Kazakhstan and the European Union Strengthen Cooperation in Transport Connectivity
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Issetov took part in the Business Conference "Strengthening Kazakhstan-EU Connectivity: Perspectives and Strategic Potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR)".
The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, international financial institutions, transport and logistics companies, and business communities from Kazakhstan and the European Union.
Speaking during the first session dedicated to the strategic importance of the TITR for Kazakhstan-EU relations, Deputy Minister Issetov emphasized that Kazakhstan and the European Union are connected by decades of trust-based dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Acording to the Kazakh diplomat, the TITR has evolved far beyond a traditional transit corridor and is increasingly becoming a major geo-economic project serving the interests of both Central Asia and Europe.
Against the backdrop of evolving global supply chains and growing demand for reliable and diversified transport routes, Kazakhstan consistently advocates for open, resilient and mutually beneficial connectivity between East and West.
Particular attention was paid to the complementarity between the TITR and the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative. It was noted that the modernization of transport infrastructure, the development of digital solutions and the enhancement of logistics processes create additional opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation.
Following the event, a signing ceremony was held for a number of agreements aimed at further developing transport and logistics infrastructure and expanding cooperation with the European Union in this area.
The European Union remains Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner. As Kazakhstan and the European Union approach the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), bilateral relations continue to demonstrate strong positive momentum. In 2025, bilateral trade reached 45.1 billion US dollars, while the cumulative gross inflow of foreign direct investment from EU Member States exceeded 200 billion US dollars.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
relevant news
Kazakhstan Strengthens Its Position in Global Peace Rankings Amid Structural Stability
Kazakhstan has strengthened its standing in the global security landscape, rising to 44th place in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI). The country improved by five positions over the past year, securing a place in the upper tier of the ranking, which covers 163 countries and territories worldwide.
Kazakhstan’s overall score stood at 1.771, reflecting a moderately high level of peacefulness compared with other nations included in the index. Against a backdrop of ongoing geopolitical turbulence and regional risks across Eurasia, the result positions the country as relatively stable on the global stage.
The GPI evaluates countries through a comprehensive framework of 23 indicators rather than a single criterion. These indicators cover societal safety and security, involvement in internal and external conflicts, and the degree of militarisation.
In Kazakhstan’s case, the index presents a mixed but generally stable profile. The country performs strongly in terms of its limited involvement in international conflicts and relatively low level of militarisation, while internal political stability remains a more sensitive area.
One of the key factors behind Kazakhstan’s strong ranking is its minimal involvement in military and international conflicts. The country recorded near-optimal scores across several indicators, including: impact of terrorism - 1/5; involvement in internal conflicts - 1/5; deaths from internal conflicts - 1/5; arms exports - 1/5; and contribution to UN peacekeeping operations - 1/5.
This group of indicators reflects Kazakhstan’s long-standing multi-vector foreign policy and its preference for avoiding direct participation in military blocs and conflicts. Within the global security system, such an approach significantly reduces risk and enhances the country’s predictability.
Another important indicator, militarisation, also characterises Kazakhstan as a state with limited military expansion and controlled defence spending. The country’s scores in this area were: nuclear and heavy weapons capability - 1.168/5; military expenditure as a share of GDP - 1.368/5; arms imports - 1.74/5; and arms exports - 1/5.
Taken together, these figures portray a country that is not seeking to expand its military influence internationally and continues to maintain a relatively restrained defence posture. At a time when military spending is increasing in many parts of the world, such a strategy contributes positively to Kazakhstan’s position in the ranking.
The most nuanced picture emerges in the area of public safety. On the one hand, Kazakhstan records relatively low levels of violent crime; on the other, perceptions of security remain less favourable.
The country’s scores in this category were: violent crime - 1.286/5; homicide rate - 2.12/5; and perceived criminality - 2/5.
Globally, Kazakhstan’s 44th-place ranking puts it ahead of a number of major and economically developed countries, including the United States, France, Türkiye and China. However, a considerable gap remains between Kazakhstan and the highest-ranked nations.
The country’s five-place rise in the 2026 index can be attributed to several factors. First, it has maintained a relatively stable foreign policy based on a multi-vector approach and limited involvement in international conflicts. Second, levels of violent crime have remained under control. Third, there have been no sharp increases in military spending or militarisation.
