ASTANA: Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko held a meeting with British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach. The discussions centered around the positive strides in Kazakh-British political dialogue, trade and economic relations, and people-to-people connections. The diplomats emphasized the need to strengthen the legal framework and expressed their intention to sign the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (SPCA) between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom in the near future. Roman Vassilenko highlighted that the SPCA would foster further growth in Kazakh-British strategic cooperation, creating favorable conditions for trade and investment. Additionally, both parties expressed satisfaction with the vibrant collaboration in science and education, including the involvement of British academic institutions and universities in Kazakhstan.
The sides also discussed the prospects for engagement on issues on the regional and international agenda. The diplomats reiterated mutual interest in expanding cooperation in tackling climate change and water resources management.
The United Kingdom is an important trade partner and one of the biggest investors of Kazakhstan. Bilateral trade turnover in 2023 amounted to $1.18v billion (export – $702.9 million, import – $478.7 million). Since 2005, the gross inflow of direct investment from the UK to Kazakhstan has exceeded $17.1 billion.
