Kazakhstan Joins World Bank Group Initiative to Attract $20 Billion in Minerals Investment
Kazakhstan has joined the World Bank Group’s Metals and Minerals Compact, becoming the first country in Central Asia to participate in the initiative. The partnership aims to mobilize approximately $20 billion in investment by 2031 to expand geological exploration, develop mining and processing facilities, and strengthen the country’s mineral resource sector.
The accession ceremony was held on Oct. 16 on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Thailand. Kazakhstan was represented by Yerlan Galiyev, chairman of the board of the National Geological Service under the Ministry of Industry and Construction, according to the Prime Minister’s press service.
The country compact for 2026–2030 was developed jointly by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms, and the World Bank Group. It provides a framework for cooperation in the metals and minerals sector and brings together the World Bank Group’s financial, analytical and technical support to advance Kazakhstan’s industrial and investment priorities.
The partnership identifies three key areas of cooperation: improving public policy and regulatory frameworks for the mining and metallurgical complex; developing geological exploration, infrastructure and workforce capacity; and attracting private investment in mineral extraction and downstream processing.
The planned measures include the digitization of geological data, improvements to energy and transport infrastructure, the introduction of advanced metal-processing technologies, and the training of qualified specialists. The World Bank Group will support investment projects through financial and guarantee instruments, with a focus on higher-value-added production and international investor participation.
