Central Asia-Italy Summit - The Times Of Central Asia

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Bilateral Cooperation Pragmatic Diplomacy Central Asia-Italy Summit

Italy Courts Central Asia: Trade, Transit, and Tech Take Center Stage

The inaugural Central Asia-Italy Summit, held on May 30, 2025, in Astana, marked a significant step in international diplomacy. It established a new framework for dialogue between the European Union and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The participation of the leaders of all five Central Asian nations alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni underscores the region’s growing strategic and economic relevance. Bilateral Meetings Ahead of the summit, extended talks took place between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Tokayev emphasized the depth and stability of bilateral ties, describing Italy as a key strategic partner. Trade between the two nations grew by 24% in 2024, reaching $20 billion. Italy is Kazakhstan’s third-largest trading partner and a major investor, with approximately $7.6 billion invested over the past two decades. Over 270 Italian companies currently operate in Kazakhstan. [caption id="attachment_32447" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @akorda[/caption] Meloni praised the relationship as “exceptional,” highlighting Italy’s interest in expanding cooperation across trade, energy, and humanitarian domains. A pivotal outcome of the meeting was the signing of a Joint Statement on Strengthening Strategic Partnerships. [caption id="attachment_32448" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @akorda[/caption] Additional agreements included: Security and Migration - Readmission agreement; Resources and Critical Materials - Cooperation on strategic mineral extraction; Investment and Industrial Development - Agreements involving Samruk-Kazyna, Maire Tecnimont, and Ansaldo; Water Management and Ecology - Memorandum with the Italian engineering association OICE; Finance and Project Lending - Agreements with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and SACE SpA; Energy and Exports - Agreements with Samruk-Energo and Kazakh Invest. President Tokayev also met with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, emphasizing cultural and economic ties and expressing hope for the realization of joint projects. [caption id="attachment_32449" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @akorda[/caption] Kazakhstan's Proposals Tokayev outlined proposals for expanding economic, technological, and humanitarian cooperation with Italy. He called for the development of logistics infrastructure and proposed establishing an Italian trading house in Almaty and launching the "Businessmen Plus Italy" platform. Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s readiness to boost oil exports, already over 30 million tons in 2023, a 27% increase from the previous year, and expand exports of over 100 goods valued at $1 billion, particularly non-resource items. He also proposed increased cooperation in agro-industry and emphasized aligning certification standards with the EU. Kazakhstan invited Italian firms to participate in rare earth exploration under a model of “investment and technology in exchange for strategic raw materials.” Joint ventures in textiles, furniture, pharmaceuticals, and machinery were also encouraged. Tokayev stressed decarbonization as a national priority and praised Italian investments in renewable energy. He proposed collaboration on green hydrogen and ammonia production and urged Italy to engage with the Global Biofuels Alliance. [caption id="attachment_32450" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @akorda[/caption] In education and research, Tokayev invited Italian technical universities to open branches in Kazakhstan, noting that 4,000 Kazakhstani students currently study in Italy. He proposed joint efforts in AI and innovation, including participation in the new Central Asia-EU Innovation Campus at the Astana Hub. Transport infrastructure also featured prominently. Tokayev advocated for integrating the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTR)...

Central Asia-Italy Summit Energy Security Bilateral Investment Bilateral Cooperation Italy

