Ambassador of Kazakhstan Margulan Baimukhan handed over an exequatur and patent of the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the provinces of West Flanders, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant and Limburg to Joseph Lebon, a prominent Belgian entrepreneur. The festive ceremony took place at the Embassy of Kazakhstan, DKNews.kz reports.
The newly appointed Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan is an Executive Director of Allia Insurance Brokers NV, one of Belgium's largest insurance companies.
Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Baimukhan emphasized the importance of the institution of honorary consuls in diplomatic relations, which is an effective instrument for developing trade, economic, and cultural cooperation between the state they represent and the host country.
Lebon thanked for the confidence and assured that he will undertake all his best efforts to strengthen relations between Kazakhstan and Belgium.
The ceremony was also attended by Honorary Consuls of Kazakhstan in other Belgian provinces Olivier Willocx and Anna Susarova. Participants of the ceremony also discussed with the Ambassador joint plans for attracting foreign investments to Kazakhstan, promoting its exports and cultural heritage, expanding bilateral cooperation in scientific, educational and other areas.
An Honorary Consulate is an institution headed by an Honorary Consul (not career official), who, not being in the civil service of the representing state, performs on its behalf (on the basis of a patent) and with the consent of the host state (on the basis of exequatur) certain consular functions; including protection of the rights and interests of the represented state and its citizens, but excluding the issue of visas and other official documents.
