Astana and Jakarta Strengthen Political Dialogue

Maintaining a high level of political dialogue, intensifying trade and investment cooperation, and interaction on international platforms became the main points of negotiations between the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Romania Yerlik Ali and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Luminiţa Odobescu, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

Expressing their readiness to further enhance the mutually beneficial and multifaceted partnership between Astana and Bucharest, diplomats engaged in constructive dialogue on the status and prospects for further developing various aspects of the bilateral agenda.

In particular, the schedule of upcoming events was reviewed, as well as the progress of the implementation of agreements reached following negotiations with the participation of Heads of State on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2023 and the first official visit of the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu to Bucharest in December 2023.

Foreign Minister Luminiţa Odobescu expressed her appreciation for the development of Kazakh-Romanian relations. She noted that Kazakhstan is a valuable partner with whom political dialogue is actively developing, and that it is important to expand trade and economic ties across the entire spectrum of relationships.

A further topic of the negotiations was the potential for future collaboration between the two countries in the implementation of the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the EU, which covers 29 areas of interaction. In particular, the Romanian diplomat expressed support for Kazakhstan in the European Union, with a particular focus on the issue of liberalising the visa regime with the EU.

Furthermore, the discussions touched upon the potential for future trade and economic collaboration, including the implementation of the agreements reached at the 17th meeting of the IGC on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, as well as the outcomes of the working visits of the ministers of transport and energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Romania.

It should be noted that Romania is among the TOP 5 trading partners of Kazakhstan in the EU with a trade turnover of 2.9 billion US dollars at the end of 2023. At the same time, KazMunayGas International is successfully operating in the country, which has invested about 4.2 billion USD in the Romanian economy since 2007.

At the conclusion of the meeting, a wide exchange of views took place on current issues on the global and regional agenda.

 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Bakayev took part in the Third Session of the "Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with Central Asian Countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan", organized by the League of Arab States (LAS) at the ministerial level, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

In his speech, Deputy Minister Bakayev emphasised the Forum's critical role in the growth of interregional cooperation, noted the close historical ties that bind Central Asian nations, Azerbaijan and all of the Arab countries, together, as well as their shared spiritual and cultural values. He focussed specifically on the key pillars of contemporary bilateral cooperation.

In the areas of business, trade, investment, culture, and science, Kazakhstan's cooperative projects and initiatives with Arab nations were highlighted, as well as high interest in further deepening and expanding this cooperation was confirmed.

The head of Kazakhstan delegation put forward a number of specific proposals aimed at developing cooperation in economy, investment, finance, innovation, renewable energy, development of tourism and infrastructure, utilizing transit and transport potential, addressing environmental, water and food security challenges. Partners were invited to benefit from the Astana International Financial Center's distinctive services, which are unmatched in the Central Asian region.

Within the framework of world organizations, the countries of the two regions actively support each other and adhere to the same or similar political positions and views on the most pressing issues on the international agenda. Regarding the deteriorating situation in the Middle East that is raising serious concerns for the international community, Deputy Minister Bakayev reiterated Kazakhstan's resolute stance. In particular, the call for an end to the ongoing violence and mass destructions, promotion of international peace negotiations processes and initiatives, as well as strong support for resolving the conflict by the formula "Two Countries for Two Peoples" were clearly expressed.

In order to provide support to the Palestinian people, Kazakhstan last year made a significant financial contribution to the activities of relevant international organizations, as well as provided material humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.

At the forum, Deputy Minister Bakayev held bilateral meetings with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Soltan Al-Muraikhi, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, as well as the heads of delegations of Tunisia and Algeria.

Following the Forum, the Doha Declaration was adopted.

 

The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov met with Utsav Kumar, the newly appointed Country Director of the Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Kazakhstan. The discussion focused on ADB’s future activities in the country and the key priorities outlined in the Bank's Country Partnership Strategy for Kazakhstan for 2023-2027. This strategy includes mitigating climate change, supporting decarbonization, promoting inclusive economic growth, strengthening governance, and capacity development, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

Kairat Umarov highlighted the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation with the ADB, a partnership that has resulted in investments totaling 6.8 billion USD in loans, grants, and technical assistance in Kazakhstan. He also shared the government’s current efforts to promote socio-economic development and address the consequences of flooding, underscoring the country's commitment to its development goals and strategies.

The ADB representative emphasized the importance of the ongoing reforms initiated by the President of Kazakhstan, which have been instrumental in accelerating the country’s development and improving the welfare of the people. He affirmed that ADB will continue to support Kazakhstan in cross-cutting areas such as private sector development, promoting gender equality, and strengthening and diversifying regional cooperation and integration as part of the country strategy.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from both sides to continue effective cooperation across various domains.

Utsav Kumar was born on 22 April 1977, and is a citizen of the Republic of India. He holds both PhD and Master's degrees in Economics. He joined the Asian Development Bank in 2009. Prior to his appointment in Kazakhstan, Kumar served as Deputy Country Director of ADB’s Resident Mission in Sri Lanka.

