The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, visited Kazakhstan on Thursday 27 October, where he met the country’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The two interlocutors celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the EU and Kazakhstan and pledged to develop cooperation in the future.
“Central Asia and Europe are coming closer together and becoming more and more connected”, insisted Charles Michel. The EU is, in fact, Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner and also the largest foreign investor in the country.
The two leaders indicated that a memorandum of understanding on critical raw materials, batteries and hydrogen would soon be signed between the EU and Kazakhstan. This should lead to a strategic partnership on sustainable feedstocks, batteries and renewable hydrogen value chains.
The EU has been seeking for several months to secure its supply chains by strengthening trade, in particular with Central Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
The relationship between the two parties is governed by an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). Mr Michel and Mr Tokayev both stressed that this must be implemented 100%. According to them, potential in the green economy, energy efficiency, digitisation and connectivity should be particularly exploited.
The President of the European Council used the exchange to encourage Kazakhstan in its reforms to strengthen democracy. He also highlighted the importance, for the EU, of carrying out “a full, fair and transparent investigation into the events of January”. Kazakhstan experienced violent protests earlier this year (see EUROPE 12865/20, 12862/12).
Charles Michel also mentioned the case of neighbouring Afghanistan, where things are going “in the wrong direction”, according to him. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)