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Cyprus And Kazakhstan Seek Closer Trade And Investment Cooperation

Cyprus has identified Kazakhstan as an important partner in Central Asia, President Nikos Christodoulides said during the inaugural Cyprus-Kazakhstan Business Forum in Astana. The forum focused on economic cooperation, investment and connectivity between the two countries.

Strategic Connectivity And Economic Partnership

President Christodoulides said Kazakhstan is playing an increasingly important role in connecting Europe and Asia through expanding trade and transport corridors. According to the President, stronger commercial and investment links across Eurasia could create new opportunities for businesses and investors in both countries.

Robust Economic Performance And Fiscal Stability

Highlighting Cyprus’ economic performance, President Christodoulides noted that the country recorded 3% growth in the first quarter of 2026. Forecasts by the European Commission indicate that Cyprus is expected to remain among the fastest-growing economies in the European Union, while unemployment remains at historically low levels. The President also referred to budget surpluses and declining public debt, which is projected to reach approximately 52.2% of GDP by 2025. Recent assessments by international rating agencies have reaffirmed Cyprus’ credit ratings.

A Hub For Investment And Innovation

Cyprus maintains a corporate tax rate of 15%, one of the lowest in the European Union. An extensive network of double taxation agreements covering more than 65 countries, including Kazakhstan and India, further supports the country’s position as a destination for international investment. President Christodoulides said these factors contribute to a predictable and reliable business environment for investors.

Enhancing Logistics, Digital Transformation And Trade

As transport networks and supply chains continue to evolve, Cyprus is seeking to strengthen its role as a logistics and connectivity hub linking Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. The recent launch of direct Air Astana flights between Kazakhstan and Cyprus was highlighted as an example of growing connectivity between the two countries, supporting business travel, tourism and investment flows.

Expanding Bilateral Opportunities

The forum also highlighted sectors with potential for cooperation, including shipping and maritime services, transport and logistics, fintech, artificial intelligence and innovation, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture and food security. President Christodoulides said Cyprus can serve as an entry point to the European market for companies from Kazakhstan looking to expand their activities within the region.

Looking Ahead: A Partnership For Sustainable Growth

In their closing remarks, President Nikos Christodoulides and Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the importance of turning business and investment opportunities into concrete projects. Bektenov described Cyprus as a reliable partner in the Mediterranean and highlighted Kazakhstan’s ongoing reforms under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev aimed at supporting economic development, innovation and investment. He also referred to recent increases in GDP and foreign direct investment, which have strengthened Kazakhstan’s position as a regional centre for trade and investment.

The forum concluded with discussions on expanding cooperation between the two countries and strengthening economic ties across a range of sectors.

Mirendil Signs $100 Million Google Cloud Deal To Advance Self-Improving AI

AI startup Mirendil has signed a multi-year agreement worth more than $100 million with Google Cloud to secure computing infrastructure for its self-improving AI research.

The partnership reflects growing competition among AI companies to lock in access to high-performance computing, while cloud providers race to attract promising startups developing next-generation AI models.

Backing The Next Stage Of AI Research

Mirendil plans to use Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), Nvidia GPUs and managed training infrastructure to develop AI systems capable of improving their own performance over time.

Known as recursive self-improvement, the concept focuses on building AI that can refine its knowledge and capabilities with minimal human intervention. The technology is attracting growing interest across the industry, with several startups and leading AI labs exploring similar approaches.

According to co-founder and Chief Executive Behnam Neyshabur, the long-term goal is to develop AI that can automate scientific research and accelerate discoveries in fields such as medicine, biology and materials science.

Compute Capacity Becomes A Strategic Asset

Training increasingly advanced AI models requires enormous computing resources, making long-term infrastructure agreements a critical competitive advantage.

Mirendil said Google’s combination of TPUs and GPUs allows workloads to be matched with the most suitable hardware, improving efficiency while reducing costs for customers.

For Google Cloud, the agreement strengthens its position in the race to provide infrastructure for frontier AI developers, while giving the company exposure to one of the industry’s emerging approaches to next-generation artificial intelligence.

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