President Maurer meets President Tokayev in Kazakhstan
Bern, 22.11.2019 - On Friday, 22 November, President Ueli Maurer held talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Askar Mamin in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan. He was accompanied by a delegation of Swiss business representatives. Discussions focused on the further deepening of bilateral relations and cooperation at international level.
President Maurer commended Kazakhstan as an important partner for Switzerland in Central Asia and as an anchor of stability in the region. More than 40 Swiss companies already operate in the country, some of which have been there for over 20 years, and Switzerland is the third largest investor in Kazakhstan. Mr Maurer congratulated President Tokayev on his election in the summer and proposed that the two countries should not only trade with each other in goods, but also in knowledge.
Discussions focused in particular on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was commended as a bridge between Asia and Europe and which should offer both countries the opportunity to engage in major infrastructure and investment projects. In the spring, Switzerland and China signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing which will facilitate cooperation between Switzerland, China and third countries.
In their meeting with the president and the prime minister, the delegation of Swiss business representatives primarily discussed the requirements for even closer and more diversified economic relations. The progressive integration in Central Asia was the central theme of a round table with business representatives from both countries.
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