Kazakhstan Pushes to Lift Jackson–Vanik Amendment, Calls for Broader Cooperation

The United States has signaled readiness to repeal Cold War–era trade restrictions, while Kazakhstan is calling for expanded cooperation in energy, digitalization, and education, Orda.kz reports.

During a working visit to Washington, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin met with members of the U.S. Congress to discuss the repeal of the Jackson–Vanik Amendment, which still formally restricts trade between the two countries.

Zhumangarin expressed hope that Congress would move quickly to remove the outdated barriers.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that Kazakhstan remains a reliable and predictable partner for investors, open to the expansion of American business. He also held talks with representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he proposed strengthening academic cooperation.

Currently, about 30 foreign universities operate in Kazakhstan — two of them American.

All U.S. lawmakers who met with Zhumangarin confirmed their support for lifting the amendment and for further developing bilateral relations.

Earlier, it was reported that the United States is prepared to remove the Jackson–Vanik Amendment with respect to Kazakhstan. Senator James Risch and Congressman Robert Aderholt publicly backed the initiative, noting the importance of establishing permanent trade relations between the two countries.

Former senator and now U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously described the amendment as “a relic of the past and absurd.” He stressed that applying it to Central Asian countries is no longer justified, adding that Kazakhstan has already demonstrated its commitment to a market economy, successfully passing the WTO audit.

However, the final repeal of the amendment still requires approval by the U.S. Congress.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov