ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with EU Special Representative for Central Asia Eduards Stiprais on March 31 to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
Eduards Stiprais and Murat Nurtleu. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
During the meeting, the officials discussed various aspects of bilateral and regional cooperation, including the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union, as well as ways to strengthen economic ties, investment cooperation, and address regional security concerns, reported the Foreign Ministry’s press service.
Nurtleu and Stiprais underscored the importance of maintaining dialogue under the EU Strategy for Central Asia and advancing joint initiatives in sustainable development, digitalization, and climate policy.
They discussed the green transformation and the region’s transport and logistics connectivity with the European Union in detail. In this regard, they highlighted the significance of implementing projects to develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
Nurtleu reaffirmed the country’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the EU and noted the significance of the upcoming Central Asia – EU Summit in Samarkand this week.
For his part, Stiprais noted the dynamics of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU, highlighting the key role of Kazakhstan in fostering interregional cooperation and implementing major infrastructure and economic projects.
The European Union is Kazakhstan’s leading trade and investment partner. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the European Union reached $49.7 billion (+16.9%), including $38.6 billion in exports from Kazakhstan and $11.1 billion in imports. From 2005 through the first nine months of 2024, the gross inflow of direct investment from EU countries totaled $200.7 billion. More than 3,000 European companies are currently operating in Kazakhstan.
