15-16 April 2026 Astana, Kazakhstan

Critical Minerals and Global Strategic Alliances

Format: Panel with high-level officials and Industry ambassadors

Kazakhstan pursues foreign direct investment in critical minerals while strengthening state control over its natural resources. The 2026 Tax Code amendments establish "strategic investor" categories with tax incentives tied to mandatory local processing requirements, potentially undermining prior reforms aimed at improving business and investment environment. Recent multi-billion-dollar deals with China highlight escalating competition and a shift toward midstream processing. This panel will examine how the UK, USA, and EU can navigate the tightening regulatory landscape while leveraging Kazakhstan's established processing advantage to turn high-level diplomacy into technology transfers and offtake agreements to build resilient supply partnerships amid China competition.