By Dr. Abdulrahim Ibrahim Abdulwahid
Kazakhstan is taking center stage in the UAE’s financial capital next month, showcasing its dynamic investment landscape at one of the region’s most influential financial events. The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) will host AIFC Connect: Abu Dhabi 2025 on 9 December at the Rosewood Hotel, as part of Abu Dhabi Finance Week.
This premier forum highlights Kazakhstan’s ambitions to attract global capital, strengthen economic ties with the UAE, and cement the AIFC as a gateway connecting Asia, the Middle East, and global markets.
The UAE: A Strategic Partner in Growth
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Astana highlighted the depth of bilateral economic relations: “Over the past years, the UAE has become one of Kazakhstan’s top ten foreign investors, with investments surpassing USD 4.3 billion. Currently, 462 UAE-based companies operate across sectors such as finance, logistics, manufacturing, mining, professional services, and technology.”
Within the AIFC alone, 49 UAE companies—including Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions Ltd., Presight.AI Kazakhstan Ltd., Ellington Kazakhstan Group, MQ Emirates Ltd., and Otan Ltd.—are actively driving economic modernization, innovative industry development, and landmark infrastructure projects like the Middle Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative.
A flagship example is Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions, a joint venture by Abu Dhabi Ports Group and a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, operating from the AIFC to advance the Middle Corridor project. “This growing collaboration is why Kazakhstan is bringing its investment narrative to Abu Dhabi—to open a direct corridor for UAE-Kazakhstan investment and unlock new partnership opportunities,” the ministry noted.
Connecting Global Investors to High-Potential Projects
AIFC Connect: Abu Dhabi 2025 aims to attract international investors and foreign companies to Kazakhstan’s most promising long-term ventures.
The forum will spotlight high-value investment opportunities, strategic infrastructure projects, and national development initiatives while connecting investors directly with regulators, financial institutions, and industry leaders. Participants will also gain insights into the AIFC’s internationally recognized regulatory framework and Kazakhstan’s growing presence in the UAE’s dynamic financial ecosystem.
Through executive-level meetings, thematic panels, and curated networking sessions, Kazakhstan will position itself as a stable, reliable, and strategic emerging market—offering direct access to Central Asia, China, the Middle Corridor, and broader Eurasia.
The forum will host approximately 150 influential decision-makers, including investment banks, sovereign wealth funds, asset and private equity managers, fintech and digital asset companies, consultancy firms, global exchanges, regulators, and tech innovators.
A Window into Kazakhstan’s Investment Landscape
The AIFC in Abu Dhabi will offer a comprehensive overview of Kazakhstan’s strategic sectors and national projects, including infrastructure, logistics, energy transition, mining, critical minerals, fintech and digital finance, capital markets, asset management, agricultural modernization, and industrial innovation.
Since its inception in 2018, the AIFC has contributed over USD 19 billion to Kazakhstan’s economy and currently hosts more than 4,700 companies from 88 countries under its internationally recognized English common law jurisdiction—designed specifically for global investors.
Key highlights include AIFC’s integration with UAE capital markets. The Astana International Exchange (AIX) now has a direct central link with Nasdaq Dubai, enabling seamless cross-border investment flows.
Additionally, the Eurasian Development Bank issued its first UAE-dirham-denominated bonds on the AIX, while the exchange has joined a digital trading platform linking Kazakhstan to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Bahrain Bourse, and Muscat Securities Market—strengthening regional financial connectivity.
With AIFC Connect: Abu Dhabi 2025, Kazakhstan is not just presenting investment opportunities—it is positioning itself as the premier gateway for forward-looking investors seeking access to one of the world’s fastest-growing emerging markets.
