Kazakhstan can boost investments through its neutrality, avoidance of global conflicts - EBRDKazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy and avoidance of global conflicts could help increase foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, said Beata Javorcik, Chief Economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in an interview with Interfax-Kazakhstan."Countries that aim to maintain friendly relations with all sides can benefit and become more attractive for investment precisely because they are not entangled in the tensions we see globally," Javorcik stated.She noted that FDI flows are rising in countries pursuing multi-vector geopolitical strategies, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan."What’s interesting about FDI flows to these countries is that they come from all directions—Western nations, the U.S., China, and the Middle East," the economist added.However, Javorcik pointed out that the number of projects in Kazakhstan remains relatively low."While the trend for Kazakhstan is positive, the number of projects it attracts is still modest compared to the UAE or Saudi Arabia. Kazakhstan has fewer than 100 projects, whereas the UAE has over 1,000 and Saudi Arabia over 300, she said.She also highlighted that Kazakhstan’s investment structure has diversified. While a significant share of investments historically went into extractive sectors like mining, "many recent projects are unrelated to extraction. They focus on transport and logistics, renewable energy, consumer goods, food and beverages, and financial services," Javorcik said.To attract more investment, she urged Kazakhstan to improve its business climate, climb international business rankings, and leverage its world-class investment promotion agency. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX