US Ambassador Nominee Wants to Ensure US Firms Can Invest in Kazakhstan
Julie Stufft, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan, said July 29 that she would seek to ensure U.S. companies have an “even playing field” in Kazakhstan so they can invest in the Central Asian country.
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Stufft, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Kazakhstan’s extensive deposits of critical minerals provide a “very big opportunity” for American companies. But those firms will face significant competition from China and Russia, which border and have close ties to the former Soviet republic.
“One of my major goals as ambassador, if confirmed, would be to make sure that U.S. investment in critical minerals can occur and replace, hopefully, Chinese investment, which is increasing in the region,” she said.
Stufft said she also wants to help Kazakhstan reduce its reliance on Russia for exporting its products. “Right now, most goods coming out of Kazakhstan transit Russia by necessity, and we'd very much like to help them find an alternate route for that.”