From October 7 to 9, the Kazakhstan-Italy Bilateral Forum took place in Milan, a significant event organized under the aegis of the Kazakh Embassy in Italy and the Ministry of Trade of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with ACIK (Italian-Kazakh Trade Association), QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development, and the Lombardy Region. The main goal of the forum was to strengthen ties between the two countries, promote cooperation, and facilitate trade exchanges.

The event was held in the prestigious setting of Palazzo Lombardia, where distinguished speakers, expertly moderated by ACIK President Marco Beretta, shared their visions and proposals.

“The third bilateral forum between Kazakhstan and Italy,” said Marco Beretta, “is not a standalone event but an important milestone in a project that, together with institutional partners from both countries and major business entities represented by our members, we are executing using the best practices dictated by Italy’s system-based approach. The forum is a moment to take stock of the situation among parties that pursue a common and well-defined goal, where the quality of participants makes a difference: to be Kazakhstan’s privileged partner in a win-win logic.”

Speakers included Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Italy Yerbolat Sembayev, and Italy’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Marco Alberti, alongside Deputy Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Valentino Valentini.

Attilio Fontana highlighted the existence of numerous areas of collaboration, particularly in tourism, culture, university exchanges, new technologies, and agri-food sectors, stating, “Lombardy is Italy’s main agricultural region, and we can certainly open constructive dialogues with Kazakhstan, which seeks to build a bridge between our countries.”

Yerbolat Sembayev emphasized the vibrancy of bilateral relations, citing recent visits from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other governmental missions, demonstrating increasing interest in cooperation. “Despite global instability, Italy remains a strategic partner for Kazakhstan. Last year, the total volume of mutual trade between our countries reached $16 billion, the highest indicator in the last nine years,” said Sembayev.

Deputy Minister Valentini stressed the importance of meetings like this, stating, “It is essential to build economic relations that promote peaceful coexistence between our countries. We are not here to circumvent sanctions but to show that there is room for mutual development in sectors such as small and medium-sized enterprises.”

Discussions focused on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, tourism, green economy, and the oil and gas industry.

Kazakh Minister of Trade Arman Shakkaliyev and Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè also participated.

Several significant MoUs were signed during the forum with substantial economic value: Maire Group with Kmg Aero for sustainable aviation fuel production, Neos with Kmg Aero for refueling Neos flights in Kazakhstan, ACIK with Allied for local production feasibility studies, and Confapi with QazTrade for SME business development.

During the afternoon session, experiences and strategies to enhance commercial relations between Kazakhstan and Italy were discussed, with participation from the CEOs of major development organizations: Alessandro Bernini of Maire Group, Stefano Goggia of Ansaldo Energia, Carlo Stradiotti of Neos, Pier Ezhaya of ASTOI, Luigi Scordamaglia of Filiera Italia, Livio Mazzuoccolo of Confindustria Kazakhstan, Ayan Bektybayeva of Export Insurance Company Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan JSC, Matteo Scarparo of Confindustria Accessori Moda, Yerzhan Yerkinbayev of Confapi, Fabio Pinton of Seingim, and Filippo Marchiorello of RossoEvolution.

On the second day of the forum, 40 Kazakh companies and 30 Italian businesses met at the historic Villa Ghirlanda Silva in Cinisello Balsamo. The event's primary goal was to develop commercial partnerships through B2B meetings, organized in collaboration with Confapi, Lombardy Region, ACIK, and QazTrade. Key institutional figures, including Kazakh Trade Minister Arman Shakkaliyev, Kazakh Ambassador to Italy Yerbolat Sembayev, and Cinisello Balsamo Mayor Giacomo Ghilardi, were present.

Ghilardi emphasized the importance of such events in strengthening economic ties, stating, “These events, of high institutional and economic profile, create a platform for dialogue that facilitates trade and investment between the two countries, strengthening existing economic ties. They represent a fundamental step towards increasingly strong cooperation between Italy and Kazakhstan, establishing Kazakhstan's role as a bridge between Europe and Central Asia.”

Among the participants, IBC - International Business Consulting, took part in the Forum as a Partner and member of ACIK, representing a trusted point of reference for legal and commercial consulting services aimed at Italian and Kazakh companies looking to explore new growth opportunities.

Italy is one of Kazakhstan’s main economic partners among European Union countries, ranking among the top three partners in terms of trade volume. Over the past 20 years, Italian direct investments in Kazakhstan have reached $7.4 billion, with over 300 Italian companies operating in the country, including major multinationals such as Eni, Sdf, PetroValves, and Maire Tecnimont. These companies are involved in significant projects in the oil and gas, metallurgy, construction, and agricultural machinery and food production sectors.

In 2023, the total trade volume between Italy and Kazakhstan reached $16.1 billion, an increase of 7.8% compared to the previous year. In the first eight months of 2024, the growth trend continued, with a 33% increase in trade, reaching $13.8 billion, and a 36% rise in Kazakh exports (worth $12.9 billion).

Kazakhstan also represents a strategic destination for Lombardy tourism, thanks to the significant traffic generated by direct flights.

The forum’s closing took place at the TTG in Rimini, with an event organized by Neos and Francorosso, a brand of Alpitour World.

The direct Milan Malpensa - Almaty flight, operated by Neos with a 355-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offers two weekly frequencies (Thursday and Sunday from Milan, and Friday and Monday from the Kazakh airport), with a journey time of 7 hours. This route has proven to be a great opportunity for business and leisure exchanges between Italy and Kazakhstan. Since June 2022, approximately 80,000 passengers have been transported on this route, with flights operating year-round without interruption. Initially established for cargo transport and to meet the high demand for travel to Italy from Kazakh tourists, the scheduling has expanded, offering connecting flights from Almaty to provide more options for tourists flying to Milan.

The welcome of the Kazakh delegation at TTG by the Lombardy Region featured Councillor Barbara Mazzali, who presented “Lombardia Style,” a territorial marketing project aimed at boosting the region’s tourism and attractiveness in view of upcoming major international events.

Thus, the Italy-Kazakhstan Bilateral Forum proved to be an important platform for promoting new development and cooperation opportunities, consolidating Kazakhstan’s role as a strategic bridge between Europe and Central Asia.