Kazakh Foreign Ministry Hosts Briefing on Results of G7 Summit in Hiroshima

Astana, June 23, 2023 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko chaired a briefing of the heads of G7 countries’ diplomatic missions, organized at Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry. The meeting was dedicated to discussing the outcomes of the 49th G7 summit held on May 19-21, 2023 in Hiroshima.

Diplomats from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States noted the importance of the recent high-level event, outlining its substantive part on geopolitics, non-proliferation and disarmament, economic sustainability, clean energy and global food security.

The determination of the G7 countries to develop trade and energy ties with the countries of Central Asia, including sustainable transport connections, as well as the Middle Corridor and related projects aimed at ensuring the region’s prosperity and stability, indicated in the G7 Leaders’ Communiqué, was especially emphasized.

At the same time, great importance is given to expanding the potential of the Middle Corridor through cooperation within the framework of the G7 initiative, Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), with a total budget of 600 billion U.S. dollars by 2027.

Deputy Minister Vassilenko, referring to a recent EBRD study of sustainable transport links between Central Asia and the European Union, paid a special attention to the European Union’s ability to strengthen relations with the region within the framework of its similar initiatives such as Global Gateway and Team Europe.

Representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Invest National Company and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route Association, who took part in the event, expressed high interest in including regional projects into the infrastructure initiatives of both the G7 and European Union.

Following the briefing, the participants agreed to continue the dialogue on topical issues of interaction.

For reference: On May 19-21, 2023, the G7 Summit was held in Hiroshima under the Japanese chairmanship, following which the participants, among other things, confirmed their intention to cooperate with the Central Asian countries to resolve various regional issues.