Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom continue to steadily expand their bilateral strategic dialogue and cooperation. Having marked a symbolic anniversary on January 19 - the 33rd year since the establishment of diplomatic relations - the two countries held the 8th meeting of the Kazakhstan-UK Strategic Dialogue in London on February 11. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and UK Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Stephen Doughty chaired the meeting, press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.
The delegations discussed key issues of cooperation in politics, economy, investment, energy, environment, culture, education, and security. They also reviewed the ratification process of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed in April last year. Additionally, they held an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Roman Vassilenko welcomed the high level of political dialogue and effective communication between the two countries’ foreign ministries, which contribute to the steady deepening of multifaceted cooperation. He highlighted that the outcomes of events held in 2024 - including the meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the COP29 climate conference in Baku - reflect a shared commitment to strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships. In this regard, the Strategic Dialogue placed a special emphasis on further expanding trade and investment ties, business cooperation, and maintaining productive cultural and people-to-people contacts.
As part of the meeting, a MoU on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan and the UK’s Gangmasters and Labor Abuse Authority (GLAA). This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the relevant agencies of both countries in protecting the labor rights of Kazakh citizens temporarily working in the UK, as well as facilitating the exchange of information, expertise, and best practices in labor rights protection.
During his visit to London, Deputy Minister Vassilenko also met with Nusrat Ghani, First Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons, to discuss the prospects for developing inter-parliamentary dialogue. Additionally, he held a series of working meetings with representatives of the British expert community, including the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
For reference: The Kazakhstan-UK Strategic Dialogue is an institutional mechanism for bilateral cooperation. Since 2013, its meetings have served as an effective platform for reviewing key areas of the bilateral relationship and exchanging views on regional and international agendas.
The United Kingdom is one of Kazakhstan’s largest investors, with total investments exceeding 18 billion US dollars. Around 550 companies with British participation currently operate in Kazakhstan.
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