Brussels, 7 July 2026 – The Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union hosted another session of the “Shanyrak Dialogue” discussion platform in Brussels, bringing together representatives of the European Union institutions, the diplomatic corps, the business community, think tanks, and academia to discuss key issues of Kazakhstan–EU cooperation.

Opening the event, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the European Union, Roman Vassilenko, noted that the meeting was taking place following the official visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to Brussels, which provided a strong impetus for the further development of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union.

He emphasized that bilateral cooperation continues to expand across transport and logistics, energy, critical raw materials, digitalization, innovation, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Particular attention was given to the practical outcomes of the President’s visit, including the signing of more than 30 commercial agreements worth over US$12 billion (€10.6 billion), the conclusion of the Horizontal Aviation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union, as well as strengthened cooperation with the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and leading European companies.

The Ambassador also underlined that the strategic partnership between Astana and Brussels has entered a new qualitative stage, accompanied by a new phase of institutional reforms in Kazakhstan marked by the entry into force of the country’s new Constitution on 1 July 2026. He stressed that the ongoing reforms are aimed at further strengthening the rule of law, improving public governance, and creating a more favorable environment for international cooperation and investment.

The keynote speaker of the event was Audrone Perkauskiene, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS), who congratulated Kazakhstan on the successful outcomes of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Brussels and on the entry into force of the country’s new Constitution.

She noted that the political dialogue between Kazakhstan and the European Union continues to deepen, recalling that over the past year, President of the European Council António Costa had met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on four occasions, while Kazakhstan had welcomed eight high-level visits by heads of states and governments of the European Union member states.

According to Ms. Perkauskiene, Kazakhstan and the European Union are advancing a strategic partnership built on mutual trust and respect, as well as a shared commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, multilateral cooperation, and international law.

She highlighted Kazakhstan’s significant contribution to Europe's energy security and the development of transport connectivity. She also warmly welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the Agreements between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union on Visa Facilitation and Readmission, emphasizing their importance for strengthening people-to-people contacts.

During the interactive discussion, participants reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further advancing the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union, implementing joint projects, and expanding cooperation across priority areas.

Established by the Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union, the “Shanyrak Dialogue” discussion platform continues to serve as an open forum for exchanges among representatives of government institutions, EU bodies, the expert community, the business sector, and academia on key issues of Kazakhstan–EU cooperation.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-brussels/press/news/details/1254734?lang=ru