Together, these factors create what can be described as a form of "incremental stability," in which progress occurs gradually rather than through sudden breakthroughs, producing a steady cumulative effect over time.
Kazakhstan’s performance in the 2026 Global Peace Index reflects a model of moderate, structural stability. Rather than a dramatic leap towards the top of the rankings, it represents a gradual strengthening of the country’s position within the global security system.
At a time when countries are increasingly assessed not only on security but also on their attractiveness as places to live and migrate to, Kazakhstan’s position appears particularly noteworthy. The country is gaining recognition not only for stability and security, but also for its growing appeal as a migration destination.
According to the 2026 Immigration Index compiled by the US-based company Remitly, Kazakhstan ranked 53rd out of 82 countries worldwide, making it the highest-ranked post-Soviet state included in the survey.
Overall, Kazakhstan’s position in the 2026 Global Peace Index reflects not so much rapid advancement as the consolidation of a model of "managed stability." The country continues to maintain low levels of conflict involvement and moderate militarisation. However, domestic indicators related to public safety and political stability remain the main constraints on further progress in the rankings.
As a result, the latest improvement should be viewed as evolutionary rather than transformational, pointing to the gradual strengthening of institutional resilience rather than a breakthrough in the global security system.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
SCO as a Platform for Stability
Tectonic shifts in global politics have brought about profound changes at the international level. In an increasingly multipolar world, the principles of interstate cooperation are being reassessed and transformed, new logistics routes are emerging, more effective models of economic interaction are being developed, and approaches to strategic stability are evolving around the principle of indivisible security.
Against this backdrop, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is gaining strength as one of the key centres of influence on the Eurasian continent.
The SCO has developed a unique framework of multilateral strategic partnership in which decisions are made on the basis of consensus, mutual respect and consideration of national interests. One of the key conditions for successful cooperation across such a vast area is joint efforts to neutralise security challenges and threats.
Political analyst Emil Juraev noted that the SCO’s mechanisms, which continue to evolve, provide a comprehensive platform for building multi-level and wide-ranging cooperation.
The SCO is currently one of the leading organisations in the field of security and cooperation. In today’s geopolitically unstable and turbulent environment, it plays a particularly important role in preserving diplomacy, promoting peaceful methods of dispute resolution and maintaining stability overall," Juraev said.
According to him, all member states play an important role in the organisation’s development, particularly those that stood at its origins, such as China.
The fact that Kyrgyzstan is chairing this important organisation this year gives our country an opportunity to contribute to unlocking the SCO’s potential even further. I would particularly emphasise that the SCO, bringing together a dozen major countries, is capable of addressing many global challenges without positioning itself in opposition to anyone. It is a space for constructive development, with economic potential stretching decades into the future. The member states possess all the resources necessary to maintain a high level of stability within the broader security framework," he said.
Juraev stressed that while the organisation continues to evolve and many processes remain in motion, its overall constructive momentum is already producing tangible results.
Significant work is under way to create new connectivity hubs. For us, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will become a key pillar of the emerging Eurasian transport architecture. It is expected to form an important part of the so-called Middle Corridor, offering substantial transit capacity between major markets in the East and West. In this context, opportunities are expanding both bilaterally and through multilateral cooperation within the SCO," he added.
This year, under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship, the SCO is operating under the theme: "25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity." The organisation currently comprises 10 member states, 14 dialogue partners and two observer countries.
Collectively, they occupy a vast portion of Eurasia. The SCO’s area of cooperation stretches from the Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean and from the Pacific coast to the Middle East, including the Arabian Peninsula. The combined population of SCO countries accounts for approximately half of humanity.
Esen Usubaliev, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations at Kyrgyz National University, said the organisation’s resilience and relevance stem from its commitment to equal dialogue and continuous engagement as tools for addressing common challenges and promoting joint development. He argued that SCO member states are playing an important stabilising role at a time when the old world order is undergoing significant transformation.
Recent international developments have shown that no state, with the exception of nuclear powers, can fully guarantee its own security on its own. Sovereign states can become targets of unprovoked military attacks, as we can see from the example of Iran," Usubaliev said.
In his view, this raises an important question about the principles on which decision-making centres within the SCO will cooperate and what ideological foundation could underpin such interaction.
