Economist outlines potential areas of cooperation between Armenia and Kazakhstan

Armenia has wide-ranging opportunities to deepen economic cooperation with Kazakhstan, spanning agriculture, industry and advanced technologies, economist Tatul Manaseryan told Panorama.am on Friday.

Manaseryan, a doctor of economics, said Kazakhstan is the most rapidly advancing state in the post-Soviet region and that Armenia “has much to learn” from its experience. His comments follow the Armenian government’s announcement that a delegation of Armenian business leaders will soon travel to Kazakhstan to explore new areas of economic collaboration.

“There is mutual interest in both goods and services,” Manaseryan said. “Agriculture could be particularly productive, as Kazakhstan is gradually transitioning to industry-based farming and developing smart villages. Its food security is largely well-managed and we can cooperate through sharing expertise.”

The economist said nearly all branches of industry offer potential for joint projects, especially as Armenia seeks to revitalize sectors where it once held competitive advantages, including precision engineering, machinery production and toolmaking supported by its strong human capital.

High-tech fields should also be prioritized, he added, citing biotechnology and other science-intensive sectors where Armenia maintains relative strengths. “These areas may take a long time to develop, so we need to think now about how to realize that potential,” he said.

Manaseryan highlighted similarities in the countries’ financial sectors as another foundation for cooperation. Armenia’s Central Bank has undergone significant evolution since independence, creating a stable and predictable monetary environment, while Kazakhstan has established the Astana International Financial Centre, the only institution of its kind in the post-Soviet space covering that time zone.

“In the long run, we can think about multimodal connectivity,” he said, noting that such projects would require participation from neighboring states in addition to Armenia and Kazakhstan.

On November 21, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks in Astana, resulting in a joint declaration. Tokayev announced that bilateral relations will be elevated to the level of strategic partnership.