State and prospects for expanding trade and economic co-op with UK discussed in Nur-Sultan

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov met with UK Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Kazakhstan Baroness Emma Nicholson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh MFA's press office informs.

The meeting discussed the new format of work with Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry with regards to its new functions of attracting foreign investment to the country's economy. The sides reviewed the protection of the rights of foreign investors, as well as preparations for the Second Kazakh-British Investment Forum which is scheduled for October this year in London.

Another topic of the meeting held at the Foreign Ministry was the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom within China's Belt and Road Initiative. Such interaction reveals additional opportunities for all parties to enter new markets and attract capital and innovative technologies. The British side was informed about the work of the Lianyungang seaport, the Khorgos dry port, and Kazakhstan and China's joint industrial projects.

The British delegation showed great interest in such promising areas of bilateral relations as education, healthcare, digital technologies, agriculture, logistics and transport transit, among others.

The sides reached a common understanding on the wide range of issues under discussion and confirmed their firm intention to further strengthen the strategic partnership across the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.

The UK is among the five largest investors in Kazakhstan. Gross direct investment from the United Kingdom from 2005 to 2018 amounted to about $13.3 billion. Currently, more than 860 legal entities, branches and representative offices with British participation are registered in Kazakhstan, of which more than 500 companies are active.

Baroness Nicholson embarked on her visit to Kazakhstan on 28 April. She took part in an oil and gas forum in Atyrau, met with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin, Minister of Healthcare of Kazakhstan Elzhan Birtanov, Chairman of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Welfare Fund Akhmetzhan Yessimov, as well as with representatives of Kazakh-British businesses.