Kazakhstan is strengthening its mediation expertise.
Astana and Bern have agreed to expand cooperation on preventive diplomacy and exchange practical experience in resolving and preventing conflicts, DKNews.kz reports.
The issue was discussed during Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov’s working visit to Switzerland, where he met with Ambassador Tim Enderlin, Director of the Peace and Human Rights Division of Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The talks focused not only on diplomatic principles but also on the practical tools used in mediation.
Kazakhstan looks to Switzerland’s decades of mediation expertise
During the meeting, the two sides discussed mediation and preventive diplomacy, including how specialists are trained for work in peace and mediation processes.
Switzerland has been building professional expertise in this field for decades. According to the information released following the meeting, Bern has accumulated extensive experience in preparing specialists directly involved in peacekeeping and mediation.
For Kazakhstan, this creates a practical area for cooperation: the countries can exchange expertise rather than limit their contacts to political consultations.
Issetov puts crisis prevention at the centre of talks
Arman Issetov stressed the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and pointed to dialogue and mediation as tools that can be used before a crisis escalates.
The Kazakh side linked preventive mechanisms with confidence-building, crisis prevention and the maintenance of international peace and security.
That emphasis shifts the focus from responding to conflicts after they erupt to strengthening diplomatic instruments capable of reducing risks at an earlier stage.
Expert exchanges may become the next area of cooperation
Tim Enderlin presented Switzerland’s approach to developing professional mediation capacity, including the training of specialists.
The discussion therefore covered a highly practical issue: how diplomatic expertise can be institutionalised and transferred to professionals who may later participate in peace and mediation processes.
Following the talks, Kazakhstan and Switzerland reaffirmed their interest in continuing expert exchanges and expanding cooperation in mediation and preventive diplomacy.
For Kazakhstan, the significance of the talks lies in access to accumulated Swiss expertise in a field that requires specialised training, practical methods and long-term institutional capacity.
Earlier, we also covered developments shaping Kazakhstan’s international agenda and foreign-policy cooperation in the region.
