Olzhas Bektenov Holds Meeting With Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture Hidehiko Yuzaki on Humanitarian Cooperation
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Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, Hidehiko Yuzaki. Current issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed, including trade and economic relations as well as humanitarian initiatives, primeminister.kz reports.
Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the development of an Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Japan. In this regard, the Government of Kazakhstan is consistently implementing the objectives outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
During the meeting, the prospects for further strengthening ties between Hiroshima Prefecture and the Abai Region were considered. The importance of continuing the "Hiroshima-Semey" initiative was emphasized, as well as the exchange of knowledge within the framework of the international Mayors for Peace movement. Readiness was expressed for further cooperation within the framework of the upcoming Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture underlined the importance of cooperation between Japan and Kazakhstan on issues of nuclear non-proliferation.
We highly appreciate Kazakhstan’s support on the international stage. One of the goals of our visit is to strengthen friendship. In Hiroshima, we believe that we have an important mission - to work toward a world free of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan is a member of the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone movement in Central Asia," Hidehiko Yuzaki said.
Kazakhstan is committed to deepening cooperation with Japan in areas such as medical and social support for victims of radiation, as well as the development and implementation of technologies in the field of radiation medicine. We express our gratitude to the Government of Japan for its intention to provide a grant to address the consequences of nuclear tests in Semey. We are confident that this initiative will have a sustainable long-term impact on improving the quality of medical care," Olzhas Bektenov noted.
For reference: At the end of 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Japan amounted to $1.8 billion. Currently, more than 60 Japanese companies are operating successfully in Kazakhstan. Over the past 20 years, Japanese businesses have invested about $8.3 billion in the Kazakh economy. Major projects have been implemented in cooperation with companies such as Toyota, Hitachi, Marubeni, and others.
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Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Participates in the Central Asia–Japan Business Forum
Images | akorda.kz
Alongside the President of Kazakhstan, Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev also took part in the event, akorda.kz reports.
The business forum featured sessions on topics such as "Green and Resilience", "Digital Transformation and Connectivity", "Finance, Human Resources, and Social System Development for Business" as well as meetings between business representatives from Central Asia and Japan.
As a result of the official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Central Asia–Japan Business Forum, more than 60 documents were signed, totaling $3.72 billion between Kazakhstan and Japanese business entities.
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan Presents Credentials to the President of the United States
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan Presents Credentials to the President of the United States, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Magzhan Ilyassov, presented his credentials to the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, during a formal ceremony at the White House," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
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Tokayev Addresses the First Central Asia-Japan Dialogue Summit
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In his address, the Head of State expressed gratitude to Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi for the initiative to convene today’s historic meeting and for the warm hospitality, akorda.kz reports.
Hosting such an important forum in Tokyo, a global metropolis renowned for its high level of development, is an event of great significance for Kazakhstan and, I believe, for the whole of Central Asia. It is symbolic that Japan, represented by former Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, initiated the establishment of the Central Asia-Japan Dialogue. The first meeting at the level of foreign ministers was held in Astana in 2004. This event served as an example for launching similar Central Asia platforms with other major countries," - the President of Kazakhstan stated.
In his view, such summits demonstrate the strengthening of Central Asia’s international agency and its significant role in global processes.
The Kazakh people have always held the history, traditions, and culture of the Japanese people in deep respect. Japanese philosophy is grounded in the values of harmony, restraint, and wisdom, which resonate with the Kazakh people. As early as the 7th century, Prince Shōtoku spoke of harmony as the highest value, calling for unity and cooperation. Japan has entered the historic Reiwa era - the ‘Era of Beautiful Harmony.’ Today’s relations between Japan and the countries of Central Asia are rooted in the distant past when our peoples were united by the Great Silk Road," - Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized.
The Head of State highlighted Japan's economic successes, which consistently place it at the forefront of scientific, technical, and technological progress, as well as the dynamic development of the Central Asian region, with vast potential for comprehensive international cooperation
The President expressed Kazakhstan's readiness to create the necessary conditions and ensure a favorable investment climate for the successful implementation of joint projects with Japan.
In this context, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shared his vision for promising areas of Kazakh-Japanese cooperation.
During the President of Kazakhstan’s visit to Japan, more than 60 bilateral documents were signed, with a total value exceeding $3.7 billion
First and foremost, greater efforts are needed to intensify trade, economic and investment ties. Last year, bilateral trade reached approximately $2 billion. Kazakhstan supplies the Japanese market with uranium, rare earth metals, as well as oil. Japan has become one of the major investors in Kazakhstan’s economy, with total investments exceeding $8.5 billion. For many years, Kazakhstan has successfully cooperated with leading Japanese corporations and actively supports the activities of Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises in our country. I am confident that the outcomes of the Central Asia-Japan Business Forum will help strengthen B2B contacts and lead to concrete agreements on the implementation of new investment projects. As part of my visit to Japan, more than 60 bilateral documents, including commercial agreements totaling over $3.7 billion, have been signed.
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Kazakhstan and UNDP discuss strengthening cooperation and plans for 2026
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Yerzhan Ashikbayev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, met with Katarzyna Wawiernia, the UNDP Permanent Representative in Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The parties discussed the cooperation outcomes in 2025 and outlined the plans for further engagement between Kazakhstan and UNDP.
In particular, they highlighted the adoption of the UNDP Country Programme for Kazakhstan for 2026-2030, the successful presentation of Kazakhstan’s third Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the SDGs at the UN Headquarters in New York in July, as well as the results of cooperation in the fields of healthcare, gender equality, education and others.
The meeting also addressed prospects for expanding cooperation with UNDP through the newly established UN Regional SDG Centre for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, as well as opportunities to scale up the UNDP Regional Development Programme to other regions of the country.
Issues related to climate change, ecology and water resource management, including challenges linked to the Aral Sea, also became an important topic of the discussions ahead of the Regional Environmental Summit scheduled for April. In this context, UNDP representatives announced plans to organize a High-Level Event on the margins of the Summit dedicated to the formation of a regional portfolio of climate and environmental investments for Central Asia.
In addition, the parties discussed UNDP’s participation in activities planned for 2026, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, which officially launched in December at the UN Headquarters in New York.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued joint efforts aimed at further strengthening the strategic partnership, advancing priority areas of cooperation, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Kazakhstan and North Macedonia Discussed Prospects for Investment, Trade and Economic Cooperation
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to North Macedonia Satybaldy Burshakov met with the Director of Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, Refik Xhemaili, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Kazakh Ambassador briefed the Macedonian side with the political and economic reforms consistently implemented in our country by the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and also informed about the main provisions of the President's State-to-the-Nation Address. Burshakov noted that the conceptual framework of the new Address was the idea of deep digital transformation of the country, diversification and digitalization of the economy, the development of artificial intelligence.
At the meeting, important agreements were emphasized during the working visits of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mutsunski to Astana in May-June of this year. First of all, it is the creation of a business council, the holding of a business forum, and the expansion of bilateral trade.
Having reviewed with interest the Embassy's presentation on attracting foreign investment to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Agency's leadership expressed readiness to assist in promoting the mutually agreed high-level arrangements in the sphere of trade and economic cooperation.
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Leading Portuguese Industry, Science, and Technology Companies Set Their Sights on the Kazakh Market
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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.
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