It is obvious that the national interests of SCO countries differ. At the same time, all members share a common vision of building a more just multipolar world order. Therefore, the only viable foundation for cooperation is preserving a predictable, stable and secure SCO space, where major challenges and threats facing member states can be systematically addressed," he said.
Usubaliev believes the SCO’s distinctive feature lies in its emphasis on equal dialogue, consensus-building and consultation as the primary means of resolving disputes.
The SCO is important for the future multipolar world as a model, and, in my view, a viable one. Through the SCO, Kyrgyzstan is part of this broader process of transforming the global order. It is important to highlight Kyrgyzstan’s priorities related to strengthening regional and continental connectivity, particularly through the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project," he said.
The expert recalled that Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has already described the railway as a project that will transform the country into one of the continent’s key transit hubs.
This will inevitably enhance Kyrgyzstan’s significance within the regional system of international relations, which in turn places a high level of responsibility on all of us to meet the role we aspire to play in Central Asia and across Eurasia," Usubaliev added.
The SCO is investing considerable efforts in building a large-scale network of transport, energy and trade corridors across Eurasia. These initiatives pursue several objectives simultaneously: developing logistics and infrastructure, strengthening economic cooperation through the reduction of trade and investment barriers, and ensuring seamless connectivity between major markets.
Such efforts contribute to deeper financial and cultural ties among dozens of countries. As a result, the potential scope of SCO cooperation is virtually unlimited.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan and Morocco Explore New Horizons for Cooperation in the Field of Mineral Fertilizers
Saulekul Sailaukyzy, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Morocco, held a meeting with Faris Derrij, the CEO of OCP Nutricorps, at the headquarters of OCP Group in Casablanca.
Faris Derrij noted that over the past four to five years Kazakhstan and Morocco have been developing an active political and trade-economic dialogue, seeking to strengthen ties between Central Asia and North Africa. He also highlighted that Kazakhstan is one of OCP Group's key suppliers of sulfur, playing an important role in securing the company's raw material needs.
Ambassador S. Sailaukyzy, for her part, briefed her counterpart on Kazakhstan's economic potential across natural resources, industry, and the agricultural sector.
The Ambassador also informed F. Derrij of an upcoming high-level Kazakh business delegation to the Kingdom in July, during which the inaugural session of the Kazakhstan-Morocco Business Council will convene in Casablanca, bringing together leading Kazakh companies and government bodies.
The parties likewise discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of mineral fertilizers, exchanged views on possible formats of engagement, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to building a long-term partnership.
The meeting also highlighted the strong upward trend in bilateral trade, with two-way turnover exceeding 460 million US dollars in 2025 and setting a record in the history of bilateral relations. Both parties agreed that this result reflects the sustained and growing interest of the business communities of both countries, and solidifies Morocco’s position as Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner on the African continent.
OCP Group is the largest state-owned company in the Kingdom of Morocco and one of the world's leading players in the extraction of phosphate rock, the production of phosphoric acid, and the manufacture of mineral fertilizers. The company controls access to approximately 70% of the world's phosphate rock reserves, holds a dominant position in the global phosphate fertilizer market, and supplies its products to 85 countries worldwide. OCP Group is currently implementing a large-scale investment program aimed at advancing low-carbon production and strengthening its presence in the markets of Asia and Africa. OCP Nutricorps is a subsidiary of OCP Group specializing in the promotion and sale of fertilizers on international markets.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan and Korea Discussed Prospects for Expanding Financial Cooperation
Images | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea Asset Isenali held a meeting with Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) Kiyeon Hwang.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of Kazakhstan-Korea investment and financial-economic cooperation, with particular emphasis on expanding the participation of Korean financial institutions in the implementation of priority projects in Kazakhstan.
Special attention was paid to strengthening cooperation in the areas of green growth and sustainable development, including economic decarbonization, the development of renewable energy sources, the production of green hydrogen and ammonia, as well as the introduction of advanced environmentally friendly technologies.
The interlocutors also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in the field of critical minerals. They reviewed prospects for joint projects involving the extraction and deep processing of rare earth metals, the development of high value-added supply chains, the localization of industrial production, and the advancement of the battery industry.
