On May 27, 2025, the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS) held a meeting with Driss Benomar, President of Atlantis, the Moroccan Center for Geostrategic Studies and Research. Founded in 2015, the center organizes the African Security Forum, under the auspices of which the Casablanca Club, an association of the continent’s leading think tanks was established.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the potential for bilateral economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and African countries. Mr. Benomar highlighted the strong interest of African states in Kazakhstan’s experience in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, infrastructure development, and digitalization.
In response, Yerkin Tukumov, Director of KazISS, emphasized that Kazakhstan is open to deepening cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.
The participants also explored prospects for strengthening expert and analytical collaboration between KazISS and the “Atlantis” center. Both sides agreed that such a partnership could contribute to enhanced dialogue and the development of new formats of cooperation not only between Kazakhstan and Morocco, but also more broadly between Central Asia and Africa.
It is worth noting that Morocco effectively leverages its strategic geographic location, political stability, and favorable business environment, positioning itself as a bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With one of the most advanced banking systems in Africa, Morocco promotes itself as an economic hub and continues to attract substantial foreign investment.
Driss Benomar arrived in Astana to take part in the Astana International Forum, which will be held on May 29–30, 2025. He is scheduled to speak at the panel session titled “Kazakhstan and Africa: Unlocking New Frontiers of Cooperation.”
