Tokayev to depart for state visit to Pakistan

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was welcomed by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the airport in Islamabad, Qazinform News Agency cites Akorda.

The formal ceremonial welcome featured the guard of honor and 21-gun salute for the Kazakh President’s state visit to Pakistan. There was also a group of children, waving the flags of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

 

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev held a meeting with Utsav Kumar, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Kazakhstan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The Asian Development Bank is one of Kazakhstan’s key international partners, with cooperation spanning more than 30 years and having acquired a long-term and strategic character.

At the same time, he emphasized the importance of increasing the efficiency of ongoing projects and ensuring their practical contribution to Kazakhstan’s further socio-economic development.

The First Deputy Minister briefed the ADB Country Director on the large-scale economic and constitutional reforms underway in Kazakhstan, highlighting the importance of aligning project selection processes with the priorities of the transformations being implemented in the country.

In turn, Utsav Kumar noted the close and constructive cooperation between ADB and the Government of Kazakhstan, emphasizing that over the years of partnership the Bank has invested more than 7.5 billion US dollars in the country’s economy. He also expressed ADB’s readiness to further deepen the partnership and expand the portfolio of socially and economically significant projects.

The parties discussed the upcoming visit of ADB President Masato Kanda to Kazakhstan in spring 2026, which is regarded as a confirmation of the strategic nature of the partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and ADB.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to continue cooperation with ADB and its representation in Kazakhstan on issues of mutual interest.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia Madiyar Menilbekov held a meeting with the chairman of the Gulf Research Center and prominent regional expert, Abdulaziz Sager, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the Ambassador informed his interlocutor on the key priorities outlined in President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the 5th Session of the National Kurultai, as well as on the large-scale constitutional reforms to be put forward for a nationwide referendum.

M.Menilbekov provided detailed information on the transition to a unicameral Parliament, the introduction of the position of Vice-President, and the establishment of the People’s Council of Kazakhstan.

For his part, A.Sager expressed interest in Kazakhstan’s constitutional reforms and gave a positive assessment of the country’s political and socio-economic modernization processes. He noted that these reforms would become one of the most significant political milestones in Kazakhstan’s history.

 

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Kenya Barlybay Sadykov held meetings with the Deputy Director General of Europe and the Commonwealth Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Judy Njau, Chief of Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Severine Luyali and President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Eric Rutto, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, the Kazakh diplomat informed his counterparts about the announced large-scale constitutional changes in Kazakhstan, aimed at further improving the effectiveness of public administration and building a "Fair Kazakhstan", which will be submitted to a national referendum.

The parties also exchanged views on current issues on the international agenda, reaffirming their commitment to close cooperation within multilateral structures.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached to strengthen cooperation across the entire spectrum of bilateral interaction, including in the areas of information and financial technology, space, transit and transport routes, including the use of Kenyan ports, agriculture, tourism, and scientific and cultural exchanges.

In addition, the parties agreed to continue interaction on issues of mutual interest and agreed on further joint measures to expand cooperation, including within the framework of four expert groups established by Kazakhstan and Kenya in the areas of trade and investment, transport, information technology, and tourism.

 

Consul General of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong SAR, Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, held a series of meetings with representatives of Hong Kong's business community and development institutions to enhance business cooperation in Kazakhstan's investment projects, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Specifically, negotiations were held with representatives of "China Kingstone Mining Holdings Limited", where mining projects were presented to the Hong Kong company. Given the company's experience in managing projects from development through production and sales, a preliminary agreement was reached on further cooperation.

At a meeting with Chris Lo, Regional Director for Central Asia and Europe at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and Casey Lam, Deputy Director for International Markets, Consulates, and Chambers of Commerce at the Investment Promotion Agency of Hong Kong SAR (InvestHK), practical steps to activate bilateral business cooperation were discussed. The parties exchanged substantive views on increasing trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong by boosting exports from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Consul General presented over 200 export items from JSC "Trade Policy Development Center "QazTrade".

