Kazakhstan-Switzerland relations
General information
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01.06.1992 |
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Establishing diplomatic relations |
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1994 |
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Opening of the Swiss Consulate, Almaty |
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1996 |
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Opening of the Kazakhstan Embassy in Switzerland, Bern |
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2008 |
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Opening of the Swiss Embassy in Astana |
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Kazakh Ambassador to Switzerland |
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Alibek Bakayev (since 04.09.2019) |
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Swiss Ambassador to Kazakhstan |
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David Grichting (since October 2021). |
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Political cooperation
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Contacts at the highest level |
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The First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy N.Nazarbayev |
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1996, 1998 |
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Participation in the WEF sessions in Davos |
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2004 |
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Official visit to Switzerland |
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2009 |
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Participation in WEF session, meeting with Federal President H.-R.Merz |
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2014 |
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Participation in WEF session, meeting with the Federal President D.Burkhalter |
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Visits of Swiss Federal Presidents to Kazakhstan |
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2014 |
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J.Burkhalter, on tour of Central Asia as OSCE Chairman |
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2017 |
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D.Leuthard during Astana-Expo 2017 |
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22.11.2019 |
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Federal President W. Maurer's official visit to Kazakhstan |
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President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev |
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18.05.2021. |
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Negotiations (via video conferencing) with Federal President G.Parmelin |
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29.11.2021 |
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Meeting with Federal President G.Parmelin during an official visit to Switzerland |
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Contacts at a high level |
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24.02.2020 |
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Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi met with the Federal Counsel for Foreign Affairs of the Switzerland I.Kassis on the margins of the UNHRC session |
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12.11.2020 |
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telephone conversations of Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan B.Sultanov with the Federal Councilor, Head of the Federal Department of Economy, Research and Education G.Parmelin |
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06.09.2021 |
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1) official visit of the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan M.Tileuberdi to Switzerland, meeting with Swiss Vice-President, Federal Councilor of Foreign Affairs I.Kassis; 2) meeting of the Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan B.Sultanov with the co-chairman of the Kazakh-Swiss Intergovernmental Commission E.Bollinger. |
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Interparliamentary cooperation |
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2012 |
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Creation of the Kazakh-Swiss Interparliamentary Cooperation Group (two meetings were held: November 28, 2013 and October 14, 2014 in Bern); |
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23.10.2013 |
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Visit of the Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev to Switzerland; |
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18.03.2014 |
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Visit of the Chairman of the Mazhilis of Kazakhstan |
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2013, 2017, 2018 |
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Visits of a member of the Council of Cantons of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland F.Lombardi to Kazakhstan; |
Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs
4 rounds of inter-ministerial consultations were held at the level of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs (in Kazakhstan - in 2012, 2016 and 2019, and Switzerland - in 2018), on May 17, 2021 in Bern - at the level of department directors.
Interregional cooperation
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May 2016 |
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Akim of Almaty B.Baibek and Mayor of Lugano M.Borradori signed a Memorandum of cooperation; |
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August 2017 |
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Akim of Almaty region A.Batalov and Director of the Financial and Economic Department of the Canton of Ticino C.Vitta signed a Memorandum of cooperation. |
Multilateral cooperation
Kazakhstan is a member of the Swiss District "Global Environmental Fund" of the World Bank (since 2003), in the IMF and the World Bank (since 2010).
Switzerland supported Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the OSCE in 2010 and Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO. Both countries mutually supported candidates for non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (Kazakhstan for 2017-18, Switzerland for 2023-24). In 2014, the Swiss side supported Kazakhstan's accession to the Europe-Asia Forum (ASEM).
Kazakhstan and Switzerland successfully cooperate in the joint management of transboundary water resources. On 18-19 June 2017 in Astana the Federal Councilor, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland D.Burkhalter took part in the conference "Blue Peace in Central Asia: 2030 Agenda - Water Security and Mutually Beneficial Growth (Basel-3)". During his visit, D.Burkhalter met with the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Abdrakhmanov.
Trade and economic cooperation
Switzerland is among the 20 largest trading partners of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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Main indicators of bilateral trade, USD million (source: Bureau of National statistics of the Agency for Strategic planning and reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan) |
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Period |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
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Trade turnover |
3077 |
2824 |
1760 |
1163,9 |
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Export to Switzerland |
2900,4 |
2688,2 |
1570 |
855,0 |
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Import from Switzerland |
176,5 |
135,7 |
190 |
308,9 |
According to Bureau of National statistics, as of January 31, 2022, in the Republic of Kazakhstan was registered 306 legal entities, branches and representative offices with Swiss participation (including active - 233) and 104 SP (of which function 81).
At the site of AIFC was registered 8 Swiss companies between Fintek-Hub AIFC "Fintech Hub Limited" and the Swiss Association "Swiss Consortium for digital finance" 30 June 2021 signed a Memorandum of understanding, 29 Nov 2021 in Geneva signed a similar Memorandum "AIFC Business Connect" and "Swiss Consortium for digital finance".
Investment cooperation
According to statistics of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in 2005-2021, the gross inflow of FDI from Switzerland to Kazakhstan exceeded 29 billion US dollars.
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Gross inflow/outflow of FDI, USD million Source: National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan |
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Period |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021, 9 month. |
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Gross inflow |
1907,4 |
2702,2 |
2964,5 |
2540,8 |
2245,9 |
1772,3 |
1922,2 |
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Gross outflow |
6,2 |
10,7 |
1,4 |
1,8 |
10,6 |
5,6 |
2,8 |
Intergovernmental Commission
10 meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation were held (the 10th meeting was held in Bern on October 28, 2019, the 11th is scheduled for the first half of 2022).
Co-Chairs - Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan B.Sultanov and Commissioner of the Federal Council for Trade Agreements E. Bollinger (with the rank of Ambassador).
