Kazakh FM meets with British businessmen and politicians
The head of the Ministry elaborated on the implementation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's international initiatives, such as the achievement of a nuclear-weapon- free world and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. He noted that as a member of the UNSC, Kazakhstan also attaches particular importance to issues of security in Central Asia, peace and stability in Africa, countering international terrorism and extremism, resolving the Syrian crisis, settling the situation in Afghanistan, as well as the UN reform. Meeting participants showed interest in the EXPO 2017 legacy and the implementation of such projects as the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and the international centre for the development of green technologies among other things.
While in London, Abdrakhmanov also met with the Members of Parliament and the members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Kazakhstan headed by its Chairman Bob Stewart. The Minister briefed the British Parliamentarians on the main provisions of President Nazarbayev's article "Course towards the future: modernisation of Kazakhstan's identity", the implementation of the 100 Concrete Steps National Plan, the privatisation programme, as well as the project on creating and developing the AIFC. Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Kazakhstan noted the high dynamics of the Kazakh-British relations' development and expressed their readiness to support the implementation of joint projects.
The development of trade, economic and investment cooperation was an important priority of the Kazakh Foreign Minister's visit to London. He discussed current and prospective joint projects with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti. According to the head of the EBRD, Kazakhstan is the Bank's model partner. In recent years, the number of joint projects with the state and private sector has significantly risen, Kazakhstan's role in the region and the world has increased. The EBRD intends to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan in implementing public-private partnership projects, the One Belt One Road initiative, as well as to promote the country marketing on foreign markets.
Business cooperation was the main topic for discussion at the foreign minister's meeting with influential business executives who are also the members of the British-Kazakh Society. Investments in the Kazakh economy and the launch of new companies were discussed during separate meetings with the leadership of Independent Power Corporation and United Green companies, which show interest in investing in non-oil projects of Kazakhstan.
Abdrakhmanov also met with the society of Kazakh students studying in the UK under the Bolashak programme. The foreign minister noted that young Kazakh citizens who received foreign education are an important asset for the country that is facing the strategic tasks of comprehensive modernisation and joining the top 30 developed countries of the world and wished the students success in their academic achievements.