Italy Forges Central Asia Gateway Through Kazakh Tech and Trade

Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s recent visit to Astana Hub, Central Asia’s largest technology park, has signaled a significant deepening of ties between Rome and Kazakhstan. The tour on September 30, following high-level talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, highlights Italy’s growing strategic interest in the region as it seeks to expand its political and economic influence amid fierce international competition.

President Tokayev hailed the visit as the beginning of a “new chapter” in a relationship already underpinned by substantial economic cooperation. Over the past two decades, Italian investments in Kazakhstan have surpassed $7 billion, with 250 Italian companies now operating in the country. While bilateral trade saw a slight dip to $11.3 billion in the first eight months of the year, it followed a record $20 billion in the previous year, with Kazakh exports, primarily oil, forming the bulk of the exchange. Kazakhstan is also diversifying its exports to Italy, increasing shipments of wheat and metal products while adding new items like sunflower oil.

At the heart of the burgeoning partnership is a shared focus on technology. President Tokayev has declared that “large-scale digitalization and the introduction of artificial intelligence are a key national strategy” for Kazakhstan, aimed at modernizing the economy and securing the nation’s place among the world’s advanced states. He identified Italy as a valuable partner in this ambitious high-tech pivot, with both leaders agreeing to exchange expertise in digital technologies, AI, and big data, and collaborate on innovative projects in finance and tourism.

This visit builds on a diplomatic offensive that included a trip by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in May, which culminated in a “Central Asia-Italy” summit and a host of agreements. A key outcome was the joint declaration emphasizing the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TMTM), a crucial corridor designed to connect Central Asia with Europe. The leaders called on Italian companies to actively participate in developing transport and infrastructure projects along this route.

Italy aims to position itself as a key Mediterranean hub, leveraging its geography to facilitate the flow of Central Asian goods into European and African markets. However, significant logistical and geopolitical hurdles remain. Central Asia’s landlocked position is a fundamental challenge, while alternative trade routes are fraught with complications. Using Iranian ports, for instance, risks triggering a backlash from the EU and the US due to sanctions, while routes through Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports face security threats from extremist groups.

Beyond economics and logistics, the two nations are strengthening their cultural and educational bonds, a clear exercise in soft power. Currently, over 4,000 Kazakh students are enrolled in Italian universities, and a branch of Italy’s Marche Polytechnic University has recently opened in Kazakhstan. In a symbolic exchange, a street in Astana will be named after the legendary Italian explorer Marco Polo, while a monument to the Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai Kunanbaiuly will be erected in Rome. Further cementing these cultural ties, the renowned San Carlo Theatre in Naples is scheduled to stage the opera “Abai” next year.