Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko delivered an online lecture on Kazakhstan's foreign policy to the staff of the Andorran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Principality's diplomatic missions abroad, El.kz cites MFA.
Opening the event, Andorran Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Ubach praised the ongoing extensive social and economic reforms initiated by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and wished our country success in the upcoming early presidential election.
Vassilenko elaborated on the main directions of Kazakhstan's foreign policy, which focuses on further strengthening relations with the countries of Central Asia and deepening cooperation with Russia, China, the USA and the European Union and other partners.
The parties noted the intensification of effective cooperation with the EU, in particular the recent visit of President of the European Council Charles Michel to Astana, the meeting of Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the COP27 Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, as well as the preparation for the visit of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in the coming days.
Speaking of Kazakhstan's active foreign-policy activity, Vassilenko said that over the past two months the country hosted a number of significant forums and visits, including the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the VI Summit of CICA, the CIS Council of Heads of State, as well as a number of state visits.
Speaking about the development of bilateral cooperation with Andorra, the Deputy Minister stressed its sustainable dynamic character, including productive contacts at the highest and high levels. Thus in September this year the President of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev met with the Head of the Government of Andorra Xavier Espot during the 77th UN General Assembly, in August this year took place the first in the history of bilateral relations official visit of the Andorran Minister of Foreign Affairs Ubah to Kazakhstan. Also, in March Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Sports Dauren Abayev took part in the 11th Winter and Mountain Tourism World Congress of the UN World Tourism Organisation in the capital of Andorra where he had several bilateral meetings with the leaders of the Principality.
During the webinar Vassilenko and Ubach mentioned again the first ever Kazakh-Andorran intergovernmental agreement on mutual visa waiver that was signed during the Andorran Foreign Minister's visit to Astana in August, which laid down a legislative basis for further fruitful cooperation between the countries.
Following the event, the parties expressed their mutual readiness to continue working together to strengthen bilateral relations and mutual support within international organisations, and confirmed their intention to organise next year Andorra Day in Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Day in Andorra on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations (January 30, 2023).