Kazakhstan to join development of EU's regional programmes for Central Asia

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM The efficient participation of Kazakhstan in the implementation of the European development programmes under the EU’s new Strategy for Central Asia could be one of important tools of ensuring sustainable development of the country and the region. This is the keynote of the talks held between Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tleuberdi and EU’s Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian, who had arrived in Kazakhstan for the 5th Jubilee Summit of the Astana Club.

The sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues, such as the relevant issues of the international and regional agendas including the strengthening the partnership relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union in ecology, digitalization, humanitarian exchanges and sustainable interconnectivity, the press service of the Kazakh MFA informs.

The Kazakh FM noted that the year 2019 had turned out to be an important year in the history of the bilateral relations in light of adoption of the Central Asia Strategy and termination of the procedure of ratification of the Kazakhstan-EU Extended Partnership Agreement signed December 21, 2015 in Nur-Sultan.

«We lay great hopes on these strategic documents which signal the beginning of a brand new stage in the Kazakh-European relations. I am confident that their successful implementation, will, first of all, lead to the enhancement of mutually beneficial trade-economic and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union,» he stated.

The European Diplomat highlighted that the EU viewed Kazakhstan as an important partner in the context of implementation of the Central Asia Strategy.

Peter Burian highly praised Kazakhstan’s contribution to the strengthening of the political and trade-economic cooperation, international security in Central Asia and Afghanistan. He also informed about the launch of new programmes for the region with a total budget of 55mn euros. These programmes are aimed at the support of investments, competitiveness and trade in Central Asia.

At the end of the meeting the sides agreed on maintaining regular working contacts.

In January-September 2019, foreign commodity turnover between Kazakhstan and the EU countries reached $23.8bn ($18.8bn of export and $5bn of export). In 2018, trade turnover was $37.7bn ($31bn of export, $6.7bn of import). In the first half of 2019, Kazakhstan attracted as much as $5.4bn of direct investments. The gross inflow of FDI from the EU in 2018 was $11.6bn that is 18.4% higher against 2017 indicator ($9.8bn).