BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 28. Czech Prime
Minister Andrej Babiš arrived in Kazakhstan as part of his tour of
countries beyond Europe, signaling Prague’s growing search for
economic anchors outside the European Union.
Babiš’s visit to Astana, accompanied by a delegation of around
50 major companies, is pushing Czech-Kazakh relations into a more
practical phase. The focus is on energy, industrial cooperation,
transport and new investments. More broadly, the visit reflects not
only a bilateral agenda, but also Czechia’s wider strategy to
diversify raw material supplies and expand its footprint in Central
Asia.
The economic foundation for that strategy is already in place.
According to Kazakhstan’s estimates, bilateral trade exceeded $1.5
billion, including oil. Excluding oil, trade grew 13% to around
$700 million. For comparison, Czech imports from Kazakhstan in 2025
were estimated at roughly $1.02 billion, while Czech exports
reached $855 million. The figures point to steady growth and a
gradual expansion of trade composition.
Energy remains the key driver. Kazakhstan is among Czechia’s
major oil suppliers, providing more than 1 million tons annually
via the Trieste-TAL route. Another pillar is uranium and
cooperation between Kazatomprom and ČEZ, increasingly viewed as
part of Europe’s broader energy security agenda. Against that
backdrop, Babiš’s emphasis on securing stable oil and gas suppliers
appears less diplomatic messaging than pragmatic strategy.
But the visit also underlines that ties are moving beyond
commodities. Around 200 Czech-capital companies operate in
Kazakhstan, while cumulative Czech investment exceeds $350 million.
In 2025 alone, gross Czech FDI inflows rose 39% to $59 million.
That points not just to trade, but to a growing industrial
presence.
A major focus is localization. Talks with Skoda Transportation
on urban transit modernization in Astana and Almaty, projects
linked to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, and discussions with Czechoslovak
Group in the defense-industrial sector all suggest movement toward
deeper industrial cooperation. Six agreements signed at the
business forum are estimated by participants to be worth tens of
millions of dollars.
Logistics is another signal. An 18% increase in rail freight
volumes in the first quarter of 2026, alongside Czech interest in
the Trans-Caspian corridor, shows Kazakhstan is viewed not only as
a market, but as a transit hub. For Prague, that opens access to
broader Eurasian supply chains.
Technology has also emerged as a new track. Talks between Babiš
and Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov covered digitalization,
GovTech, artificial intelligence and critical minerals processing.
That broadens the relationship beyond traditional trade and aligns
with Kazakhstan’s push for non-resource diversification.
The outlook for Czech-Kazakh relations appears stable and
pragmatic. A key foundation is the complementarity of the two
economies: Kazakhstan offers resources and a growing market, while
Czechia brings technology, equipment and industrial know-how. Going
forward, cooperation is likely to deepen through diversification –
from raw material trade toward joint production, service hubs and
technology transfer.
Czechia appears to have found in Kazakhstan a reliable
industrial hub, while Kazakhstan sees in Czechia a European partner
willing to invest in technology and non-resource sectors. The next
phase will depend on how quickly signed agreements are implemented
and how effectively businesses adapt to a shifting global economic
landscape.