EU Ambassador: Tokayev's Brussels Visit Strengthens Kazakhstan-EU Strategic Partnership

Kazakh President Kasım-Jomart Tokayev's recent official visit to Brussels is seen as an indicator of the further strengthening of the strategic partnership between the country and the European Union. Meeting with journalists in Astana, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aleška Simkić evaluated the strategic importance of this visit and the future of cooperation between the two parties in a statement on July 3. Simkić emphasized that Tokayev's contacts in Brussels went beyond a standard diplomatic visit, facilitating concrete steps in areas such as transport, trade, and digitalization. He stated that the roundtable meetings with the business world represented a significant opportunity for European companies interested in the Kazakh economy. The prominence of companies that had previously signed agreements or were currently active in Kazakhstan in these discussions signals a deepening of existing commercial ties. The Ambassador expressed the view that all these developments would take relations between Kazakhstan and the EU to a new level.

One of the most curious and discussed topics of the visit was the potential agreement to facilitate the Schengen visa process for Kazakh citizens. Providing information on the subject, Ambassador Simkić explained that the visa facilitation and readmission agreement is still in the approval phase and that it is not possible to give a specific date. He warned that the agreement process depends on the approval of EU member states and that these bureaucratic procedures could take months. However, Simkić stated that they hope the process will be completed soon, as this issue is among the topics of most interest to Kazakh journalists and the wider public. He expressed that once the agreement enters into force, a visa application will still be required, but the process will operate much faster and at a lower cost. He added that document requirements would be standardized for all EU member states and that a 'gradual system' would provide more flexibility in issuing multiple-entry visas.

In addition to the economic and trade dimensions of the Brussels visit, concrete steps taken in the field of critical raw materials also revealed the depth of the strategic cooperation between the two sides. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Kazakh government signed a memorandum of understanding to support the establishment of an internationally accredited chemical-analytical laboratory in Astana. This project is viewed as an important part of Kazakhstan's strategy to transform from a position of merely extracting natural resources into a center that analyzes and evaluates them. The laboratory idea, first brought to the agenda by Tokayev at the EU-Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand in April 2025, was placed on a concrete footing during the visit. Simkić emphasized that the signed memorandum was made with the EBRD and an expert French company in chemical analysis, and that the laboratory aimed not only at mining extraction but also at determining the quality and safety of mines locally.

Another of the cornerstones of bilateral relations was highlighted as the strengthening of education and people-to-people contacts. Ambassador Simkić noted that new cooperation opportunities in the field of education were discussed during Tokayev's visit and that agreements in this area would have long-term effects. In particular, increasing education opportunities in Europe for young Kazakh students and academics will contribute to strengthening the dialogue between the two cultures. During Tokayev's contacts in Brussels, comprehensive meetings were held not only at the level of heads of state but also with civil society and business representatives. The intense interest from business representatives clearly shows the confidence European companies have in the Kazakh market and investment environment. Simkiç said that such visits are usually followed by concrete trade agreements and investment projects, and that the current visit was very productive in this regard.

Looking at the general picture, Tokayev's Brussels visit can be evaluated as a successful example of Kazakhstan's multi-foreign policy strategy. The Astana administration, aiming to deepen relations with the EU both politically and economically, made progress in strategic areas such as transport, digitalization, and trade with this visit. While developments on the visa issue involve technical details and bureaucratic processes, they carry the potential to increase interaction between ordinary people. Similarly, technical projects like the critical raw materials laboratory show that economic cooperation is not limited to raw material trade but extends to technology transfer and knowledge sharing. The $12 billion agreements and cooperation protocols signed in Brussels seem to strengthen Kazakhstan's role in global supply chains. This visit proves that Kazakhstan is progressing decisively in its integration process with the West and is establishing its strategic partnerships on a sustainable basis.