Kazakhstan at 30: Results and prospects of independent development and cooperation with Slovakia presented during a lecture
BRATISLAVA, December 6, 2021 – Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Slovakia Roman Vassilenko, at the initiative of the Family Business Center and the Faculty of Trade of the University of Economics in Bratislava (EUBA), held a lecture titled “Kazakhstan at 30: Results and Prospects” for practicing specialists in the field of economics, business and administration.
During the online lecture, Ambassador Vassilenko acquainted the participants with the centuries-old history of Kazakhstan and its achievements over the years of independence of Kazakhstan, spoke about the development of foreign policy and trade relations of the country, and presented an overview of the state and prospects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Slovakia. The Ambassador noted that over the 30 years of independence Kazakhstan has attracted 380 billion USD in foreign direct investments, including 160 billion USD from the countries of the European Union.
Speaking about relations between Kazakhstan and Slovakia, the diplomat stressed “today Kazakhstan is the largest and promising trade and economic partner for Slovakia in Central Asia, while Slovakia is a reliable and interesting partner for Kazakhstan in the heart of Europe”.
He further noted the volume of Slovak investments in Kazakhstan during all the years of independence amounted to slightly more than 20 million USD.
“However, the business contacts developed recently despite the pandemic give us hope that in the coming years this indicator will be surpassed many times. We see a great potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in the defense industry, energy, metallurgy, engineering and construction, as well as in agriculture, IT, medicine and tourism”, concluded Ambassador Vassilenko, noting bilateral relations have a great future.
During the event, listeners took an active part in the discussion and received answers to a wide range of questions: on measures to support and protect foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, on the experience of developing the national economy and attracting advanced technologies, taking into account the proximity of Kazakhstan with major economic powers, on the development of logistics projects connecting east and west, including in the context of the Belt and Road initiative.
Noting the impressive path that Kazakhstan has traveled over the years of independence, the moderator – Associate Professor at the Department of International Trade of the Faculty of Trade of EUBA Elena Kašťáková – expressed confidence in the further progressive development of the country and its cooperation with Slovakia. She stressed the readiness of the academic community to search for and implement new promising niches of cooperation between the business circles of the two countries, stressing the presence of many points of contact and the complementarity of economies.
In turn, former Slovak Ambassador to Kazakhstan Peter Juza congratulated the people and the leadership of Kazakhstan on the approaching 30th anniversary of independence, emphasized the great potential for cooperation with Slovakia, stating “there is room for growth and prospect; we just need to implement them”. The head of Virtual Reality Media Company Pavol Grman pointed at his successful experience in Kazakhstan in the past (in supplying and maintaining simulators for military and civilian aircraft and helicopters) and a very favorable atmosphere for doing business with partners from Kazakhstan expressing hope for the development of cooperation in the future.
Family Business Center at EUBA’s Research Institute for Trade and Sustainable Entrepreneurship carries out research and educational activities with an emphasis on the development and support of family businesses. Earlier this year, EUBA and the International University of Tourism and Hospitality in Turkestan signed a memorandum of cooperation.