Issues of Cooperation with Spain were Discussed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan
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First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akan Rakhmetullin met with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the Republic of Kazakhstan Luis Francisco Martinez, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
During the conversation the parties discussed the state and prospects of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, investment, and cultural spheres, as well as contacts in multilateral formats.
First Deputy Minister Rakhmetullin noted that Spain is a reliable strategic partner of Kazakhstan in the EU and expressed wishes for the fruitful results of the upcoming meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Kazakhstan-Spain Business Council in March 2025 in Madrid.
The Spanish diplomat confirmed the intention to strengthen cooperation across the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
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Issues of Improving the SCO’s Activities were Considered in Beijing
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A regular meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states was held under the chairmanship of the Chinese side. The Kazakh delegation was headed by Murat Mukushev, National Coordinator of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
The participants discussed the implementation of the agreements of the Astana SCO Summit held in 2024. A thorough exchange of views was held on improving the Organization’s activities, as well as on the content of the upcoming high-level meetings in 2025, including preparations for the summit of heads of state in China.
Special attention was paid to various aspects of updating the legal framework. The national coordinators advocated a thorough elaboration of all the proposals put forward in order to transform the SCO into an effective and mobile multilateral structure.
The considered issues of SCO modernization lie in the plane of implementation of the agreements reached by the heads of the SCO member states at the summit in Astana on July 4, 2024, and it is important to develop a consensus approach on all aspects of improvement to achieve the set goals," said the National Coordinator of Kazakhstan.
The parties also discussed the issues of the SCO dialogue partnership and deepening the Organization’s international cooperation.
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China’s East Hope Group to Launch One of the Largest Project in Metallurgy in Kazakhstan
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted the signing of an agreement for the implementation of an investment project in the production and deep processing of non-ferrous metals in Kazakhstan. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov, Vice Minister of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Saparbekov, and General Director of East Hope Group Changjun Meng, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
The project involves the establishment of new production facilities in two regions of the country, which will enable the implementation of advanced technologies in the metallurgy industry and expand the export of finished products to international markets, including the European Union, Central Asia, and China. It also includes the construction of power generation facilities.
The relations between Kazakhstan and China are at a high level of strategic partnership. This has largely been made possible due to the close and trusting relationship between the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. The implementation of this project will not only bring advanced technologies but also create thousands of new jobs, develop the local supply chain, and enhance the competitiveness of Kazakhstani products in international markets," emphasized Kuantyrov.
In addition, the parties agreed to work out the details of an investment agreement that will include specific terms of cooperation, measures of state support, and the obligations of the parties.
In turn, Olzhas Saparbekov expressed his readiness to provide comprehensive support for the project and noted its strategic importance for the industrial development of Kazakhstan. "The establishment of large-scale production facilities will not only strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as a metallurgy hub in the region but also serve as a driver for attracting new investments and facilitating technological exchange," he noted.
Following the signing, Changjun Meng noted that East Hope Group views Kazakhstan as an important strategic partner in the region: "We highly appreciate Kazakhstan’s economic potential and its investment climate. This project will not only be an important step for our company but also a significant contribution to the industrial development of the country. We are confident that, through joint efforts, we can implement it at the highest level."
The parties expressed confidence in further strengthening cooperation and agreed to continue working together on the preparations for the practical implementation of the project.
East Hope Group (EHG) is a leading global manufacturer of non-ferrous metals, semiconductor technologies, and industrial innovations. The company actively invests in the development of low-carbon industrial complexes and the implementation of international projects.
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Kazakhstan and Hungary: New Horizons of Strategic Partnership
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Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu held talks with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, who arrived in Astana on an official visit, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
This is the seventh trip of the Hungarian minister to Kazakhstan, underlining the strong and long-term nature of the relations between the two countries. It should be noted that ten years ago Minister Szijjártó made his first visit to Astana, which became a milestone in the strengthening of Kazakh-Hungarian relations.
During the talks, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the strategic partnership based on common historical roots and traditional friendship. They discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation, including key areas of political, economic, energy and cultural-humanitarian interaction.
The foreign ministers reviewed the implementation of agreements reached following the visits of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Budapest in November 2024 and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Astana in November 2023.
Particular attention has been paid to the further development of trade and economic relations. Last year, the volume of trade turnover increased by 4.4% and reached almost 200 million US dollars. The parties agreed to take additional measures to achieve the goal set by the leaders of the two states to increase the trade turnover to 1 billion dollars.
The volume of Hungarian direct investment in the Kazakh economy has exceeded 370 million dollars. At present, 16 joint projects worth a total of 700 million dollars are being implemented, including in the energy and industrial sectors.
For instance, Hungarian oil and gas company "MOL" has invested 200 million dollars in the development of the huge "Rozhkovskoye" gas condensate field in western Kazakhstan. The "Globalia" company is building solar power plants in several regions of Kazakhstan, while the "UBM" holding will start this year construction of three animal feed production plants worth 62 million dollars.
Key initiatives to deepen economic cooperation were also discussed. These include the opening of branches of Hungarian banks in Kazakhstan, the construction of a multimodal cargo terminal in Budapest, increasing the supply of Kazakh oil to Hungary, and establishing exports of uranium and critical minerals.
An important step in this direction will be the rapid establishment of a joint Investment Fund.
Hungary is a brotherly country for us, and we attach great importance to our strategic partnership. We strive to complement trade and economic cooperation with concrete and meaningful results," Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister stated.
In his turn, the Hungarian Minister reiterated Budapest’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Astana not only in the political sphere, but also in the economic, investment and cultural areas. "We are committed to expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan and are confident that this will benefit both countries," Minister Szijjártó said.
The parties also emphasized the importance of cooperation in science and education. The Hungarian side provides 250 scholarships annually for Kazakh students to study in Hungary (currently, about 1,000 Kazakh students are enrolled in Hungarian universities).
In addition, a direct air connection between Shymkent and Budapest will be launched in May 2025, significantly strengthening ties between the two friendly nations and creating new opportunities for cooperation in various fields.
Discussing pressing regional and global issues, including conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan and Hungary expressed their hope for the early establishment and development of peaceful and constructive dialogue between the conflicting parties.
Minister Nurtleu reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and the country’s balanced and pragmatic foreign policy aimed at resolving conflicts exclusively by peaceful means.
Both ministers also exchanged views on prospects for further interaction within the UN, OSCE and other multilateral organizations.
Noting Hungary’s active participation in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the parties underlined that the forthcoming informal OTS Summit in Budapest will be an important step in strengthening cooperation among countries united by a common Turkic heritage.
The talks were followed by the signing of memorandums of cooperation between diplomatic academies and in the field of Hungarian language studies.
There are currently some 30 Hungarian companies and 40 joint ventures operating successfully in Kazakhstan. Since 2005, the volume of Hungarian direct investment in the Kazakh economy has exceeded 370 million US dollars.
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