Today marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union. Over the past three decades, we have been able to build a strong partnership based on mutual respect and trust.
From the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 1995 to the entry into force of our Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) in 2020, our dynamic relations have come a long way.
The EPCA now covers 29 broad areas of cooperation – from economy, trade and investment to cooperation in aviation, education and research, civil society and human rights. Kazakhstan and the EU remain firmly committed to developing and strengthening further our mutually beneficial bilateral relations to implement fully the EPCA.
The EU reiterates its full support for Kazakhstan’s large-scale political and economic reforms to advance its vision of a Just and Fair Kazakhstan, and the commitment to a full and transparent investigation of the January 2022 events.
The recently signed Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership on sustainable raw materials, batteries and renewable hydrogen value chains will be crucial for green and digital transitions. We look forward to increased high-level contacts and parliamentary cooperation, strengthened business and people-to-people links, and continued dialogues on human rights and the rule of law.
In light of the current geopolitical context, we reiterate our firm commitment to the UN Charter, international law, and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. We stress the importance of maintaining peace and stability, as well as resolving disputes through diplomatic means.
We reaffirm our ambition to establishing a strong and forward-looking framework for cooperation between the EU and Central Asia, and to strengthening regional dialogue in Central Asia – key to prosperity, resilience and sustainable development. As a next step, we look forward to the EU – Central Asia Economic Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in 2023.
In this milestone year for our relations, we look to the future with confidence in our ever-closer and multifaceted cooperation. We are determined to advance it for the mutual benefit of the people in the European Union and in Kazakhstan, and also for a greater regional stability and prosperity.