ASTANA – David Cameron, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, will arrive in Kazakhstan on April 24-25, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service. His visit to Kazakhstan is part of a Central Asian tour.
David Cameron. Photo credit: gov.uk
Cameron arrived in Tajikistan on April 22. He will travel to Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as part of the U.K. government’s commitment “to increase engagement with this pivotal region,” according to a statement published on the U.K. government website.
He will meet with regional leaders to deepen cooperation on shared challenges, from counter-terrorism to climate change. Discussions will also cover sanctions circumvention, human rights, and reform.
In Astana, Cameron will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to discuss bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas, as well as current regional and international topics. The talks are expected to result in the signing of several bilateral agreements.
Cameron is set to announce 50 million pounds ($61.7 million) in new development funding for the Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood region over the next three years to support the sovereignty and independence of these states.
He will support global opportunities for young people by providing British Council English language teaching materials for teachers in the region. He will double the funding for Chevening scholarships, enabling more people to study at top British universities.
The Foreign Secretary aims to support British businesses in creating jobs and driving growth from Bridgend to Bishkek.
“Central Asia is at the epicenter of some of the biggest challenges we face and it’s vital for the U.K. and the region that we drive forward its future prosperity,” he said.
Cameron will visit key sites, including a hydroelectric project in Tajikistan, a canal irrigation site in the Kyrgyz Republic, and a cultural site in Mongolia.
