An online discussion of US-Kazakhstan relations was held Thursday, April 25, 2024 10 AM-11 AM. The moderator was Jennifer Wistrand of Kennan, and speakers on the topic were Professor Suzanne Loftus, Georgetown University; Mr. Erkin Tukumov, Director, Kazakhstan Institute; and Shalkar Nurseitov, Director, Center for Policy Solutions.
Kazakhstan borders Russia and China. During April, dignitaries from Kazakhstan were in Beijing talking trade agreements, while a delegation from the United Kingdom, headed by David Cameron, Secretary for Foreign Affairs were in Astana, doing much the same thing. Kazakhstan is rich in minerals, particularly uranium.
United States educates some 1,500 students from Kazakhstan yearly here. The country has a history of friendly relations with the States, though tends to vote in the United Nations with the Chinese-Russian clique. It doesn't take a rigorous position on the Russian War in Ukraine that I could determine. Tourism between the country and the world is promoted through a visa program designed to attract visitors.
Big business in Kazakhstan is oil and natural gas. They are making strides in allocating water with China. The country promotes its traditional values developed over a regional, long history, but I understand documents are written in Russian. And the commerce with the West is largely via Britain, a good friend, but business attracts US investments, too.
I got the impression that the speakers would like even more attention and involvement with things going on in the US: "more invitations, please!"
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