Inter-parliamentary diplomacy btw Kazakhstan and Belgium discussed
A group of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Belgian legislature, consisting of the Chairpersons of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Constitutional Development, are visiting Astana to promote ties and exchange experience with Kazakhstan’s colleagues within the framework of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Belgian delegation at the meeting at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry was headed by Chairperson of the Friendship Group with Central Asian Countries in the Belgian Parliament Tim Vandenput.
Deputy Minister Vassilenko informed about the state and prospects of development of bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Belgium, as well as priority areas of interaction with key institutions and member-states of the European Union.
The sides noted positive dynamics of the Kazakh-Belgian partnership, facilitated by the talks of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with King Philippe and Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander de Croo in Brussels in 2021.
«Belgium is one of Kazakhstan's important partners in the European Union, and we are determined to further strengthen constructive dialogue and interaction at the bilateral level and within the framework of various multilateral platforms,» stressed the Deputy Foreign Minister.
During the meeting, the sides noted their mutual interest to increase trade and investment cooperation, promote engagement in the field of energy and ecology, transportation, education, science and other relevant areas of Kazakh-Belgian partnership.
In addition, the sides exchanged views on pressing issues of the international agenda, highlighting the importance of promoting inter-parliamentary diplomacy. According to Vassilenko, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry continuously supports and actively promotes regular inter-parliamentary contacts between the countries, including within the framework of the OSCE and the Council of Europe parliamentary assemblies, as well as the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The members of the Parliament of Belgium, noting the impressive scale and content of the reforms carried out in Kazakhstan, thanked for the opportunity to learn more about the current approaches of Kazakhstan to domestic and foreign policy, and expressed the readiness to continue promoting further expansion of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Belgium.