Kazakhstan, Italy, and the Battle for Europe’s Energy Future

ASTANA - Central Asia is no longer on the periphery of global events, but a place where major countries come together with their ideas, money, and projects. In a turbulent and highly uncertain geopolitical environment, global powers are seeking to establish their presence in this strategic, energy-rich region. Italy is no exception. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was initially scheduled to visit Kazakhstan in late April, but in light of Pope Francis' passing her trip to Astana was canceled. Coincidently or not, she came to the Kazakh capital on May 30 to attend the Astana International Forum (AIF) – a two-day event that saw the attendance of political, business, and thought leaders who gathered under an expanded agenda that included climate change, energy security, and sustainability. Meloni’s visit to Kazakhstan is part of her Central Asian tour; she previously visited Uzbekistan, where she met with the country’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. In Astana, she not only spoke at the AIF, emphasizing that the “Astana International Forum has become increasingly important in dialogue worldwide,” but also took part in the first-ever Central Asia–Italy summit. “Italy was the first Nation in the EU to decide to invest in relations with Central Asia and its individual member Nations, launching a permanent format in order to share ideas,” Meloni said at the AIF, emphasizing that the EU–Central Asia Summit, held in April in Samarkand, “elevated the relations between the region and the European Union to a strategic partnership.” In this relationship, Kazakhstan seems to play a crucial role. Italy is the largest Central Asian economy’s number one trading partner in Europe. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Italy in 2024 amounted to $19.9 billion, which is 24% higher compared to the previous year ($16.1 billion). Oil is undoubtedly Kazakhstan’s main export to Italy, although critics argue that the third-most populous EU member is merely a transit country, as large amounts of Kazakh oil ultimately reach other European countries. “If we really want to shape the future, we must have the courage to look beyond our geographical boundaries and pave new paths. I am thinking of the energy sector, where our cooperation can help make a difference, and I am also referring to critical raw materials, where our collaboration aims to generate shared benefits and mutual opportunities,” Meloni stressed. Kazakhstan is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources. This makes it a nation of significant interest to Italy – with whom Astana signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement back in 2009 – as well as to other European states. But from the Kazakh perspective, it is important that this cooperation be mutually beneficial. Astana is seeking to avoid being seen merely as a source of raw materials and expects its partners to offer tangible benefits in return. That is why Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev has pushed forcefully for the renegotiation of oil agreements with foreign energy companies operating in the country. For Astana, it is...

Central Asia-Italy Summit Bilateral Investment Bilateral Cooperation Oil and Gas Middle Corridor Italy

Kazakhstan and Italy Forge a New Strategic Nexus

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Kazakhstan marks a pivotal moment in the deepening relationship between the two nations. This diplomatic mission comes on the heels of historical ties reinforced by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2022 visit to the Central Asian nation, where he met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Benedict’s trip was a testament to Kazakhstan’s role in promoting interfaith dialogue and global peace, a legacy that continues to shape its international relationships. Now, with a new American Pope at the helm of the Vatican, Meloni has renewed Italy’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Kazakhstan. Her meeting with Tokayev and participation in the C5+Italy Summit underline her focus on fostering collaboration in energy diversification, regional stability, and economic growth. The terms for Meloni’s arrival in Astana were set by Kazakhstan’s previous engagements with Italy, including President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Rome in early 2024 and his meeting with Meloni in Abu Dhabi in January 2025. Those substantive bilateral talks set the bilateral agenda in the joint context of Italian active Eurasian diplomacy and Kazakhstan’s own strategic vision. Meloni’s direct discussions with Tokayev focused on deepening bilateral diplomatic and economic ties; expanding cooperation in energy, trade, and defense; and discussing regional security and joint training programs. As she put it prior to departing Italy, “This visit confirms the strategic value of our collaboration and the excellent level of relations between our nations.” Kazakhstan’s geography, resource wealth, and evolving political posture since independence over a third of a century have also enabled it to craft a nuanced foreign policy balancing traditional ties with Russia and China against emerging alignments with Europe and beyond. Italy’s diplomacy, underpinned by proactive outreach and sustained by major trade and investment flows, has become Kazakhstan’s principal EU partner and third-largest global trading counterpart. Meloni’s engagement with Kazakhstan underscores her broader strategic vision of positioning Italy as a pivotal player in the evolving geopolitical landscape. Central to this ambition is her ability to connect Italy’s foreign policy with global power structures, including her relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, a bond that has bolstered both her personal stature and Italy’s diplomatic leverage. This alignment, rooted in shared ideologies of nationalism and sovereignty, allows Italy to project itself as a transatlantic bridge linking Europe, the United States, and strategically critical regions like Central Asia. Beyond energy and trade, Italy’s approach aims to institutionalize its presence in the region, as demonstrated by the simultaneous hosting of the Central Asia–Italy Summit, which builds on the “5+1” dialogue launched in 2019 and its 2024 iteration at the foreign-ministerial level. Convening this summit at the head-of-government/head-of-state level in Astana subtly underscores Kazakhstan’s linchpin role in regional coordination and Italy’s capacity to frame its engagement as a multilateral and strategic enterprise. Meloni’s ambitions extend to securing Italy’s role in stabilizing ties with Central Asia and former Soviet states. For instance, strengthening relationships with energy-rich nations like Kazakhstan underpins her focus on energy diversification, critical for reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas while...

