ASTANA – The fifth anniversary meeting of Kazakhstan – United States (US) Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue (ESPD) took place in the Kazakh capital on Nov. 6, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
The fifth anniversary meeting of the Kazakhstan-US Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue. Photo credit: gov.kz.
“Kazakhstan is the only country with the status of the enhanced strategic partner of the US in Central Asia,” reads the statement.
The meeting, co-chaired by Kazakh First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov and US Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, reviewed the outcomes of bilateral and regional cooperation over the past year and revealed future plans.
Umarov highlighted that political, cultural, and humanitarian interaction between Kazakhstan and the US intensified this year with an increased number of visits and meetings.
He also noted the progress in economic collaboration, including issues of trade and investment, energy, rare-earth metals, and climate change.
Umarov reiterated the significance of the political reforms and democratic transformations undertaken by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with a mission to build a “New and Fair Kazakhstan.”
Donald Lu commended the efforts taken by the Kazakh government in socio-economic development, regional security, and human rights. He emphasized successful cooperation both on the bilateral and multilateral tracks, particularly within the United Nations and the C5+1 dialogue platform.
Established in 2018, the ESPD is an Intergovernmental Commission with three committees on political cooperation and security, trade and economic cooperation, and humanitarian dimension.
