Factsheet on Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s Visit to Europe

Overview

Between 1–5 December, Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev conducted a multi-day working visit to Europe, with engagements in Brussels, Bern and Vienna, as well as participation in the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council. Across the visit, the Minister advanced Kazakhstan’s strategic partnerships with the European Union and key European states, strengthened political dialogue, and expanded economic, investment and technological cooperation.

The trip delivered concrete progress in priority areas such as transport connectivity, critical raw materials, industrial cooperation, digitalisation, green technologies, mediation and water diplomacy, as well as new momentum in visa facilitation talks with the EU.

Below is a summary of the key outcomes from each segment of the visit.

 

Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s Visit to Brussels

On the eve of the 10^th anniversary of the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the European Union, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev held high-level talks with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, confirming the growing strategic importance of the Kazakhstan–EU relationship.

The meeting took place alongside the 22^nd meeting of the EU–Kazakhstan Cooperation Council, held for the first time at senior ministerial level and co-chaired by Kosherbayev and Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.

Below are the key points from the meeting.

Economic and investment cooperation

• Both sides reviewed progress in trade and investment ties, noting that the EU has invested over $200 billion in Kazakhstan and remains the country’s largest trading and investment partner.
• In 2024, bilateral trade reached nearly $50 billion. 80% of Central Asia’s trade with the EU accounts for Kazakhstan.
• The Kazakh side highlighted expanding access for Kazakh agricultural products into the EU market.

Middle Corridor development

• Commissioner Síkela outlined EU plans to expand support for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor), including €45 million for modernisation of the Aktau port and €150 million for highway reconstruction in Kazakhstan.
• The initiatives aim to boost multimodal logistics, modernise port infrastructure, and accelerate digitalisation along the corridor.

Critical raw materials and economic diversification

• The Minister emphasized Kazakhstan’s priorities in expanding cooperation in critical raw materials, transport and logistics, digital innovation, agriculture, education, and water management, aligning with EU Global Gateway programmes and upcoming investment projects.

Visa facilitation and mobility

• Both sides welcomed the launch of formal visa facilitation and readmission negotiations on December 2. These negotiations are the first process of this kind between the European Union and a Central Asian country. The next round of consultations will be held in Astana in 2026. Once concluded, the agreement will reduce processing times, lower administrative fees, and ease travel for Kazakh citizens.
• The EU highlighted Kazakhstan’s participation in Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ and the rising interest in academic and cultural exchanges.

Shared commitment to connectivity and security

• The EU reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s role as a key partner for Europe’s long-term energy and resource security, stressing the importance of diversified routes for oil, gas, and uranium, as well as future cooperation in critical raw materials value chains.

Regional follow-up from Samarkand and Tashkent

• The EU briefed Kazakhstan on results of recent high-level forums in Uzbekistan, where new regional projects were agreed in logistics, digital infrastructure, and transport modernisation. Significantly, the CA–EU format was elevated to a strategic partnership.
• Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to participate in the practical implementation of these initiatives.

Forward-looking agenda

• The EU Commissioner Síkela agreed to maintain regular dialogue to monitor implementation of joint projects and expand cooperation under the EPCA, ensuring that the next decade delivers concrete results in connectivity, sustainable development, and economic integration.

 

Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s Visit to Switzerland

In Bern, Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev held talks with Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, reaffirming the friendly and trusted nature of Kazakhstan–Switzerland relations and the steady high-level political dialogue developed over more than 30 years of diplomatic ties.

Political dialogue and strategic partnership

• Switzerland was highlighted as a reliable and key European partner, with both sides committed to strengthening cooperation across political, economic, cultural-humanitarian, and regional spheres.
• The parties also highlighted the close alignment of their approaches on international issues and identified new opportunities in mediation and water diplomacy.

Trade, investment and economic cooperation

• Switzerland remains one of Kazakhstan’s leading European investors, with cumulative Swiss investment reaching $35.8 billion over the past two decades.
• Bilateral trade is growing steadily, with turnover reaching $1.2 billion in the first ten months of 2025.
• Kosherbayev and Swiss Vice President Guy Parmelin reaffirmed the importance of recent agreements reached during Parmelin’s visit to Astana on 28 November, which injected new momentum into bilateral cooperation.
• Both sides agreed to further intensify cooperation in industry, transport and logistics, digitalisation, healthcare, finance, and broader economic diversification.

Water diplomacy, mediation and institutional cooperation

• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation on the “Blue Peace Central Asia”regional programme, strengthening cooperation in sustainable water management.
• A separate MoU between the Foreign Policy Research Institute of Kazakhstan and the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue will expand cooperation on mediation, dialogue facilitation, and joint analytical projects.

