Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan is striving to build a knowledge-based economy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the Kazakhstan–EU roundtable, citing Akorda.
Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan is striving to build a knowledge-based economy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the Kazakhstan–EU roundtable, citing Akorda.
The Head of State presented the opportunities offered by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to representatives of European businesses. In his speech, the President emphasized that the AIFC ranks first in Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the Global Financial Centres Index. More than 5,800 companies from over 90 countries are registered with the AIFC, including nearly 250 from the EU. European companies have already invested $307 million in foreign direct investment through the AIFC in the form of equity financing.
Tokayev called on European financial and innovation institutions to continue cooperating with the AIFC in promoting sustainable finance and financial technologies.
Speaking about human capital development, the President of Kazakhstan emphasized that the EU is already a leading partner in science and education.
“Forty international academic and research centers are already operating across the country, including Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, the University of Lorraine and Marche Polytechnic University. Kazakhstan also actively cooperates with the EU through Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and other programs. We aim to build a knowledge-based economy. To achieve this goal, we have applied for associate membership in the next Horizon Europe framework program,” Tokayev said.
He added that Kazakhstan is not merely building an economy but also strengthening its role as a regional educational hub that trains highly qualified specialists for both Central Asia and other countries.
As a reminder, on Monday, June 22, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Brussels on an official visit. The following day, the Head of State held talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The parties discussed the further development of the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
A joint statement was adopted following the talks. In it, EU leaders reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation with Kazakhstan under the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in December 2015. According to von der Leyen, mutual trade between Kazakhstan and the EU has more than doubled in the 10 years since the agreement was signed.
