ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Asylov and Vice Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Justice Laurence Fontana Jungo signed an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to accelerate and simplify the procedures for exchanging evidence and information in criminal cases, including the return of illegally withdrawn assets, at a Nov. 5 meeting in Bern.
Berik Asylov and Laurence Fontana Jungo. Photo credit: gov.kz
As stated by the press service of the Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office, Swiss Attorney General Stefan Blättler, who took part in the signing, emphasized the memorandum’s importance in strengthening joint efforts against financial crime.
During the meeting, Asylov spoke about President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s ongoing reforms, which led to the law’s adoption on return of illegally withdrawn assets in July 2023. He noted that Kazakhstan has already recovered over $3.5 billion since 2022, and a special fund established to distribute these assets directed them into socio-economic projects to support national welfare.
Asylov also underscored the legal protection Kazakhstan offers foreign investors, including Swiss investors, to bolster economic collaboration. The Swiss officials affirmed their determination to assist Kazakhstan in asset recovery and advancing international cooperation. They also supported the country’s aspiration to join the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.
