Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Ádám Stifter held another round of Kazakh-Hungarian political consultations in Budapest, DKNews.kz reports.
The agenda of the consultations encompassed the issues of strengthening trustful political cooperation, enhancing mutual trade, implementation of joint investment projects, transport and logistics, the agro-industrial complex, energy, education, etc.
The officials confirmed that a sustainable political dialogue has been established between Kazakhstan and Hungary, maintaining mutual understanding on the most pressing issues of the current geopolitical situation. Mutual support of the parties’ initiatives aligning with their national interests is ensured on various international platforms. In this connection, the diplomats stressed the importance of the outcomes of the visit of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary to Astana and his meeting with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as well as the visit of Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan to Budapest in November 2023, all of which gave a powerful impetus to the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
Vassilenko and Stifter expressed satisfaction with the growth of bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Hungary, which amounted to 187.6 million US dollars in 2023 (+8.9%) according to the Kazakh statistics.
In this regard, Ádám Stifter underscored Hungary’s commitment to further bolstering trade and economic ties, highlighting Kazakhstan as its leading partner in Central Asia.
The parties updated the list of priority joint business projects and agreed to strengthen interaction in specific sectors of the economy, including energy, agriculture, and banking.
They paid special attention to Kazakhstan’s cooperation with the European Union, particularly in light of Hungary’s upcoming Presidency in the EU Council in the second half of 2024.
Having wished Hungary success in this important mission at the crucial time for the EU, the Kazakh diplomat expressed confidence in its effective execution for the benefit of the European Union and its partners, such as Kazakhstan.
The diplomats noted with satisfaction the existence of centuries-old historical ties and fraternal relations between the peoples of the two countries.
In this context, the parties discussed the state and prospects of development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, reviewed the progress of effective use of “Stipendium Hungaricum” program, which provides an opportunity for Kazakh students to study in Hungarian universities, as well as preparation for the 5th World Nomad Games this fall in Astana.
During the visit, Roman Vassilenko also met with the Director of the Hungarian Institute of International Relations Márton Schőberl. They had an insightful exchange of views on topical issues on the multilateral agenda. Both parties expressed mutual interest in further expanding cooperation between research institutions in Kazakhstan and Hungary.
Since 2005, the gross inflow of direct investment from Hungary to Kazakhstan amounted to 320 million US dollars.
There are 29 legal entities, branches and representative offices of companies with the Hungarian participation registered in Kazakhstan and along with 41 joint ventures.
One thousand Kazakh students are currently enrolled in higher education institutions in Hungary, with Hungary annually granting 250 scholarships for this purpose.