Engagement with Swiss business and investment community

• The Foreign Minister met with senior executives from EuroAirport, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Kanadevia Inova, and industrial investor Roland Bartholet, focusing on concrete investment projects in logistics, transportation, energy and the agro-industrial sector.
• EuroAirport expressed readiness to develop new cargo and transit air routes linking Asia and Europe through Kazakhstan’s aviation infrastructure.
• MSC, a global leader in container shipping, discussed investment opportunities to expand Kazakhstan’s port capacity, terminals and multimodal links along the Middle Corridor, including rail connections from Khorgos to the Caspian.
• Kanadevia Inova presented advanced waste-to-energy and green technology solutions, while investor Roland Bartholet proposed cooperation on energy storage systems and industrial energy infrastructure.
• Both sides highlighted the potential for technology transfer, renewable energy development, modern waste processing, and modernisation of the agro-industrial complex.

Forward-looking partnership

• The visit demonstrated strong Swiss business interest in Kazakhstan and the shared commitment to expand cooperation across strategic sectors.
• Minister Kosherbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s readiness to provide favourable conditions for investors and strengthen the country’s position as a key trade, economic and technological partner for Switzerland.

 

Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s Visit to Austria

In Vienna, Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev met with Walter Rosenkranz, President of the National Council of the Austrian Parliament, to review the state of Kazakh–Austrian relations and prospects for deeper cooperation with the European Union and within the OSCE.

Political dialogue and parliamentary cooperation

• Both sides welcomed the stable development of bilateral political dialogue and agreed to intensify interparliamentary cooperation, ensuring regular high-level exchanges.
• The Austrian side positively assessed Kazakhstan’s constructive engagement on international issues and its role as a strategic partner in the wider European region.

Trade, investment and industrial cooperation

• Austria remains an important economic partner for Kazakhstan, with around 170 Austrian companiesoperating in the country, including Lasselsberger Group, Liebherr, Andritz Hydro and Swarovski.
• Kazakhstan remains one of Austria’s key crude suppliers, providing over 40% of Austria’s oil imports.
• Minister Kosherbayev emphasized Kazakhstan’s position as the regional leader in foreign direct investment, having attracted more than $470 billion since independence.

Engagement with Austrian industry and investment community

• The Foreign Minister held a roundtable with leading Austrian companies, including ÖBB, Lasselsberger Group, Primetals Technologies, AVL List, Steyr Automotive, Rosenbauer International, and Magnatech GmbH.
• Discussions focused on opportunities in machinery manufacturing, green metallurgy, transport system modernisation, intelligent technologies, and expansion of Kazakhstan’s export potential, notably in agriculture, metallurgy, chemicals, engineering and IT services.
• Austrian businesses were briefed on new opportunities for establishing production facilities in Kazakhstan, localising technologies, and expanding into Central Asian markets.
• Primetals Technologies discussed expanding cooperation in environmentally friendly steel production, digitalisation and automation.
• Magnatech GmbH presented opportunities to localise eco-efficient and resource-saving technologies in Kazakhstan’s metallurgy sector.
• Further Austrian companies expressed interest in logistics cooperation along the Middle Corridor, strengthening industrial value chains and supporting Kazakhstan’s broader connectivity agenda.

 

Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s Participation in the OSCE Ministerial Council

Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev took part in the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna, where ministers reviewed the work of the Finnish Chairpersonship and assessed key security challenges across the OSCE region.

Focus on security, diplomacy and the OSCE’s founding principles

• In his address, Kosherbayev underscored the enduring relevance of the Helsinki Final Act and the Astana Declaration, stressing that the goal is not to revise these principles but to demonstrate political will to uphold them.
• He emphasized that the OSCE possesses unique tools for conflict prevention, mediation and monitoring, which should be used more effectively amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Kazakhstan’s position: diplomacy over confrontation

• The Minister called for prioritising diplomacy in resolving crises, including in Ukraine, the Middle East and other conflict regions, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s consistent support for peaceful, lawful and negotiated solutions.
• He welcomed the Peace Declaration between Azerbaijan and Armenia and progress on border delimitation in Central Asia as examples of constructive regional dialogue.
• Kosherbayev highlighted that Central Asia is becoming a more united and proactive region, contributing to regional and global stability.
• He stressed the importance of stability and sustainable development in Afghanistan, noting the significance of the new UN Regional SDG Centre for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty as a practical tool to support regional cooperation.

Connectivity, climate and environmental security

• Kosherbayev noted the need to strengthen efforts within the OSCE’s economic and environmental dimension, particularly in connectivity and regional transport links, green economy and climate resilience, addressing environmental challenges such as the shrinking of the Aral and Caspian Seas, desertification and water scarcity.
• He noted that Kazakhstan will advance solutions in these areas, including through the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana in April 2026.

Human rights and democratic reforms

• The Minister reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to human rights, rule of law, democratic governance and gender equality, highlighting the country’s ongoing political and institutional reforms within the OSCE human dimension.

Bilateral meetings with participating states

• The Foreign Minister also met with his counterparts from the Netherlands, Cyprus, Austria, Germany, Greece, Georgia and Ukraine, which focused on strengthening political dialogue, expanding trade and investment ties, deepening humanitarian and cultural cooperation, and enhancing collaboration within the OSCE framework.