31st Meeting of Berlin Eurasian Club Takes Place in Brussels

Brussels, May 10, 2021 – Cooperation and attracting new investments in the field of agriculture and tourism, development of the export potential of Kazakhstan were the key topics of the 31st Meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club (BEC) that took place in Brussels with participation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi. The participants elaborated on the various ideas of joining efforts aimed at minimizing the negative economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as supporting businesses. The event in hybrid format that allowed in-person and virtual participation was organized by the Eastern Committee of the German Economy in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Germany.

EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE Michael Siebert, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany Uwe Feiler, former European Commissioner, curator of the Center for European Policy Gunther Oettinger, member of the Board of the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Foreign Trade of the Federal Republic of Germany, Foreign Trade Director F. Traier, and member of the CLAAS Group Board Christian Radons were among the speakers from the European side. On behalf of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Committee on Economic Reform of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Albert Rau, Vice Minister of Sports and Tourism Gabidulla Abdrakhimov, Deputy Akim (Governor) of the Pavlodar Oblast (Region) Saken Shayakhmetov made in-depth presentations on specific themes.

Around 100 representatives of government and business circles of Kazakhstan, Germany, Belgium, EU officials, industry and regional business associations, heads of leading European companies attended the meeting.

In his welcoming speech, Minister Tileuberdi briefed the audience about the policies of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to ensure sustainable economic growth and support the citizens during the pandemic. Special attention was paid to the progressive implementation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the EU that entered into force in March 2020.

The European speakers expressed interest in projects aimed at supporting and further development of agriculture and tourism, expansion of the export potential of Kazakhstan.

On the sidelines of the event, Minister Tileuberdi held several bilateral meetings with the leaders of German, Belgian and Luxembourgish companies to discuss the prospects for developing business partnerships with Kazakh counterparts and joint implementation of new investment projects.

The Berlin Eurasian Club was established in 2012 on the initiative of First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and the former Deputy Chancellor, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher. It serves as an informal dialogue platform open for government agencies, businesses, experts and practitioners from Germany and other European nations to discuss cooperation in various fields of economy.