Images | gov.kz
As part of efforts to promote economic diplomacy and develop decentralized cooperation Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Portugal, Jean Galiev, made a working trip to the city of Guimarães, one of the key industrial and innovation centers in the northern region of Portugal, where enterprises accounting for about 70% of the country's gross domestic product are concentrated, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
reports.
At a meeting with the President of the Guimarães Municipal Chamber, Ricardo Araújo, the most promising areas of cooperation in the industrial, scientific, technological, tourism, and educational spheres were discussed, which could form the basis for a long-term mutually beneficial partnership between the regions of the two countries.
A more detailed discussion was continued during two round tables organized with the assistance of the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the northern regions of Portugal, Gil Vieira, and the Guimarães City Council, dedicated to the priority areas of our country's economic development.
The Ambassador informed his Portuguese partners about the current state of Kazakhstan's economy and the large-scale political and socio-economic reforms being implemented on the initiative and under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The discussions also focused on new opportunities opening up for foreign investors, advantageous transport and logistics routes connecting Europe and Asia, breakthroughs in digital technologies, and the consistent introduction of artificial intelligence in various fields of activity.
Special attention was paid to the development of tourism and tourist infrastructure, taking into account Portugal's best practices.
The rich resource base necessary for the localization of production in Kazakhstan, particularly in the agricultural sector, as well as the high export and import potential in the context of competition for niches in dynamically developing markets, aroused keen interest among the interlocutors.
An important part of the visit was a tour of factories and plants that are flagships of Portuguese and European industry: Lamerinho (high-quality textile products), Amtrol-Alfa (steel, polymer, and composite cylinders for industrial gases), ICC Lavoro (technologies for manufacturing footwear with increased protection against mechanical and thermal effects for workers in high-risk professions - oil and gas, mining and metallurgical industries, fire and rescue services, environmental protection, military and police services). The heads of these companies expressed their willingness to visit Kazakhstan in the near future to begin negotiations on joint activities.
The Ambassador's working visit concluded with a meeting at one of Portugal's key higher education institutions, Universidade do Minho, and its research laboratories. The University's Vice-Rector Raul Fangeiro, responsible for innovation and international cooperation, spoke in favor of expanding academic exchanges, inviting Kazakhstan students and doctoral degree candidates in engineering to study in Portugal.
It should be noted that the historic center of Guimarães is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts tens of thousands of tourists from different countries every year. This city, considered the "cradle of the nation", is focused on the future and pays great attention to ecology and responsible management of natural resources. That is why it has been awarded the status of "Europe Green Capital 2026". In this area, the city authorities are also ready for active cooperation with Kazakhstan.
