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5/2/23, 5:08 PM

READOUT: Senior Treasury and Commerce Department Officials Travel to Kazakhstan | U.S. Department of the Treasury

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
READOUT: Senior Treasury and Commerce Department Officials
Travel to Kazakhstan
April 27, 2023

ALMATY — From April 23 - 26, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes at
the U.S. Department of the Treasury Elizabeth Rosenberg and Assistant Secretary for Export
Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce Matthew Axelrod joined an interagency,
multilateral visit to Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan to continue close partnership on many
issues, including countering the evasion of sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia for
its war against Ukraine.
The delegations in Kazakhstan included Assistant Secretary Rosenberg, Assistant Secretary
Axelrod, the European Union’s International Special Envoy for the Implementation of
EU Sanctions David O’Sullivan, and the United Kingdom’s Director of the Sanctions Directorate
David Reed, and were assembled to provide clarity across sanctions and export control
regimes and offer technical assistance.
In the face of increased efforts by Russia to illicitly procure supplies and inputs for its militaryindustrial complex, the delegations discussed the flows of dual-use goods of top concern and
urged vigilance against an uptick in evasion attempts. They shared that in Central Asia and
around the world, Russia has sought to use cut-outs, facilitate opaque payments, and exploit
third countries — especially those with high levels of integration with its own economy—
to circumvent sanctions and export controls.
The delegations met with government officials and the private sector to share information,
outline strategic priorities, and offer assistance to help facilitate compliance while minimizing
economic impacts on Kazakhstan. Assistant Secretary Axelrod shared the importance to Russia
of acquiring specific semiconductors and other electronic integrated circuits to power its
missiles and drones, and stressed the urgency of preventing Russia from evading coalition
export restrictions by transshipping such items through Kazakhstan. Assistant Secretary
Rosenberg outlined sanctions evasion typologies in the financial sector. Both noted that the
United States enjoys strong partnership and open communication with the Government of
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5/2/23, 5:08 PM

READOUT: Senior Treasury and Commerce Department Officials Travel to Kazakhstan | U.S. Department of the Treasury

Kazakhstan, and expressed the desire to be good partners to government and industry in their
efforts to ensure they are not used to support the Russian war effort.
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