Kazakhstan Brings Largest Foreign Delegation to B20 as U.S. Firms Detail Industrial Expansion

Kazakhstan brought the largest foreign delegation to the B20 summit in Washington, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said, as American executives outlined expanding industrial operations and new investment opportunities in the country. The B20 is the G20’s business engagement group. At a November 9 business roundtable, discussions ranged from PepsiCo's first locally manufactured Lay's potato chips and Wabtec's growing railway production capabilities to energy processing, AI infrastructure and critical minerals. Senior American and Kazakh officials emphasized the political support behind a commercial relationship built on decades of investment. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said strengthening relations with Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors had been a priority since he entered office, alongside restoring the prominence of economic and commercial matters in American diplomacy. “I think President Tokayev is one of the most impressive world leaders,” Landau said, highlighting the Kazakh president's ability to speak with the leaders of China, Russia and the United States in their own languages. Landau said the region had historically received less attention in U.S. foreign policy than its strategic location and resources warranted. He also emphasized the unusually high level of engagement between Washington and Astana, describing the current relationship as producing results rarely seen in its 35-year history. Yerzhan Kazykhan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's special representative for cooperation with the United States and honorary co-chair of the U.S.–Kazakhstan Business Council, said dialogue between Tokayev and President Donald Trump had given the relationship additional political momentum. “Our shared task is to translate this momentum into tangible results for our businesses,” he said. Ahead of Tokayev's planned participation in the G20 summit in Miami, Kazykhan identified advanced manufacturing, critical minerals processing and technology transfer as priorities for further cooperation. Manufacturing and Industrial Expansion “We have moved beyond oil and uranium,” said Kanat Sharlapayev, chairman of the presidium of Atameken, Kazakhstan's National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, pointing to PepsiCo and Wabtec as examples of the country's expanding manufacturing base. A PepsiCo representative reported that the company had recently produced its first bag of Lay's potato chips in Kazakhstan using locally grown potatoes. The milestone forms part of an investment that the representative valued at $360 million, in what PepsiCo expects to become one of its largest snack manufacturing facilities globally. The facility is expected to support 900 jobs when fully operational, with an official inauguration planned for April 2027. In railway manufacturing, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Asel Zhanassova highlighted the progress of Kazakhstan's longstanding partnership with Wabtec, including the $4.2 billion agreement signed in September 2025 covering 300 freight locomotives and long-term servicing. Zhanassova said local production content exceeded 40% and more than 2,000 jobs had been created, including among Kazakh suppliers. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Chairman Yelzhas Otynshiyev described the next stage of the partnership. Building on an existing engine remanufacturing and overhaul center in Astana, KTZ plans to begin engine production in Kazakhstan in 2027, with the objective of becoming a regional manufacturing and service center for Wabtec. Clay...