 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Bakayev during his working trip to Türkiye within the framework of the 13th meeting of the Kazakh- Turkish Intergovernmental Economic Commission met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Burak Akcapar, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

The sides discussed topical issues and plans for the current year, exchanged views on expanding multilateral cooperation.

Turkish diplomat appreciated the bilateral strategic partnership and noted the important role of friendly relations in boosting multilateral cooperation.

Alibek Bakayev informed about the dynamic development of political, economic, social, cultural cooperation between two countries, as well as the priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the Organization of Turkic States.

At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed confidence in the effectiveness of the Intergovernmental Economic Commission and agreed to further develop high-level bilateral relations, having compared their notes on the agendas such as 8th Joint Strategic Planning Group Meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers and the 5th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council at the Presidential level which are scheduled for the forthcoming period.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary Zhanibek Abdrashov took part in the 2nd meeting of the Transport Coordination Committee of the Organization of Turkic States, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

Ambassador Zhanibek Abdrashov in his welcome speech noted the relevance and importance of this event taking into consideration the global changes in the field of transportation and logistics.

Furthermore, the Kazakh diplomat expressed confidence that the Organization of Turkic States is currently providing close and coordinated interaction among member states in order to increase unification of efforts and address all relevant transportation issues.

The Ambassador also mentioned that the geographical position of Kazakhstan in the center of the Eurasian continent creates favorable opportunities for using the transport network of Kazakhstan in the formation of transcontinental routes in East-West and North-South directions.

Zhanibek Abdrashov informed in detail the representatives of the OTS member countries about the implementation of the items of the Joint Action Plan ("Road Map") on the Implementation of the Transport Connectivity Program of the Organization of Turkic States for 2023-2027 adopted on 3 November 2023 in Astana.

Zhanibek Abdrashov concluded his speech by emphasizing the significance of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to establish the Digital Transportation System, which he expressed at the Samarkand summit.

In this regard, the Kazakh diplomat informed the meeting participants on Kazakhstan's vision for integrating multimodal platforms to effectively create a Unified Digital Transport System.

 

Historical Conservatoire de Musique de Genève hosted a concert of renowned Kazakh composer and pianist Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

Presented as a highlight of the "Turkic Week in Geneva" organized under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the centre of international diplomacy, the concert attracted an audience comprising heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations, representatives of NGOs, academia, the Geneva community, and the Kazakh diaspora.

Opening the concert, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan Yerlan Alimbayev thanked Rakhat-Bi for his contributions to the world of music, highlighting the importance of cultural diplomacy and the role of music in fostering international cooperation and understanding.

Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin’s performance was a fusion of classical masterpieces by J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, F. Chopin, F. Liszt, and A. Scriabin, alongside his own original compositions. His introductions to each piece enriched the concert experience, providing a deeper understanding and appreciation of the music and creating a connection between the artist and the audience.

The concert by Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin displayed the artistic brilliance of Kazakhstan, highlighting the country’s commitment to promoting cultural diplomacy, enhancing international cooperation, and sharing the universal language of music with audiences worldwide.

Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin’s composed his first piece at the age of 9, and his portfolio includes over 150 compositions, including three operas. His diverse work reflects his passion, creativity, and dedication to the art of music. His most recent opera, "The Bruce" received critical acclaim and premiered in four cities of the United Kingdom earlier this year.

 

The potential for developing inter-parliamentary partnership was the main topic of the talks between Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerlik Ali and the Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Senate of the Romanian Parliament, Titus Corlățean, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

During the discussions, the participants explored a range of potential areas for collaboration, both bilaterally and multilaterally. They expressed a mutual interest in deepening the existing ties between Astana and Bucharest.

The sides devoted particular attention to the discussion of political and socio-economic reforms, the implementation of which is being carried out on the initiative of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In particular, the Romanian side was informed about the reforms aimed at strengthening the protection of human rights and freedoms, statehood, as well as improving the well-being of the people.

Along with this, the multilateral agenda of the negotiations included an exchange of views on a wide range of current issues on the international and regional agenda, as well as cooperation in the Kazakhstan-EU and Central Asia-EU format. At the same time, proposals for the participation of the Kazakh delegation in the 31st annual session of the OSCE PA, which will be held from June 29 to July 3, 2024 in Bucharest, were also considered.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the interlocutors agreed to regularly "synchronize watches" in order to find new niches in the investment, energy, transport, logistics and tourism sectors.

 

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu held a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Sun Weidong, who arrived in Astana to participate in the Kazakh-Chinese inter-ministerial consultations, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

During the meeting, the sides discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation in various spheres, including trade and economic cooperation, cultural and humanitarian ties, as well as regional and international security issues. Special emphasis was placed on the upcoming events at the highest and high levels.

Minister Nurtleu expressed confidence in further deepening of strategic partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China on the basis of mutual respect, understanding and beneficial cooperation.

In turn, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China emphasized the importance of development and strengthening of friendly relations between China and Kazakhstan and expressed readiness to continue work to expand cooperation in all areas.