ASTANA – Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom continue to expand their bilateral strategic dialogue and cooperation steadily. Having marked a symbolic anniversary on Jan. 19, the 33rd year since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries held the eighth meeting of the Kazakhstan-U.K. Strategic Dialogue in London on Feb. 11.
Stephen Doughty and Roman Vassilenko. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko and U.K. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Stephen Doughty chaired the meeting.
The delegations discussed key topics of cooperation in politics, economy, investment, energy, environment, culture, education, and security. They also reviewed the ratification process of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed in April last year. Additionally, they held an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international matters of mutual interest, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service on Feb. 12.
Vassilenko welcomed the high level of political dialogue and effective communication between the two countries’ foreign ministries, which contributed to the steady deepening of multifaceted cooperation.
He highlighted that the outcomes of events held in 2024 – including the meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku – reflect a shared commitment to strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships.
In this regard, the Strategic Dialogue placed a special emphasis on further expanding trade and investment ties, business cooperation, and maintaining productive cultural and people-to-people contacts.
As part of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation was signed between the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and the U.K.’s Gangmasters and Labor Abuse Authority (GLAA).
This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the relevant agencies of both countries in protecting the labor rights of Kazakh citizens temporarily working in the U.K., as well as facilitating the exchange of information, expertise, and best practices in labor rights protection.
During his visit to London, Vassilenko also met with First Deputy Speaker of the U.K. House of Commons Nusrat Ghani to discuss the prospects for developing inter-parliamentary dialogue. Additionally, he held a series of working meetings with representatives of the British expert community, including the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The Kazakhstan-U.K. Strategic Dialogue is an institutional mechanism for bilateral cooperation. Since 2013, its meetings have served as an effective platform for reviewing key areas of the bilateral relationship and exchanging views on regional and international agendas.
The U.K. is one of Kazakhstan’s largest investors, with total investments exceeding $18 billion. Around 550 companies with British participation currently operate in Kazakhstan.