Kazakh-Italian Business Forum Georgia Meloni Central Asia-Italy Summit Economic Cooperation

Energy, Industry, and Diplomacy: Kazakhstan-Italy Relations Reach New Heights

On May 30, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan. The same day will also mark the inaugural Central Asia-Italy summit, to be held in Astana with the participation of regional heads of state. In anticipation of the visit, the Kazakh-Italian Business Forum opened in Astana on May 28, focusing on the development of trade and logistics cooperation. Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov highlighted a key milestone in bilateral relations: trade between the two countries increased by 25% in 2024, reaching nearly US$20 billion. Of this, Kazakh exports accounted for more than US$18 billion. Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Italy were established in 1992. Italy opened its embassy in Kazakhstan in October of that year, followed by the opening of the Kazakh embassy in Italy in 1996. In 1994, then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev made his first official visit to Rome. A reciprocal visit by Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro followed in 1997. Over the ensuing decades, Kazakhstan received visits from Italian Prime Ministers Romano Prodi, Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Monti, and Matteo Renzi. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Italy twice before assuming the presidency: first as Foreign Minister in 1997, and again in 2018 as Chairman of the Senate. His first presidential visit to Italy took place in January 2024. Over the years, bilateral relations have reached a high level of maturity. A sustained political dialogue is ongoing, mutual trade is rising, the legal framework is expanding, and multilateral cooperation is strengthening. A pivotal moment in this relationship came in 2009 with the signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement. During a productive visit by Nazarbayev to Italy, multiple agreements were signed, facilitating mutual investments exceeding US$6 billion. Italy is now Kazakhstan’s third-largest trading partner, following China and Russia, and ranks among the top five foreign investors in the Kazakh economy. In 2023, bilateral trade turnover was around US$20 billion. Approximately 250 Italian companies operate in Kazakhstan, contributing significantly to sectors such as oil and gas, renewable energy, machine building, and agriculture. Over the past two decades, Italy has invested US$7.6 billion in Kazakhstan, prioritizing the oil and gas sector, green energy, machinery, and the agro-industrial complex. Kazakhstan's main exports to Italy include crude oil, ferroalloys, wheat and meslin, copper, aluminum, zinc, lead, scrap precious metals, fuel oil, and cranes. In turn, Italy supplies Kazakhstan with pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment, pumps, and other finished goods. According to the Italian media, Prime Minister Meloni’s upcoming visit aims to strengthen energy and industrial cooperation. Meloni is expected to sign a cooperation agreement alongside President Tokayev between Italian firm, Maire, and Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna to establish an engineering and industrial hub. Samruk-Kazyna is also slated to sign an agreement with Ansaldo Energia for the production of gas turbine components for power plants. In January 2024, during Tokayev’s visit to Rome, Ansaldo committed to supplying gas turbines and generators for the reconstruction of the TPP-3 power plant in Almaty, as well as collaborating on new energy projects. Additional agreements expected during the visit...

Georgia Meloni Central Asia-Italy Summit

Meloni Will Attend Italy-Central Asia Summit in Kazakhstan This Week

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who postponed a trip to Central Asia in April because of the death of Pope Francis, has rescheduled her visit to the region for this coming Wednesday to Friday. Meloni will travel to Uzbekistan on Wednesday and will attend a Central Asia-Italy summit during a visit to Kazakhstan on Thursday and Friday, according to her office. The leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are expected to join Meloni at the summit, which is aimed at strengthening economic collaboration between Italy and Central Asia.

Italy Pope Francis Central Asia-Italy Summit

Meloni Postpones Central Asia Trip After Pope Dies

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has postponed a visit to Central Asia this week because of the death of Pope Francis. The Italian news agency ANSA said Meloni’s trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan was originally scheduled for Friday to Sunday but will be rescheduled. Kazakhstan previously said Meloni would visit the country this coming weekend at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and that Astana would host the first-ever Central Asia–Italy summit on Sunday. Francis died on Monday at age 88 and his funeral will be held on Saturday.