ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 16. During his official visit to Washington, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin held a series of high-level meetings with members of the U.S. Congress, where lawmakers confirmed their readiness to support the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment as it applies to Kazakhstan, Trend reports.
The amendment, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1974 during the Cold War, imposes trade restrictions on countries that limit their citizens’ rights to emigrate. Named after Senator Henry Jackson and Congressman Charles Vanik, it originally targeted the Soviet Union’s restrictive emigration policies, particularly affecting Jewish citizens. While several post-Soviet states had the amendment lifted between 2000 and 2012, most Central Asian countries, except Kyrgyzstan, remain under its provisions.
In addition to the Jackson-Vanik discussion, Zhumangarin and U.S. lawmakers explored opportunities to expand trade, investment, and technological cooperation, including in energy, artificial intelligence, and digitalization. The deputy PM highlighted Kazakhstan’s stability and predictability as a platform for American businesses, emphasizing the country’s commitment to attracting foreign investment.
During the visit, Zhumangarin met with key Congress members, including Jimmy Panetta, co-chair of the Kazakhstan-U.S. Caucus, and Carol Devine Miller, as well as Thomas Suozzi of the Budget and Tax Committee, reinforcing Washington’s support for Kazakhstan in lifting the Jackson-Vanik restrictions.
Zhumangarin noted that the visit continues the dialogue initiated by Kazakhstan’s president during engagements with US business leaders in New York in September, aiming to give new momentum to bilateral economic cooperation.