Particular attention was also given to the potential participation of KEXIM in financing infrastructure, industrial, and innovation projects in Kazakhstan aimed at strengthening transport and logistics connectivity, modernizing industrial capacities, and establishing export-oriented production facilities.
In the context of preparations for the upcoming visit of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the Republic of Korea, the parties reaffirmed their interest in further enhancing investment cooperation and promoting new joint initiatives capable of providing additional momentum to the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue close cooperation in exploring promising investment projects and financing mechanisms involving Korean financial institutions and leading companies of the Republic of Korea.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Vietnam’s Ambassador Presents Copies of Credentials
Images | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov received copies of credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nguyen Thanh Le.
During the meeting, the parties discussed current issues of the Kazakh-Vietnamese strategic partnership, paying special attention to the schedule of upcoming mutual visits and high-level events.
Alibek Kuantyrov emphasized that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to further strengthening relations with Vietnam and is interested in expanding trade-economic and investment cooperation.
The parties also confirmed their readiness to continue close interaction in multilateral formats, primarily within the UN, CICA, and other international organizations.
In closing, the deputy minister wished the Vietnamese diplomat a successful and fruitful work in Kazakhstan.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
First Kazakhstan-Afghanistan Water Resources Management Centre to Open in Kabul
Images | primeminister.kz
The first Kazakhstan-Afghanistan educational and research centre focused on water resources management, irrigation and sustainable agriculture will be established in Kabul. The cooperation agreement was signed by the Kazakh National University of Water Management and Irrigation, the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University and Kabul University, the Kazakh government’s press service said.
The centre is set to be established at Kabul University and will become the first joint Kazakhstan-Afghanistan educational and research platform dedicated to water resources and agriculture.
The facility is expected to focus on specialist training, knowledge exchange, joint research projects and the introduction of modern solutions in the water and agricultural sectors. Educational programmes and scientific support will be provided by Kazakh researchers and experts.
The centre is expected to serve as an inter-university research platform working in the fields of water security, sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, environmental monitoring and food security.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Kazakhstan Accounts for Nearly 13% of EU Oil Imports and 16% of Uranium Supplies, Tokayev Says
Images | kazatomprom
Kazakhstan accounts for nearly 13% of the European Union’s oil imports and 16% of its natural uranium supplies, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in an opinion article published by Euronews ahead of his visit to Brussels.
According to Tokayev, energy security is one of the clearest examples of mutual trust between Kazakhstan and the EU, and cooperation in this area helps strengthen the resilience of both sides amid growing global uncertainty.
The president said energy security has become one of the most tangible manifestations of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union. He noted that cooperation in the sector contributes to greater stability and resilience for both parties in an increasingly volatile global environment.
Tokayev stressed that the European Union remains Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner. Ten years after the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the EU continues to play a key role in the country’s economy. Thousands of European companies operate in Kazakhstan and, according to the president, contribute to the modernisation and diversification of the national economy.
The president said the next stage of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union should focus on strengthening resilience, expanding connectivity and creating new opportunities for citizens. He noted that in a changing geopolitical landscape, countries can either divide into competing blocs or build partnerships based on mutual respect and shared interests.
Tokayev also highlighted the prospects for cooperation in food security. He noted that Kazakhstan is one of the world's leading grain producers and exporters and has significant potential to support the European market as it seeks to diversify supply sources.
The president also focused on the development of the Middle Corridor linking Europe and Asia. He stressed that Kazakhstan views transport connectivity as a key driver of economic growth and believes the route can become a vital bridge between European markets and the countries of Central Asia.
In addition, Tokayev called for expanded cooperation in critical raw materials, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, science and education. He said Kazakhstan is interested in joint innovation projects and the further development of academic mobility programmes.
In the article, Tokayev also stated that Kazakhstan is continuing political and economic reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of state institutions, strengthening the rule of law and creating a predictable environment for investors.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.
Tokayev to Visit Brussels for Talks with EU Leaders
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay an official visit to Brussels on 22-23 June at the invitation of European Council President António Costa, the Foreign Ministry said.
During the visit, Tokayev is scheduled to hold talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The discussions will focus on prospects for strengthening the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
The programme also includes a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
In addition, Tokayev will address a Kazakhstan-EU roundtable attended by executives of major European companies and hold a number of bilateral meetings.
This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.