Story perspectives

Kazakhstan to host 2027 rare-earth processing center with EBRD support

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 11:04 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Kazakhstan Courts Belgium

Kazakhstan invited Belgian companies to assist domestic processing of critical minerals.
Vice Minister Olzhas Saparbekov said Kazakhstan can supply 21 of the 34 EU-listed critical raw materials.
Kazakhstan has spent over 67 billion tenge on geological exploration since 2018, identifying 38 promising areas.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will back a rare-earth centre in Kazakhstan.
The centre will be built in 2027 and operate from 2028.

Summary

Belgian Royals Visit

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde made Belgium’s first state visit to Central Asia, arriving on October 11.
The delegation comprised 110 participants, including ministers, 25 business leaders and seven university rectors.
Bilateral trade reached $582.4 million in 2025, up from €220 million in 2016.
Belgium’s cumulative investment in Kazakhstan surpassed $15 billion since 2005, involving over 100 companies.
Visa-exemption agreement amendments now ease travel for service-passport holders.

History

Historical Context

In 2005, Belgium signed its first bilateral investment treaty with newly independent Kazakhstan, opening the door for European capital in Central Asia. The agreement spurred $12 billion in Belgian projects by 2015, with companies like Umicore and Solvay establishing mining joint ventures in Almaty and Aktobe. Today, King Philippe’s 2024 state visit and Olzhas Saparbekov’s call for Belgian partners echo that early partnership, targeting 21 of the EU’s 34 critical raw materials. The renewed collaboration, backed by the EBRD’s 2027 rare-earth centre, aims to double bilateral trade to over $1 billion by 2030, cementing Belgium’s strategic foothold in Kazakhstan’s mineral supply chain.

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Kazakhstan Courts Belgium

Kazakhstan invited Belgian companies to assist domestic processing of critical minerals.
Vice Minister Olzhas Saparbekov said Kazakhstan can supply 21 of the 34 EU-listed critical raw materials.
Kazakhstan has spent over 67 billion tenge on geological exploration since 2018, identifying 38 promising areas.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will back a rare-earth centre in Kazakhstan.
The centre will be built in 2027 and operate from 2028.

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