ASTANA – Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations with Barbados March 27 during the ceremony of the exchange of documents in Ottawa.
Konstantin Zhigalov (L) and Yvonne V. Walkes (R). Photo credit: kazpravda.kz.
Barbados is 184th state globally and the last state of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region to establish diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan, according to the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kazakh Ambassador in Canada and Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM Konstantin Zhigalov and Ambassador of Barbados in Canada Yvonne V. Walkes exchanged diplomatic notes and accomplished the establishment of formal relations.
The states had regular dialogue working within the United Nation (UN), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and The Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Barbados also took part in EXPO 2017 in Astana as a part of the united CARICOM pavilion.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Barbados said Kazakh citizens can stay in the country without a visa for up to 28 days. Barbados is popular among tourists that choose Latin America and Caribbean region for its climate and developed transport infrastructure. There are a number of year-round festivals. The state has direct air communication with large international airports in North America and Europe.
Kazakhstan developed diplomatic relations with the countries of Latin America in the first years of the independence. However, the first Kazakh embassy opened in Brazil, the largest country of the region, in 2013. Brazil has an embassy in Kazakhstan.
The long distance and time differences between Kazakhstan and LAC region are not the barriers, said Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Brasília, Argentina and Chile Kairat Sarzhanov in an interview with bnews.kz last summer.
Kazakhstan exchanged lists of goods with the largest export potential with the Argentine side.
“The trade between the countries amounted to $19.1 million for January-May 2017, although it was only $5 million in the same period in 2016,” he said.
The abolition of the consular fee for a Chilean tourist visa and free visa regime between Argentina, Brazil and Kazakhstan contributed to the business contacts and the growth of the tourist flow.
Argentina, Brazil and Chile, also known as the ABC trio, are the largest economies of the continent.
