Some countries are considered essentially routine tourist destinations. Then there are those that are explicitly exotic. But there are also countries that undoubtedly deserve much more tourist attention than they currently receive. Among these is Kazakhstan, a diverse country chock full of places just asking for a visit. And although we spoke primarily about trade relations with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Czech Republic, Bakyt Dyussenbayev, the topic of tourism also came up.
How have bilateral Czech-Kazakh relations developed since the 1990s, and how could they be characterized today?
Kazakhstan considers the Czech Republic a reliable and time-tested partner in the European Union. Over these three decades, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic have established a high-level political dialogue, dynamic contacts between governments and parliaments, and active cultural and humanitarian interaction. Several agreements have been signed, such as the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation (2004), and others covering a wide range of priority areas of mutual cooperation. The Czech Republic is one of Kazakhstan’s top ten (ninth) largest trading partners in the EU, with investments exceeding 350 million dollars since 2003. The intergovernmental commission for economic, industrial, scientific, and technical cooperation actively facilitates Czech-Kazakh interaction. Recent years have also seen intensified interaction. In 2023, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, and the Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborný, visited Kazakhstan, and the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, Marat Karabaev, attended the XXVII World Road Congress in Prague. In 2024, the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský, visited Astana. We are also proud of our mutual cultural and humanitarian cooperation, focused on long-term educational and tourism exchanges – more than three thousand Kazakh students are studying at Czech universities, and tens of thousands of Kazakh visitors arrive in Czech cities annually. I believe these facts clearly illustrate the current positive dynamic in Kazakh-Czech relations.
What data do we have in mind when talking about the trade balance?
From January to December 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic amounted to 619 million dollars. According to Kazakh data, imports to Kazakhstan were 152 million dollars, while exports reached 467 million dollars. The Czech side reports different figures, which, in my opinion, result from different methodologies used by both countries for calculations. In any case, I am confident that we have all the potential to further increase these figures.
Which commodities have the biggest impact on this balance?
The main export commodities from Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic are mineral fuels, lubricants, chemicals and related products, goods, raw materials, foodstuffs, live animals, phosphoric acids, and flax seeds. The main goods imported into Kazakhstan from the Czech Republic include machinery and transport equipment, pharmaceuticals packaged for retail sale, industrial furnaces, electric batteries, live livestock, and equipment for thermal processing of materials. As we can see, the main areas of interest for the business community are still aviation and engineering, energy, transport, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. New directions are also emerging in nanotechnology, modern livestock breeding methods, hydrogen production, and mining technology. It is worth noting that according to data from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, in 2024, Kazakhstan was one of the five largest oil importers to the Czech Republic (ranked fourth). Both Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels to meet electricity demands. Therefore, we also see promising opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the fields of energy and climate security.
Altyn Emel National Park.
Can you mention some recent or planned projects?
There are several promising projects in aviation, engineering, mining technology, agriculture, and other fields, and approximately 150 Czech-backed companies are currently operating in Kazakhstan. The latest Czech-Kazakh cooperation project that I would like to specifically mention is the reintroduction of Przewalski's horse into its natural habitat – the Kazakh steppes. A memorandum on this project was signed in 2023 during Prime Minister Petr Fiala's visit to Astana. In June of last year, the first seven horses were transferred to the Altyn Dala National Reserve. The goal is to bring forty horses over five years. This is a huge project coordinated by the Prague Zoo, involving Kazakh and Czech authorities, several European zoos, and natural parks. We are grateful to the Czech government and personally to the director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek, for their active involvement in this important and beautiful project, which is a strong symbol of our shared commitment to biodiversity, nature conservation, and building lasting ties between our nations.
How can the Czech Republic be an inspiration for Kazakhstan, and vice versa?
First, I would like to emphasize some common features shared by Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic. Both of us are landlocked countries, without direct access to the open sea, and we strive to improve access to important trade routes. At the same time, we are positioned at the crossroads between East and West, and we have the advantage of being an important transit and logistics hub for our regions. Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic are also medium-sized economies, influenced by the economies of neighboring great powers. Both of our countries had planned economies in the past. As you can see, we have much in common. In this sense, mutual exchange of experience could be very inspiring in many ways. As for the Czech Republic, for example, the experience in industrial and technological development, improving urban infrastructure, including energy efficiency, water and waste management, and preserving historical heritage, is very interesting to me. On the other hand, Kazakhstan has a unique experience in building interethnic and interreligious harmony. More than 120 ethnic groups live peacefully and harmoniously in Kazakhstan. We are proud of this. Kazakhstan's courage, ambitious goals, openness to new ideas, and flexibility could also be an inspiration. In this regard, we have launched the international branding campaign “Kazakhstan: Born Bold,” which showcases these qualities of our country and our people.
Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world by area. If I wanted to visit Kazakhstan as a tourist, what should I not miss?
That depends on what you want to experience – amazing nature, ancient historical sites, delicious cuisine, or activities such as hiking, skiing, horseback riding, paragliding, and so on. Kazakhstan is very diverse – there are mountains, deserts, rivers, and lakes, steppes, and modern cities. In recent years, it has also been increasingly appearing on the world tourism map as an eco-destination, as evidenced by its inclusion in various eco-tourism rankings. Kazakhstan is very rich in natural attractions. On the vast plains of the Great Steppe, there are dozens of national parks, nature reserves, or natural monuments. Protected natural areas make up about nine percent of the country’s total area, which is equivalent in size to Great Britain. Among several attractive tourist spots, I could mention the capital city of Kazakhstan, Astana, the so-called Southern Capital, Almaty, the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum, the petroglyphs of Tanbaly, the Charyn Canyon, the Ustyurt Plateau, Kaindy Lake, Burabay Lake, the Altyn Emel National Park, and many others. In 2024, after the pandemic hiatus, direct flights between Astana and Prague were resumed, operated by the Kazakh company SCAT Airlines. After a successful year, the company decided to increase the flight frequency from two to four times a week, starting at the end of May. Traveling to Kazakhstan is now easier. I would like to warmly invite everyone to visit our amazing country and see its beauties with their own eyes.
Television tower in city of Almaty.
The capital city is Astana, but until 1997, it was Almaty. What was the reason for this change?
The relocation of a capital city is not that rare in world history. As for Kazakhstan, the main reason was the geo-economic situation. As you mentioned, Kazakhstan has a vast territory with wide differences between regions. The southern part of the country, where Almaty is located, was more developed and overcrowded compared to the northern part. The goal was to balance the regions socio-economically.
What do you like most about Prague?
Prague is truly an amazing city. I enjoy the beauty of its historical architecture, the ancient narrow streets full of secrets and medieval legends. But I was also surprised that Prague is a very green city – there are plenty of beautiful parks, and nature is really close by. It’s a great place to live, ideal for both work and relaxation.
Capital city of Kazakhstan, Astana.
CV BOX
Bakyt Dyussenbayev (born March 8, 1970) is the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Czech Republic.
He is a graduate of Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov (1993) and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (1996).
He has held various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and at embassies abroad. He began his career as an ambassador in 2012, serving as the ambassador to Spain, and from 2015, he also served as the ambassador to Andorra.
From 2018 to 2023, he was the ambassador to the Republic of Korea. He has been the ambassador to the Czech Republic since June 2023.
He is married and has one son.
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