Not only ‘Made in Italy’, but also ‘Made with Italy’ – an exclusive interview with the Italian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Marco Alberti
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's first official visit to Italy this January marked a significant step in strengthening Kazakhstan's strategic partnership with the European Union, particularly with Italy. In an exclusive interview, Kazinform News Agency sat down with the Italian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Marco Alberti, to discuss the burgeoning bilateral relations, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two nations.
What do you think the future holds for Kazakh- Italian partnership and cooperation, given that bilateral trade turnover exceeded several billion dollars last year?
Our vision is transforming the historical, excellent bilateral relations between Italy and Kazakhstan into a strategic partnership. Trade turnover has tripled over the last three/four years, which is a very good sign. Italy is still one of the top foreign investors in Kazakhstan. We finally have a direct flight connection Almaty-Milan and a new Italian Cultural Institute inaugurated in Almaty. Not only ‘Made in Italy’, but also ‘Made with Italy’. Our goal is not only strengthening our positioning in Kazakhstan, but also strengthening our cooperation with Kazakhstan, at all levels. President Tokayev’s visit to Italy was extremely successful and brought our bilateral relations to a higher level of cooperation. Now it is time to focus on the follow-ups of the visit, implement the agreements signed, and turn ideas into projects. The three guiding words are cooperation, innovation and diversification.
The energy sector remains the priority of Kazakh-Italian relations with crude oil, accounting for more than 97% of Kazakh exports to Italy. How can Rome and Astana diversify their bilateral relations in this sector?
We can diversify the investments inside the sectors, like energy, but also diversify the sectors of investment. On the first side, Italy has a log date presence in the Oil & Gas industry in Kazakhstan and in its sub-sectors. ENI has been operating in the country for 30 years and it is a recognized and respected actor. Notwithstanding, the Italian company is also helping the energy transition of Kazakhstan towards the carbon neutrality by 2060. Eni Arm Wind has already inaugurated two renewable plants in Kazakhstan, whereas the construction of a hybrid power plant in Mangistau is expected to start soon, as a follow-up of the presidential visit to Rome. Italy has a bunch of SMEs with top-notch technologies in the sub-sectors of the energy industry, to diversify our presence here. Regarding diversification of sectors, petrochemicals, agri-business and creative industries offer the most attractive opportunities. We are here to help Italian companies seize them soon.
Do you believe that switching to uranium and rare earth minerals will have a potential in that respect?
We do not want to “switch” from one sector to another. Rather, we want to “add” one sector of potential investment to the others that already exist. Critical materials offer many opportunities, and the EU member states, including Italy, are looking with great interest to Kazakhstan, which owns in abundance 16 out of the 17 critical materials necessary to implement a green transformation in Europe. This importance of such item is confirmed by the EU-Kazakhstan strategic MOU on Rare Earths signed on the sidelines of the COP 27 in Egypt. Again, agreements are settled down: now it is time to implement them.
How does Italy access the investor regime in Kazakhstan? In addition to successful cooperation between our countries in the energy industry, do you plan to expand cooperation in Kazakhstan in other areas?
Opportunities are not enough. Successful investments need good business environment. Kazakh government is working hard on this. We appreciate such effort and we are ready to cooperate. Most of Italian companies, indeed, are SMEs. They are very flexible, adaptable and dynamic companies, but they need solid, forward-looking business environment to make investment decisions. On our side, the two governmental agencies, SIMEST and SACE, are ready to support the internationalization of such companies. We recently hosted a business visit of SACE, organized to discuss with prominent Kazakhs counterparts on relevant investment guarantees and conditions. On the other side, we need the Kazakh business environment keeps improving to be increasingly more competitive.
Is there a plan to bring Italian companies connected to food processing into Kazakhstan, probably build factories and cooperate with the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan?
There is no specific plan because companies do not need one. They know by themselves what they want, what they can do and what they need to get it. Italy, and its institutions, can advise them and help them know better the local market; the facilities offered by Kazakhstan and how to land the country softly and effectively. In other words, there is a tendency to evaluate opportunities. We also focus on risks, helping the companies reduce the investment risk. In a volatile world, we believe that reducing risk a key for success.
Starting next year, the tax code will change in Kazakhstan, which will also affect foreign businesses. What changes will be made to the work of Italian investors and business representatives in Kazakhstan, taking into account these amendments to the tax code?
Good taxation surely improves the business environment, and we happy that Kazakh government is working on such critical point. Yet, let me just say that taxation is not the only lever to attract investments. Economic stability, solid industrial strategy and regulatory clearness also play a key-role. For example, a country can have the best tax code in the world, but foreign inward capitals will remain limited if investors are scared.
Recently, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev published an article talking about middle powers. In your opinion, in the current realities, are the middle powers really capable of changing the diplomatic and geopolitical agenda?
Yes, I do. As never before, we are facing existential threats and global challenges. In such scenario, cooperation matters more than confrontation. The so-called “middle powers” can contribute to reshape a new concept of multilateralism, based on cooperation and mutual respect, which should be the essence of the modern international relations. If we are convinced, as we are, that the future of the world does not depend on the prevalence on other countries but on the cooperation among the largest number of countries, we must act accordingly. What I perceive is that a group of countries, including Kazakhstan, is becoming more and more influential in reshaping both geopolitics and geo-economics. This entails more power, of course, but also more responsibility.
Recently, Leonardo da Vinci's painting, La Bella Principessa, was brought to Astana and is now displayed in the National Museum until August 6. Are there any certain factors that contributed to Kazakhstan being chosen for this?
We strongly wanted such unique, extraordinary exhibition to mark an extraordinary year of bilateral relations. The initiative was possible thanks to the cooperation between the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute, the Kazakh government, and particularly the Ministry of Culture and Information, Forte Bank, Mastercard and Scripta Maneant. Each of these partners proved fundamental to turn this project into reality. We are proud and honored that President Tokayev decided to visit the exhibition the day before the inauguration. We are happy that the exhibition had an amazing success, with more than 12.000 visitors during the first three weeks. We will take advantage of such visibility to organize a series of promotional events connected to the exhibition, and dedicated to tourism, fashion, restoration, cuisine and other. As we believe that culture is a powerful business accelerator, we opened a new Italian Cultural Institute in Almaty, to multiply initiatives. One of them in preparation is a big Puccini’s concert, to celebrate the 100 anniversary of maestro’s death. It will be held in Astana on December 5th. Do not miss it!
What can you say about our cooperation in the educational field?
Numbers speak louder than words. We have 97 interuniversity agreements in force and last year we issued more than 2,000 student visas to Kazakh young people who decided to go to Italy to study. We are negotiating additional agreements, with the clear purpose not to enlarge their number, but to increase the research component of our scientific cooperation, which is key to promote a real knowledge exchange. One of these new projects is in the agriculture sector. It is well advanced and I hope it can be announced very soon, here in Kazakhstan.
