ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 3. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of implementing projects in the fields of transportation and logistics, including the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, during her meeting with the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on the sidelines of the "Central Asia – European Union" summit, Trend reports.
In the course of the meeting, the prospects for developing cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union in various sectors of the economy, digitalization, and innovation were also discussed. The parties positively assessed the start of procedures for concluding an agreement on simplifying the visa issuance process between Kazakhstan and the European Commission.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted that the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation remains the foundation for the multifaceted interaction between Kazakhstan and the EU. The President outlined four priority areas where Kazakhstan has the potential to deepen cooperation with Europe. These include energy, the implementation of major infrastructure and industrial projects, expanding transportation and logistics networks, and digital innovations, advanced technologies, and artificial intelligence.
For her part, Ursula von der Leyen noted the importance of implementing projects in the field of transportation and logistics. She also congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the opening of a large rare earth metals deposit in Kazakhstan.
The interlocutors agreed to continue working within the framework of the C5+EU dialogue platform and also discussed current regional and international issues.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand to participate in the "Central Asia – European Union" summit and the international conference "Central Asia in the Face of Global Climate Threats." Earlier, he held a meeting with President of the European Council Antonio Costa.