Jerusalem, 3 November. Kazakhstan and Israel signed a Convention on the Avoidance of Double Taxation, the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development reported after the 10th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Israel intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation.
The commission was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev. The ministry called the convention the main result of the meeting and a document that business in both countries had long awaited. Seven more commercial documents were signed at the business forum. The statement does not say when the convention will enter into force.
During the trip Madiyev met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and passed on greetings from Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The sides discussed the implementation of earlier agreements, cooperation in artificial intelligence, water technology, critical minerals and tourism, and the development of direct air links; they also agreed on plans to introduce visa-free travel, details of which were not disclosed. As the statement notes, Israeli technology for monitoring water systems, cutting water losses and modernising infrastructure is relevant for Kazakhstan. The agenda also included health care, energy, industry, cybersecurity, space and education.
“It is important for us that cooperation is not limited to exchanging experience and signing documents. Its result should be concrete projects, new competences, investment and technology that work in Kazakhstan,” Madiyev said. The next step named is putting cooperation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, peaceful use of space, science, the social sphere and investment protection into formal documents.
What it means: Only the tax convention has been signed; the rest is still at the “next steps” stage: cooperation in AI, cybersecurity, space, science and investment protection has yet to be put into documents, and visa-free travel and direct flights remain plans.
Who benefits: Businesses in both countries that pay tax in both jurisdictions: the convention is meant to relieve them of paying twice, but only once it enters into force. The ministry did not disclose its terms or rates.
Background: On 2 November a Kazakhstan–Israel business forum, “New Economy. New Opportunities”, was held in Tel Aviv: more than 100 Israeli companies, state bodies and industry organisations took part, and Madiyev said Kazakhstan’s goal is to export artificial intelligence services.
