Kazakhstan, Jamaica focus on bilateral cooperation during Diplomatic Week

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - On February 6-9, 2017, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Canada with concurrent accreditation to Jamaica Konstantin Zhigalov paid a working visit to Kingston, where he participated in the annual Diplomatic Week organized by the Government of Jamaica, Kazinform has learnt from the Kazakh MFA's press service.

As part of the Diplomatic Week, Ambassador Zhigalov held bilateral talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and President of Jamaica's investment promotion agency (JAMPRO) Diane Edwards.

The sides focused on the current state and prospects for the development of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Jamaica, including in the areas of trade, investment and tourism.

Ambassador Zhigalov informed the Jamaican side on the ongoing democratic transformation in Kazakhstan, including major provisions of the constitutional reform aimed at redistribution of powers between the branches of government, the key tasks of President's annual state-of-the-nation address "Third Modernization of Kazakhstan: global competitiveness", "100 concrete steps" Plan of the Nation, as well as global initiatives of Kazakhstan in the field of non-proliferation, disarmament and dialogue of civilizations.

The parties also discussed the prospects of Jamaica's participation in the EXPO-2017 International specialized exhibition in Astana, along with bilateral cooperation in the UN Security Council with due regard to Kazakhstan's non-permanent membership in the UN SC in 2017-2018.

Representatives of the Jamaican Government expressed their interest in participating in EXPO-2017, noting that Jamaica attaches great importance to the issues of environmental protection and the development of renewable energy sources.

The sides noted successful cooperation in a multilateral format, in particular, within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), where Jamaica plays a leading role and Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian country accredited with the CARICOM Secretariat since 2015.