President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to hold talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana on Thursday as Türkiye and Kazakhstan seek to deepen strategic cooperation in the energy, transportation, trade and defense sectors amid shifting regional geopolitics.
The visit comes nearly a year after Tokayev traveled to Ankara and reflects growing ties between the two Turkic nations, whose partnership was elevated to the level of an “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” in 2022.
According to a statement from Kazakhstan’s presidential palace, Akorda, the two leaders will discuss the current state and future of bilateral relations during meetings in the Kazakh capital. Erdoğan and Tokayev are also expected to co-chair the sixth meeting of the Kazakhstan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
The talks are expected to focus heavily on transport and energy cooperation across Central Asia and the Caspian region, areas that have gained increasing importance following geopolitical shifts triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Officials from both countries are expected to discuss the development of the so-called Middle Corridor, a trade route connecting China and Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Türkiye.
The corridor has become increasingly important as governments and companies search for alternatives to routes passing through Russia.
Cooperation on Caspian transit transportation projects, logistics infrastructure and energy security are also expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Increasing the volume of Kazakh oil transported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is among the issues reportedly on the agenda.
Defense industry cooperation is also expected to be addressed as Türkiye expands its regional defense partnerships and Kazakhstan seeks to modernize parts of its military and industrial infrastructure.
After completing his meetings in Astana, Erdoğan is scheduled to travel to the southern Kazakh city of Turkistan to attend the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on May 15.
The summit is expected to bring together leaders of Turkic states to discuss regional security, developments in the Middle East and broader international issues. Erdoğan is expected to deliver messages related to regional stability and geopolitical cooperation among Turkic nations.
Economic ties between Türkiye and Kazakhstan have expanded steadily in recent years. Official figures show nearly 4,000 Turkish capital companies currently operate in Kazakhstan, particularly in construction, infrastructure, mining, energy and services sectors.
Turkish contractors have played a visible role in Kazakhstan’s modernization projects, especially in Astana, while both governments continue to pursue higher bilateral trade targets and broader investment cooperation.
The two countries also maintain close cultural and educational ties. Ahmet Yesevi University in Turkistan is considered one of the main symbols of academic cooperation between the countries.
More than 12,000 Kazakh students are currently studying in Türkiye, according to official figures, with additional students receiving scholarships under Türkiye’s government-funded education programs.
Tourism between the countries has also increased. Nearly 863,000 Kazakh tourists visited Türkiye last year, while around 130,000 Turkish tourists traveled to Kazakhstan during the same period.
Türkiye was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were formally established in 1992.
