The official visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Brussels opens new opportunities for expanding multilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, according to European experts. They emphasize that Kazakhstan is a key trade partner of the EU in Central Asia. The European Union accounts for about half of Kazakhstan’s foreign trade, while trade turnover between the two sides exceeded $45 billion last year alone. Belgium remains an important partner for Kazakhstan. Over the past 20 years, Belgian direct investment in Kazakhstan’s economy has reached nearly $15 billion, and more than 100 companies with Belgian capital operate in the country. Analysts note strong European interest in cooperation in energy, critical raw materials, transport, and investment. Experts also highlight the importance of further strengthening Kazakhstan’s engagement with key EU institutions, including the European Commission and the European Council. They add that initiatives aimed at visa liberalization and expanding people-to-people contacts would further contribute to the development of bilateral relations.
«Kazakhstan definitely plays a big role in EU-Central Asia relations and serves for the EU as a perfect diplomatic and economic pole in the region. There are a couple of aspects that are particularly relevant: energy, critical raw materials, the collaboration on transport, on climate as well, on energy, as was mentioned, on uranium as well. So, of course, for nuclear energy here in the EU,» said political analyst Valeria Santi.
«I
think for the EU, Kazakhstan is a really important trading partner, not only
just in an economic sense, but also as a diplomatic partner. In recent years,
there’s been a lot more emphasis on the importance of Kazakhstan
and Central Asia for Europe as a strategic interest, but also with the
diplomatic efforts with the Global Gateway, with a lot more investment in the
region,» said Kate O’Riordan, researcher
at the Brussels Institute for
Geopolitics.
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