ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Mongolia plan to resume direct flights and expand transport connectivity, as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, who arrived in Astana for a state visit on April 21. Both sides also target increasing bilateral trade to $500 million.
Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev . Photo credit: Akorda
The leaders discussed restoring flights between Astana and Ulaanbaatar and between Ust-Kamenogorsk and Ulgii. They proposed establishing a joint working group to explore direct road links between the two countries.
Tokayev thanked Khurelsukh for accepting the invitation to visit Kazakhstan and recalled his own state visit to Mongolia in October 2024, which elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
“Our trade and economic cooperation is strengthening. Trade turnover is growing every year, and we plan to implement concrete industrial projects,” Tokayev said.
President Tokayev also highlighted the Kazakh-Mongolian business forum taking place in Astana, with Mongolian companies participating. According to him, bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Mongolia increased by 7.7% last year, exceeding $130 million.
Photo credit: Akorda
Khurelsukh also emphasized that Kazakhstan is the first country in Central Asia with which Mongolia has established a strategic partnership.
“Strengthening friendly relations and expanding trade and economic cooperation are among Mongolia’s foreign policy priorities,” he said.
The talks covered prospects for cooperation in agriculture, light industry, digitalization, mining, tourism, transport, and logistics, as well as strengthening interregional ties. The presidents also highlighted the importance of activating the intergovernmental commission and enhancing connectivity.
Tokayev also expressed gratitude for Mongolia’s support in opening a Kazakh consular office in the Bayan-Ölgii region.
Following the talks, members of the official delegations exchanged a package of 13 agreements and memorandums aimed at strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors. The documents covered foreign policy coordination, trade and economic ties, energy, finance, and peaceful use of nuclear energy, as well as partnerships between national institutions and major companies, including Samruk Kazyna and Erdenes Mongol.
Additional agreements focused on expanding cultural, scientific, and media cooperation, including a joint action plan for 2026–2027. The sides also signed memorandums between central banks, national academies of sciences, and city administrations, reflecting a broad commitment to deepening bilateral ties at both national and regional levels.
At a joint press briefing following the talks, Tokayev said that expanding transit and transport links was among the key topics discussed, alongside strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties.
He also highlighted Kazakhstan’s ongoing support for education, including annual scholarships for Mongolian citizens, and said the country is ready to increase the number of grants, host a Study in Kazakhstan education fair in Mongolia this year, and explore opening a branch of a leading Kazakh university in Ulaanbaatar.
