The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will pay an official visit to Brussels on 22–23 June at the invitation of the President of the Council of the European Union, António Costa. The programme includes talks with Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, a meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever, and a round-table discussion with the heads of major European companies.
It is significant that, alongside talks with EU leaders, the programme includes a separate meeting with European business representatives. This suggests that the visit is focused not only on political dialogue, but also on promoting economic cooperation and attracting investment.
Tokayev’s visit is taking place against the backdrop of intensified contacts between Kazakhstan and European countries. For instance, on 18–20 June, the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, visited Astana for the first time in history. Montenegro is a candidate for EU membership, and the development of dialogue with Podgorica can be seen as part of Kazakhstan’s broader policy of expanding its foreign policy focus towards Europe – both through engagement with EU institutions and through individual European states.
The European Union remains Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner and investor. According to official statements, over the past 20 years the total volume of European investment has exceeded 200 billion euros, and Kazakhstan accounts for around 80 per cent of all EU trade with Central Asian countries.