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation
May 22, 2015 - The Kazakh-Swiss Institute of Tourism and Hotel Business was opened (on the basis of the Almaty Technological University and the Swiss Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management HTMi). Branches of the Geneva Business School operate in Nur-Sultan and Almaty.
November 6, 2015 - The Scientific work "Manuscripts and Artifacts on the History and Culture of Kazakhstan from the Henri Moser Foundation", created under the chairmanship of the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after R.Suleimenov of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Abuseitova.
May 2018 - Within the framework of the national program "Rukhani Zhagyru", a concert of the folklore and ethnographic ensemble "Sazgen Sazy" was held at the Leman theatre in Geneva with the participation of popular opera and pop performers from Kazakhstan.
2019:
19-20 March 2019 (Bern) - Round table on reforms in Kazakhstan with the participation of Swiss experts and politicians.
May 8 (Bern) - Screening of the documentary "Ecus: The Story of a Horse".
October 25 (Zurich) / December 8 (Bern) - Round tables dedicated to the Address of President K.Tokayev to the people of Kazakhstan and timed to the Day of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy N.Nazarbayev with the participation of students from Kazakhstan and representatives of the Kazakh diaspora:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/43117?lang=en
2020:
February - Jubilee postage stamps dedicated to the 175th anniversary of A.Kunanbayev and the 1150th anniversary of Abu Nasyr al-Farabi were issued, separate sections with photo and video materials were opened on the website of the Embassy: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/42168?lang=en
April 7 - With the support of the Embassy, musicians S.Tokanova and I.Gribaus held the first live-stream concert in Zurich to mark the 175th anniversary of Abai: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/53232?lang=en
April - The Embassy, together with the Otandastar Foundation, launched an online project to study the Kazakh language for the diaspora in Switzerland.
May 30 - With the assistance of the Embassy, the Kazakh-Swiss association "Birlik" was established. In August, the association provided humanitarian aid worth over 10,000 CHF to one of the infectious diseases hospitals and the maternity hospital in Semey and launched the "United for Health" scholarship project for young doctors from Kazakhstan.
July 27 - The Dombra Day with the participation of musicians from Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Austria. Along with it, the Abay Readings were held with the participation of Swiss admirers-reciters of Abai's creativity, teachers of the University of Zurich, the diaspora:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/103087?lang=ru
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/113100?lang=en
August - The cooperation were established with the University of Zurich: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/116898?lang=en
September 6 (Zurich) - Musical challenge dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the composer Sh.Kaldayakov with the participation of the Kazakh diaspora and musicians:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/media/details/6324?lang=en
During the year - During the coronavirus pandemic, Swiss companies provided humanitarian assistance to Kazakhstan, incl. Roche, Novartis, Philipp Morris Intl., Glencore (Kazzinc).
2021:
January 12 - Online briefing on the results of the parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan for journalists from the leading Swiss media houses (Tamedia, NZZ, SRF, Weltwoche, Handelszeitung, and others).
March 22 - On the holiday "Nauryz-2021" there was a video greeting in the Kazakh language by Professor Peter Finke, the Head of the Department of Social Anthropology and Culturology of the University of Zurich for broadcast on Kazakh channels: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/media/details/12243?lang=en
May 31 - A round table with the Kazakh-Swiss association "Birlik" was held in Bern: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/209885?lang=en
April 5 - Online Photo Exhibition dedicated to the most important milestones in the development of Independent Kazakhstan was published on the official website of the Embassy and its Facebook:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/activities/11998?lang=en
August 23 - As part of the 30th Anniversary of the Closure of the Semipalatinsk test site in Bern, a screening of Andry Singer's film "Where the Wind Blew" and an Exhibition of paintings by Karipbek Kuyukov "Blue Glow" took place in Casino Bern: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/245875?lang=en
August 26 - A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Information Center on Historical Sources at the R.Suilemenov Institute of Oriental Studies and the Heinrich and Henri Moser Foundation.
September 6 - Within the framework of the official visit of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi to Switzerland, agreements on cooperation in the field of studying the "Heritage of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia in Switzerland" for the period 2022-2025 were signed between the Bern Historical Museum and the Information Center on Historical Sources at the R.B. Suilemenov Institute of Oriental Studies: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/252285?lang=en
The Kazakh delegation also visited a special Exhibition at the Berne Historical Museum dedicated to unique archival materials from the history of Kazakh statehood, where special attention was paid to the silky wall tapestry (tysklem), which indicates the places of honor of the political elite of the Kazakh society of that period, by analogy with the modern diplomatic protocol. This tapestry has no analogs either in the world or in Kazakhstan.
September 25 - In honor of the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's Independence, a screening of the feature film "Tar Zaman" dedicated to "Alash Orda" was held in Bern, and an open discussion was organized among the participants of the event:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/261499?lang=en
November 10 - A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Kazakh National University of Arts in Nur-Sultan and the Zurich University of the Arts.
November 13 - A concert of world-famous musicians - violinist Ayman Mussakhajayeva and pianist Bruno Canino took place in Zurich, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's Independence:
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-bern/press/news/details/285398?lang=en
Legal issues
On February 5, 2019, technical consultations between experts of the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General's Office and the Swiss Foreign Ministry on mutual legal assistance were held in Bern. The parties agreed to continue consultations on the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding with a view to further signing an Agreement on legal assistance and joint work on Kazakhstan's accession to the Legal Conventions of the Council of Europe.
On March 19, 2019, a round table (human rights issues, legal reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan) was held in Bern with the participation of deputy first heads of the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the State Duma and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On March 20, 2019, a similar event was held with the participation of deputies of the Swiss Parliament, members of the national delegations to the OSCE and PACE.