Beyond the Middle East: Why is Kazakhstan considering joining the Abraham Accords?

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

Washington and Tel Aviv’s push to bring Kazakhstan—the largest country in Central Asia—into the Abraham Accords has raised questions, as it becomes the first non-Arab nation to join the normalization framework. 

Despite maintaining stable relations with Israel since the 1990s, Kazakhstan’s participation carries significant geopolitical and economic implications.

Kazakhstan’s inclusion signals a shift of the accords from a regional Middle Eastern framework to a broader global platform. 

So, why is Kazakhstan considering joining the Abraham Accords?

The move is driven largely by economic interests, consistent with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy of blending politics and economics.

As the world’s largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan has no access to open seas and depends on cooperation with neighboring states to export its key resource—oil. 

The country is a strategic partner for Moscow within the Eurasian Economic Union and maintains strong trade ties with China, yet seeks to expand its engagement with the West to avoid overdependence on any single power.

The recent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, brokered by Trump, adds further dimension to this geopolitical calculus. The deal, combined with the growing “Middle Corridor” trade route linking Central Asia to the Mediterranean through the Caucasus, could open new opportunities for the U.S. and Israel to tap into Central Asia’s vast reserves of minerals and energy.

However, one potential obstacle remains: Turkey. 

With considerable influence in Central Asia and a complex relationship with Israel, Ankara could slow or block the project unless it is diplomatically engaged in future arrangements.

For Kazakhstan, joining the accords offers access to new markets and advanced cooperation with the U.S. and Israel in renewable energy, agriculture, and water desalination—key sectors for diversifying its economy.

The inclusion of Kazakhstan marks a significant step in transforming the Abraham Accords from an Arab-Israeli framework into a broader model of cooperation among Muslim-majority nations. It could pave the way for future partnerships in Southeast Asia and the Horn of Africa. 

Still, Washington and Tel Aviv’s ultimate focus remains on securing Saudi Arabia’s participation—an outcome that hinges on meeting the kingdom’s conditions before any formal agreement can proceed.