Türkiye and Kazakhstan are ramping up cooperation and will strengthen their collaboration in the fields of mining and electricity, top official said on Thursday.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz's remarks came after he attended a signing ceremony of the Intergovernmental Joint Economic Commission meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov at the presidential complex in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
"We will strengthen our cooperation in the fields of mining and electricity. We will take new steps in logistics and transportation, especially in the Central Corridor. We plan to sign an agreement in the maritime field," Yılmaz said at the meeting.
He expressed hope that the commercial and economic ties between the countries will reach levels that reflect "brotherly relations" and grow even stronger as soon as possible.
Bektenov said the two countries expressed "a shared commitment to taking all necessary steps to further advance our relations based on the foundation of existing friendship and brotherhood in the future."
Yılmaz added that they plan to increase cooperation in the field of regional development.
"Our goals include exchanging knowledge and experience, especially in smart cities, and holding business and investment forums in the regions of Kazakhstan," he said.
Stressing that they continue relations with Kazakhstan on the basis of strategic cooperation, Yılmaz said the business forum and bilateral and inter-delegation meetings were completed "successfully, extremely productively, befitting brotherhood and friendship."
At the ceremony, Yılmaz and Bektenov signed an Action Plan Protocol between Türkiye and Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, Turkish energy firm Aksa Enerji signed a non-binding deal with a Kazakhstan governate to establish a natural gas combined cycle power plant in the country.
The company made the announcement in a statement posted on Türkiye's Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) on Friday.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Turkish company and the Shymkent Governorate in Kazakhstan covers the development of a plant of 500 megawatts in capacity.
Aksa Energy boasts three natural gas combined cycle power plants in neighboring Uzbekistan, and this MoU marks the expansion of its footprint in Asia.
Bektenov was also received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for talks on regional and global issues, Israel's monthslong attacks on Gaza and developments in the region.
"The meeting addressed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Kazakhstan, regional and global issues, Israel's attacks on Gaza and the recent situation in the region," the Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Underlining that the Israeli government is trying to escalate conflicts across the region, Erdoğan stressed the urgent need for an immediate and lasting cease-fire and enhanced collaboration within the Organization of Turkic States to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza.
"President Erdoğan also stated that it is important to develop relations with Kazakhstan in counterterrorism, the economy and other areas, particularly the defense industry," the directorate added.
Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, which claimed about 1,200 lives.
More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, and 85% of the enclave's population has been forced into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of essentials such as food and medicines.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.