Kazakhstan and Jordan are quietly laying the groundwork for deeper economic cooperation - and Aqaba is emerging as a key point on this map. The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Jordan, Talgat Shaldanbay, met with Adel Ye Yang, Chief Executive Officer of PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate LLP, to discuss how industrial zones and investment platforms can bring the two countries closer in practical terms, DKNews.kz reports.
The meeting focused not on abstract intentions, but on concrete opportunities that could help Kazakh businesses expand beyond traditional markets and gain a foothold in the Middle East.
Why Aqaba matters
Aqaba is more than a port city. It is one of Jordan’s main industrial and logistics hubs, built around special (free) economic zones and industrial parks designed to attract international investors. These zones offer access to regional markets, developed infrastructure, and a business-oriented regulatory environment.
During the talks, both sides discussed current trends and future prospects for investment and industrial cooperation between Kazakhstan and Jordan, with particular emphasis on expanding interaction in free economic zones and industrial parks.
For Kazakhstan, Aqaba represents a strategic gateway - a place where production, logistics, and market access converge.
What Kazakhstan is aiming for
The Ambassador подчеркнул his interest in developing practical cooperation with Jordanian partners. The key idea is to use the potential of Aqaba’s industrial zones to support Kazakh companies in entering the markets of the Middle East and neighboring regions.
This approach reflects a broader trend: Kazakh businesses are increasingly looking to diversify export destinations, build regional value chains, and reduce dependence on a limited number of markets.
What Jordan offers to investors
Representatives of PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate outlined the company’s activities and explained how they work with investors on the ground. They spoke about their approaches to investor support, from project placement to operational assistance, and confirmed their readiness to expand cooperation with companies from Central Asia.
This willingness to engage is especially important for businesses that are entering a new region and need reliable local partners.
From dialogue to action
A separate part of the discussion focused on how to turn interest into real projects. The sides paid special attention to the consistent expansion of business contacts and to possible formats for further cooperation, including:
- organization of familiarization visits
- meetings between business representatives
- step-by-step development of joint projects
Such practical steps are often where diplomacy turns into real economic results.
A quiet start to bigger cooperation
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides confirmed their readiness to maintain regular contacts and close cooperation aimed at the steady development of bilateral ties in the investment and industrial spheres.
These kinds of meetings rarely make loud headlines, but they often lay the foundation for future factories, logistics hubs, and trade routes. For Kazakhstan, Aqaba may become not just a point on the map, but a new launchpad into one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