The Hong Kong side, in turn, invited Kazakhstani producers to actively participate in the "Hong Kong Food Expo", organized by the HKTDC in 2026.

The parties also emphasized the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI), information and communications technology (ICT), and the development of modern trade infrastructure and logistics. In this regard, HKTDC representatives invited a number of Kazakhstani companies to participate in the "InnoEX" forum, which will be held in April 2026.

The Consul General noted the large influx of foreign tourists to the Republic of Kazakhstan in the coming years. In this regard, InvestHK representatives expressed interest in the construction of hotel complexes in Kazakhstan, emphasizing the potential of this area for the development of tourism infrastructure.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to organize a visit by Hong Kong entrepreneurs to Kazakhstan in the first half of 2026 and to further promote joint initiatives.

 

An event titled "Trade Facilitation between Central Asia and the Republic of Korea" was held in Seoul, organized by the Korea Customs Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

Key areas of customs cooperation were discussed, along with practical measures to facilitate trade and streamline customs procedures.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea Nurgali Arystanov emphasized the importance of further strengthening customs cooperation and creating favorable conditions for foreign trade operators, which will contribute to growing bilateral trade and business activity. In this context, he also noted that President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attaches special importance to the development of transport and transit potential as a key element in strengthening trade and economic ties between Asia and Europe.

The parties also underscored the importance of advancing cooperation in the digitalization of customs procedures, including the use of artificial intelligence and big data analytics, and expressed readiness to exchange experience and best practices.

The Head of Korea Customs Service, Lee Myeong-gu, for his part, pointed to the strong transport and logistics potential of Central Asian countries, highlighting their role as an important bridge between Asia and Europe, and stressed the importance of promoting the Digital Silk Road concept to support paperless trade.

Overall, the event confirmed the positive dynamic in cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea and the parties’ commitment to further deepen collaboration focused on simplifying procedures and expanding mutual trade.

It should be noted that Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea have a Joint Customs Cooperation Committee, which considers current and practical issues of customs administration. By the end of 2025, bilateral trade reached 3.2 billion US dollars, increasing by 1.4%.

 

A meeting was held between Ambassador Bolat Imanbayev and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Mnatsakan Safaryan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the negotiations, the sides reviewed the outcomes of bilateral cooperation over the past year, noting the steady positive dynamics and practical orientation of Kazakh-Armenian relations. It was emphasized that regular political dialogue and the consistent implementation of the reached agreements have contributed to expansion of cooperation across a wide range of areas and elevating relations to the level of a strategic partnership.

Ambassador of Kazakhstan outlined the key areas of the constitutional reform, highlighting their focus on modernizing the system of public administration and strengthening the resilience of state institutions.

Particular attention was paid to practical aspects of bilateral cooperation, including increasing mutual trade, stimulating investment activity, expanding industrial and technological cooperation, as well as implementing joint projects in the trade and economic sphere. The parties reviewed the progress in implementing the agreements reached following the official visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan to Kazakhstan. In this context, the relevance of resuming direct air flights between the two countries was confirmed as an important element for intensifying business, humanitarian, and tourist contacts.

The sides discussed a plan of joint events for the current year and confirmed their readiness to continue regular contacts and practical work aimed at further strengthening and the progressive development of Kazakh-Armenian relations.

 

As part of an official visit to Ankara, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yermek Kosherbayev, was received by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, President Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation within the framework of an enhanced strategic partnership, emphasizing the importance of further deepening comprehensive and multifaceted engagement between the two countries.

In turn, Minister Kosherbayev conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to the Turkish leader on behalf of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and informed him about the progress in implementing agreements reached at the highest and high levels.

The parties discussed avenues and prospects for further strengthening Kazakh-Turkish relations based on brotherhood and strong friendship. They highly appreciated the close coordination between Kazakhstan and Türkiye within international organizations, including in the framework of Turkic integration, in a spirit of mutual trust and support, and noted the similarity of their positions on key global and regional issues.