To date, Central Asia is emerging
as a promising and serious player in the global economy. According to Yersultan Zhanseitov,
an expert in the Astana-based Institute of World Economy and Politics (IWEP),
the first meeting of U.S. President Joe Biden in the C5+1 presidential summit marks
the growing interest of the West in the Central Asian region and Kazakhstan,
which is its natural leader. As noted by Zhanseitov, such a process is
justified. The region is demonstrating positive growth dynamics, and economic
ties between the five countries are strengthening. Besides trade in traditional
resources, the countries are developing logistics, reinforcing their transit
potential. Kazakhstan, thanks to the scale and possibilities of the Trans-Caspian
International Transport Route, represents a connecting link between East
and West.
“We will receive important
signals from the U.S. that the Central Asian region is important for the
country not only economically, but also politically, in particular, on the
issue of Afghanistan. As we know, despite the various current processes in
geopolitics, the Afghan issue remains topical, and in general, the world’s major
countries, including the U.S., are interested in stabilizing the situation in
Afghanistan. In this regard, Kazakhstan and Central Asian countries are
partners for Washington D.C. Thus, we are cooperating across various domains
with the U.S., including investments, economy and interaction at the political
level, and we are strategic partners at large,” said Zhanseitov.
