Archival cooperation is moving forward. Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia are preparing for a September visit by the leadership of the National Archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during which new bilateral documents are expected to be signed, DKNews.kz reports.
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, met with Turki bin Mohammed Al-Shuair, Executive Director of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives.
Kazakhstan’s National Archives prepares for a visit to Saudi Arabia
One of the main topics of the talks was the official return visit of the leadership of the National Archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia, scheduled for September this year.
The parties discussed preparations for the visit and draft bilateral documents that are planned to be signed during the trip.
The specific content of the documents has not yet been disclosed. It would therefore be premature to speak about new programs, exchanges of archival materials or joint digitization projects.
At the same time, preparations for new agreements indicate that the two countries intend to move cooperation between their specialized institutions to the next stage.
The first memorandum was signed in Astana on May 22, 2025
The foundation for the current cooperation was laid more than a year ago.
On May 22, 2025, the National Archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Astana.
The two sides are now discussing how to build on that institutional framework. Key areas include archival affairs, historical documentation, research into historical and cultural heritage, and broader cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
Historical documents become part of bilateral diplomacy
Archival cooperation stands apart from the more familiar economic agenda between Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia.
The focus here is on documents, academic research and historical and cultural heritage. These were among the areas discussed by Madiyar Menilbekov and Turki bin Mohammed Al-Shuair as promising directions for future cooperation.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue active dialogue between the research and archival institutions of Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia.
The next practical stage will be the September visit, when new documents intended to define further areas of partnership are expected to be signed.
Saudi Arabia joins the National Archives’ international cooperation
Kazakhstan has been expanding international cooperation in the preservation of documentary heritage, with Saudi institutions now among the partners of the National Archives.
This means the upcoming visit is not an isolated protocol event, but a continuation of the work launched after the 2025 memorandum.
DKNews.kz previously reported on how Kazakhstan’s National Archives preserves the country’s historical heritage and develops international cooperation.
The next key date on the Kazakhstan-Saudi archival agenda is September 2026, when the leadership of Kazakhstan’s National Archives is expected to pay a return visit to Saudi Arabia.
