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This year marks 31 years since Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU) established diplomatic relations. The Central Asian country seeks to deepen cooperation not only with the EU bloc, but also with individual member states.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently made an official state visit to Paris, where he signed, alongside his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, an agreement on readmissions. This is the first pact of this type concluded by France with a Central Asian country.
This agreement comes in a context of strengthening bilateral ties between Paris and Astana. Emmanuel Macron spoke of a “strengthened strategic partnership” during his joint press statement with Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev. This partnership has seen trade flows increase in recent years.
In September, the Kazakh president received a German delegation led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on an official visit to Astana, during which the parties engaged in substantive discussions and signed three memorandums aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Olaf Scholz qualified d’« essential» Germany’s availability as a trade partner of Kazakhstan and the entire Central Asian region, highlighting the good conditions for deepening economic relations.
According to the German Foreign Ministry, trade between Germany and Kazakhstan have reached 8.75 billion euros in 2023, and around 400 German companies operate in the Central Asian republic.
Strategic cooperation
At the beginning of the year, Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev carried out another high-level visit to Italy, as the two countries seek to strengthen their strategic cooperation beyond key raw materials to include other areas of common interest, including technology and infrastructure.
Seven intergovernmental agreements and 16 trade memorandums were signed, including a key project to build a hybrid power plant in Kazakhstan, highlighting expanding economic ties.
According to the Caspian Policy CenterItaly will be Kazakhstan’s third largest trading partner in 2023, behind China and Russia, leaving behind other EU member states such as the Netherlands, France and Germany.
Mark Rutte, then Prime Minister of the Netherlands, was another prominent visitor to Astana. This visit was considered an important moment to give new impetus to the development of trade and economic relations with Amsterdam.
As part of this partnership, the two countries reinforce their ties in water management and agricultural expertise to address the critical challenges Central Asia faces in these sectors.
Need for diversification
All these efforts underline Kazakhstan’s desire to diversify its economy. Promising areas of collaboration, such as energy, trade, transport connectivity, food security, technology, governance and human rights, are sure to continue their momentum.
The EU and its member states consider Kazakhstan their main trading partner in Central Asia. The Union is the main foreign investor in the country, with a stock of foreign direct investment of 54.8 billion euros in 2022.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who envisions a “multi-vector” foreign policy, has already called for the revival of Central Asia as a bridge between East and West, underscoring his country’s growing political weight and of the wider region.
This proactive effort to diversify not only Kazakhstan’s economy, but also its foreign relations, is widely attributed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the geopolitical upheavals that followed.
Kazakhstan, however, must maintain a delicate balance due to its dependence on Russia, primarily for uranium. The Moscow-based Rosatom is one of four nuclear energy companies that wish build the recently approved nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.
However, experts estimate that the EU has an advantage in maintaining its position as Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner. The bloc enjoys a rather positive image among the Kazakh people and acts as a “standardizer» on several questions of direct interest.
Expertise and technical assistance
The EU and its Member States can, individually, provide expertise and technical assistance in areas where Kazakhstan urgently needs it. To take full advantage of this advantage, the Union is advised to design a comprehensive approach towards Kazakhstan.
This includes, among other things, focusing on the country’s judicial reform and insisting on transparency, supporting a new social and economic strategy and engaging with Kazakhstan on international issues, including implementation sanctions.
Whether the outcome of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will determine “fundamentally» Kazakhstan’s relations with the Kremlin and other international partners, experts believe will also define the country’s ability to carry out social, economic and political reforms.
They therefore encourage the EU to help Kazakhstan overcome this situation by helping it achieve real internal transformation, without allowing Russia or other external factors to take advantage of the country’s vulnerabilities.
**Considering the EU’s commitment to human rights and democratic values, how can it balance these with its economic and geopolitical interests in deepening its partnership with Kazakhstan?**
## Open-Ended Questions for Discussion Based on the Article:
**Kazakhstan’s Foreign Policy & Diversification Efforts**
1. **How significant is Kazakhstan’s move to diversify its partnerships beyond Russia, particularly in light of the geopolitical shifts following the Ukraine war?**
2. **What are the potential benefits and challenges for Kazakhstan in pursuing this “multi-vector” foreign policy?**
3. **Considering its dependence on Russia for uranium, how can Kazakhstan navigate this delicate balance between relying on Russia while diversifying its economic and political ties?**
**Kazakhstan’s relationship with the EU:**
4. **The article mentions the EU’s role as a “standardizer” for Kazakhstan. What specific areas can the EU focus on to utilize this advantage and deepen its relationship with Kazakhstan?**
5. **How can the EU effectively support Kazakhstan’s internal reforms while also addressing its concerns about Russia’s influence?**
6. **What are the potential economic and political benefits for both the EU and Kazakhstan in strengthening their partnership?
**Central Asia’s Geopolitical Landscape:**
7. **How do you see the ongoing geopolitical shifts impacting Kazakhstan’s role as a bridge between East and West?**
8. **What opportunities and challenges does this present for Central Asia as a whole?**
9. **How can the international community support the stability and prosperity of Central Asia in this rapidly changing geopolitical environment?**
**Thematic Sections:**
1. **Kazakhstan’s “Multi-Vector” Foreign Policy:** This section would explore Kazakhstan’s rationale for diversifying its partnerships, the challenges involved, and the potential impact on its relationship with Russia.
2. **The EU-Kazakhstan Partnership:** This section would delve into the benefits and challenges of the EU-Kazakhstan partnership, the opportunities for cooperation, and the EU’s role in supporting Kazakhstan’s internal reforms.
3. **Central Asia’s Geopolitical Future:** This section would examine the broader geopolitical implications of the changing landscape in Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s role in the region, and the potential for stability and prosperity.
These discussion questions are designed to be open-ended, encouraging critical thought, diverse perspectives, and insightful analysis of the complex issues surrounding Kazakhstan’s foreign policy and its relationships with the EU and Russia.
