00:00Industrial investors, international companies who want to invest in Kazakhstan.
00:05Really, this business environment is very friendly and it's a good background and environment to grow the business in Kazakhstan.
00:15Kazakhstan, Central Asia's top investment hub, has attracted nearly 130 billion euros in net FDI since 1991.
00:31But last year saw a 30% drop from over 20 to 14.5 billion euros.
00:36According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, FDI flows fell globally 11% due to geopolitical tensions,
00:44trade fragmentation and rising financial risks.
00:47In Kazakhstan, the drop in investment is tied to oil giants, Kachagan, Karachaganak and Tengiz,
00:53repatriating profits to shareholders.
00:56The Foreign Affairs Ministry says the shift from investment to returns is cyclical and does not signal declining confidence.
01:14Onktad recognizes Kazakhstan for streamlining investment regulation, especially through digital licensing and fast-track procedures.
01:35Despite the FDI slowdown, it secured four of Central Asia's five largest greenfield projects worth 6 billion euros.
01:42Its sovereign wealth fund, Samru Kazana, remains a key driver of foreign investment.
01:47We usually take a minority stake.
01:49We don't get involved into the operational issues, but we provide full support with the government authorities on the central and regional levels.
01:59And if needed, we provide off-takes from our portfolio companies.
02:04And this model has proved it to be successful.
02:07At the moment, we are under execution of more than 130 investment projects for the full value of more than 102 billion US dollars.
02:16One of Samru Kazana's key partners, French Multinational Air Liquide,
02:20is supplying industrial gases to its petrochemical and refining industries.
02:24Since 2016, the company has doubled its investment, adding another 100 million euros to the 120 million already committed with more expansion ahead.
02:33Growing in the country, we see a lot of opportunities, of new opportunities in the refining sector, in the petrochemical sectors,
02:41maybe in the metal industry and in other industrial sectors, manufacturing and the like, where we can supply industrial gases.
02:48So for our home company in Paris, it's important not only for what we've achieved already,
02:53but also for the potential that Kazakhstan has in terms of economic development and industry overall growth potential in the industrial sectors.
03:05Another partner is Fortune 500 American company Wabtec, which is supplying critical components, locomotives,
03:11signaling systems and logistics solutions for the global railway industry.
03:15Wabtec has invested more than 196 million euros since 1996.
03:21I think we have the opportunity to grow our business in Kazakhstan double digits per year.
03:27A piece of that is making sure we drive organic growth into other parts of the rail ecosystem.
03:35We are continuing to do acquisitions in our company,
03:39and that will allow us to ultimately grow the content of what we sell into the rail business here in the country.
03:48Kazakhstan's largest FDI has gone into mining.
03:51Nearly 80 billion euros, followed by 35 billion in manufacturing and 7 billion in insurance.
03:57Top investors over the past decade include the Netherlands, the US, Switzerland, Russia and China.
04:03To boost its appeal, Kazakhstan offers tax breaks, customs exemptions and infrastructure support.
04:08The president chairs the Foreign Investment Council, where foreign investors can directly propose policy and development recommendations.
04:14And that open discussion, I really think adds to clarity, and from clarity you have stability.
04:23And I think coming at this from the legal perspective, one of the things that businesses are always looking for in investment
04:32is things such as stability and regulation, and having guidance as to how the investment opportunities will evolve over time.
04:42Despite global challenges, Kazakhstan draws over half of Central Asia's FDI and a large share of its output.
04:48As the region's largest economy, it continues building a strong investment climate, digital economy and partnerships for industrial growth.
Comentarios