Bustling Bilateral Bonhomie: Kazakhstan and Russia's Booming Ties
Kazakhstan Prime Minister Set to Visit Moscow, Pursuing Enhanced Collaboration
Step into the realm of diplomatic dance, as Kazakhstan's newly-appointed prime minister makes his inaugural foreign visit to Russia on March 4, 2023. The trip, brimming with warmth and camaraderie, underscores the thriving state of bilateral relations between the two nations.
Russia seemingly harbors no economic apprehensions about Kazakhstan's loyalty, with nary a hint of concern in sight. This sentiment was echoed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who proudly proclaimed,
Mishustin's Kazakh counterpart, Olzhas Bektenov, wasted no time in reciprocating the praise with equal measures of enthusiasm.
Bektenov's office further emphasized this point by highlighting the robust cooperation between the two countries' companies. They are currently jointly developing a whopping 135 projects valued at an astounding $26.5 billion. To add icing to the cake, 67 joint projects worth $14 billion are being developed in key economic sectors, including mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and the chemical industry. This impressive collaboration is poised to create over 11,000 new jobs.
Russia views its relationship with Kazakhstan as a crucial component of a larger strategy to shift its trading partnerships away from Europe and towards the East. Mishustin underlined this point by referring to the "enormous potential" for cooperation between the two nations in the field of transport and logistics.
The talks between Bektenov and Mishustin also touched upon modernizing border infrastructure, particularly the need to enhance the efficiency of cross-border transit. A proposed plan aims to complete the reconstruction of 29 out of 30 identified crossings by the end of 2027, taking into account their workload.
While Russia treasures its relationship with Kazakhstan on its own terms, it also sees its southern neighbor as a cornerstone in its broader ambitions. However, the Western world is also eagerly courting Kazakhstan, particularly to advance an opposing agenda known as the Middle Corridor.
In line with this vision, European and other international financial institutions pledged to invest €10 billion ($10.2 billion) in January 2023 to develop infrastructure enabling the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route to expand.
Cultural and humanitarian connections also played a significant role in the Moscow discussions, with Mishustin pointing out the education of over 60,000 Kazakh students in Russia as a testament to the deep-rooted ties between the two countries. He additionally announced that an additional 200 places for Kazakh students would be allocated in Russian universities that academic year.
In a twist of geopolitical intrigue, the search results hint at Kazakhstan's potential role in the Middle Corridor, a strategy aimed at connecting Europe and Asia through alternative routes. However, the specifics of how the Middle Corridor fits into the existing projects between Russia and Kazakhstan remain elusive. Stay tuned for further updates on this engaging diplomatic dance unfolding in Eurasia!
- The booming ties between Kazakhstan and Russia have extended beyond politics, with Russia being Kazakhstan's top trading partner, reaching over 2.5 trillion rubles ($27.4 billion) in mutual trade last year.
- In the realm of education, over 60,000 Kazakh students are getting educated in Russia, strengthening the cultural and humanitarian connections between the two nations.
- Russia and Kazakhstan are also collaborating on health and general news, as an additional 200 places for Kazakh students were announced in Russian universities for the forthcoming academic year.
- The bilateral relationship also encompasses policy-and-legislation and finance, with the two countries jointly developing 135 projects valued at an astounding $26.5 billion, and 67 joint projects worth $14 billion in key economic sectors. This collaboration is poised to create over 11,000 new jobs.
