Kazakhstan and Finland sign 15 agreements during Stubb’s visit

Astana, Oct 29 (EFE).- Kazakhstan and Finland have signed 15 bilateral agreements during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s visit to Central Asia’s largest republic, accompanied by a delegation of around 20 business leaders.

“One of the businesspeople in our delegation said that things happen very quickly in Kazakhstan, so we can’t afford to be slow or bureaucratic. It’s nice to hear that, as our countries have embarked on a path of active development,” Stubb said during a meeting Tuesday with his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The two leaders signed a package of 15 documents that included memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, agriculture, forestry and water management, tourism, hydrometeorological and agricultural observation, eco-friendly wooden housing construction, and joint measures to mitigate the effects of oil spills, among others.

Tokayev described Finland as “a key trading partner for Kazakhstan in Northern Europe and the European Union,” noting that Finnish investments in the country have totaled $500 million since 2005.

He highlighted Finland’s “globally recognized” standards in renewable energy, technology, digital innovation, environmental responsibility, and education, and invited Finnish companies to take advantage of Astana’s favorable conditions for foreign investors, which he said would give them access to the Central Asian market.

Following their talks, the two presidents issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to international law and the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states.

They also urged that conflicts be resolved through peaceful, political, and diplomatic means and stressed the importance of achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

The leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, and investment, particularly in energy, clean technologies, water and forest resource management, construction, information technology, infrastructure, transport, and logistics.

They underscored Kazakhstan’s key role in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), linking Europe and Asia, and voiced support for the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative aimed at assisting emerging and developing countries.

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