakhstan);
- Questor of the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament E.Cirielli (23-24 September 2019, IV Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Eurasia);
- Investor of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament and Chairman of the Friendship Group "Kazakhstan-Italy" E.Cirielli (26 November 2020, international online conference dedicated to the Day of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan);
- Parliamentary delegation (January 2021, parliamentary elections of the Republic of Kazakhstan);
- online meeting between members of the group on inter-parliamentary cooperation "Kazakhstan-Italy" headed by the leaders D. Mynbay and E.Cirielli (8 June 2021).
Trade and economic co-operation
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of Kazakhstan, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Italy in 2023 amounted to $16 bln (exports - $14.8 bln; imports - $1,2 bln), up 7.3% compared to 2022.
Italy remains Kazakhstan's third strategic trading partner after Russia and China with a share of over 14.4% in Kazakhstan's total foreign trade turnover for 2023.
The number of registered companies with Italian participation in Kazakhstan is 303 (data as of October 2023). The companies are mainly engaged in construction, trade and scientific and technical activities.
According to the National Bank of Kazakhstan, from 2005 to the first half of 2023, the gross inflow of investments from Italy to Kazakhstan totaled $7.3 billion. According to the results of 2022, the gross FDI inflow to Kazakhstan from Italy totalled $288.6 million, which is 2.3 times more than in 2021.
For the first half of 2023, the gross inflow of investments from Italy to Kazakhstan totalled $75.9 million, which is 2.3 times more than in 2021. According to the criteria of the Investment Committee, Italy is in the first category of countries in attracting foreign investment.
Within the framework of the Country Investment Programme for Italy for the period of 2021-2025. 7 target industries and 44 target companies have been identified (LEONARDO: Leonardo DRS, Leonardo International, Vitrociset, FATA Logistic Systems,Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, MBDA, ATR, Elettronica, Avio, Larimart; FINCANTIERI, IVECO, e-GEOS, Alpi Aviation, SDF Group: Same, Lamborghini, Deutz Fahr, Hurlimann, Gregoire; Maschio Gaspardo, Enel, Hafner, Gruppo Falck, Irritec, Policlinico di Monza, Kedrion, NEOS, Italian Hotel Association, Tuvia group, Project Informatica, CNI, Mastery, Inalca, Ferrero, Barilla, Felicetti, Granarolo, Bonifiche Ferraresi, FAVA, PAVAN, Pomorete).
In February 2022, a delegation of transnational holding SDF group headed by Managing Director U. Micheli visited Kostanai to organise production of tractors and combines on the basis of "AgromashHolding" LLP.
In March 2022, a delegation of the international Italian company PetrolValves group S.p.A. visited West Kazakhstan region to start construction of a plant for the production of valves together with "Merlion Development group" LLP.
1 June 2022 in Rome with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy M. Di Stefano held a business forum "Economic and Investment Partnership Italy - Kazakhstan".
Since 12 June 2022, the Italian airline "NEOS" performs regular passenger flights on the route Milan - Almaty - Milan with a frequency of 2 flights per week.
On 11 October 2022, a working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan of the Special Envoy for the promotion of Rome's candidacy to host Expo 2030 Rome was held R. Orlandi to make a presentation of the city's candidature.
9 December 2022 in Sicily held a business forum on the theme: "Investment Opportunities of Kazakhstan".
26 April 2023 in Milan held a business forum: "Kazakhstan - a country of opportunities".
On 25-26 July 2023 the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan E.Karashukeyev paid a working visit to Rome.
Cultural and humanitarian co-operation
In the field of education, more than 30 agreements have been concluded between Kazakh and Italian higher education institutions, including between the Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi and the University of Rome La Sapienza, the Kazakh National University of Arts and the State Conservatories of Salerno and San Pietro a Maiella in Naples. Active cooperation on student exchange programmes continues (Universities of Sapienza, Salerno, Cassino, Naples and Ferrara).
On 30 November 2023, the Institute of Italian Culture was opened in Almaty (the only one in Central Asia).
Sphere of culture. From 23 to 28 March 2023, a large tour of the KazNUI orchestra to the cities of Italy (Milan, Genoa, San Remo and Rome) led by the Rector of the university, Professor A.Musakhodzhaeva took place.
From 20 to 22 June 2023 the tour of the Kazakh National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments took place named Kurmangazy in the Italian cities of Rome and Naples.
In October 2023, an agreement on opening a branch of the University of Genoa on the basis of Amanzholov University in Ust-Kamenogorsk was signed. Kazakh students will have the opportunity to study at the branch of the Italian university and receive double diplomas.
Publication in October 2023 of the guidebook "Kazakhstan. Infinite Space, Infinite Beauty" in Italian language has become one of the important cultural and image projects.
Within the framework of the official visit of the Head of State, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.Balayeva and the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan S.Nurbek held bilateral meetings with Italian colleagues.
Key treaties and agreements
On 5 November 2009, an interstate treaty on strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Italy was signed.
On 18 January 2024, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev and the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic G.Meloni adopted a Joint Statement.
Italy is one of the first European countries with which interstate treaties in the criminal sphere have been concluded (Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons of November 2013 and Treaty on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters of January 2015).