On February 14, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan held talks with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the Amiri Diwan in Qatar, Akorda reported. The high-level meeting was marked by warm greetings and the playing of national anthems, signifying the beginning of discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
President Tokayev, expressing his delight at the invitation to visit Qatar, emphasized the profound importance of the trip, marking his inaugural state visit to the nation. He proposed elevating the relationship between Kazakhstan and Qatar to a full-fledged strategic partnership, highlighting the mutual significance and potential for cooperation across various sectors.
“Qatar is our reliable and important partner in the Islamic world. I think it is time to give a new impetus to our bilateral relations. In this regard, I propose to raise mutual relations between Kazakhstan and Qatar to the level of a full-fledged strategic partnership. I am confident that the agreements to be signed today during my visit will shape the strategic nature of our cooperation. We attach great importance to our relations as Qatar is a special country for us. We are ready to make every effort to further strengthen bilateral ties. I express my gratitude for your hospitality," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev voiced.
In response, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani welcomed President Tokayev's visit and anticipated that the meeting would further enhance the ties between the two countries. Acknowledging previous engagements in Astana, the Emir underlined the importance of building upon past agreements to foster economic, trade, and investment partnerships. He particularly emphasized the potential for collaboration in energy-related projects and encouraged interactions between major companies from both nations.
“Today's talks will allow us to follow up on the implementation of the agreements reached at the previous negotiations and outline plans. Within the scope of our interaction, we are interested in energy, trade, economic, and investment projects. I hope that today`s meetings with representatives of major companies will promote partnership in these areas," Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani shared.
Reflecting on the historical rapport between Kazakhstan and Qatar over the past three decades, President Tokayev underscored the robust political dialogue, expanding economic collaboration, and fruitful cultural exchanges between the two countries. He expressed confidence in Qatar emerging as one of the top investors in Kazakhstan and proposed ambitious targets to boost trade turnover between the two nations.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is confident that Qatar will soon rank among the top ten largest investors in Kazakhstan. He expressed Kazakhstan's willingness to boost exports to Qatar by $250mn worth of non-commodity items and proposed increasing trade turnover to $500mn in the near future. Discussions between the parties covered agriculture, transportation, logistics, and tourism. The Kazakh leader urged Qatar to collaborate on developing an intermodal transportation network linking the Gulf and Central Asia to stimulate regional economic activities.
Furthermore, Tokayev also shared Kazakhstan's plans to expand irrigated land to 3 mn hectares, given its status as one of the world's top wheat and flour producers. He emphasized the potential for agricultural sector cooperation. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties, with a proposal to host Culture Days of Kazakhstan and Qatar in both capitals in 2025. These events aim to foster closer connections between people and highlight their rich cultural heritage.
Following the talks, several agreements were signed, including those related to extradition, mutual legal assistance in criminal cases, and the regulation of employment. Memoranda of cooperation were established in various fields, including digital development, social protection, youth programs, and integrity promotion.
Additionally, agreements were reached on the implementation of energy and gas projects, further solidifying the economic partnership between the two nations.
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