Kazakhstan and United States Hold 6th Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue

Washington, The Gulf Observer: The First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Akan Rakhmetullin, and the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, convened the 6th meeting of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue (ESPD) between Kazakhstan and the United States. The meeting, held in Washington, D.C., included representatives from various government agencies and departments from both countries, according to a report by the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The dialogue provided an opportunity for both parties to review the results of their joint efforts over the past period, align their perspectives on current bilateral and regional issues, and plan for the future development of their enhanced strategic partnership. Special emphasis was placed on political and economic cooperation, as well as human rights and social issues.

Discussions included the outcomes of the March visit to the United States by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu, and his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Rakhmetullin highlighted the alignment of President Tokayev’s political and democratic reforms with the main issues on the bilateral agenda and stressed the importance of infrastructure projects and transportation routes for bilateral trade and economic interaction. The talks also covered cooperation in the energy sector and critical minerals.

The U.S. side praised the steady progress of the bilateral partnership, particularly noting the projects initiated following the «C5+1» Presidential Summit last September.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the agreements reached on a mutually beneficial basis.

During the Kazakh delegation’s visit, separate meetings were held with members of the U.S. Administration, the leadership of the State Department, the Office of the Trade Representative, and other relevant U.S. agencies. Additionally, a roundtable with representatives of American civil society was held, where the Kazakh side provided updates on national legislation regarding human rights protection.

The parties agreed to hold the next meeting of the Kazakhstan-U.S. Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue in 2025 in Astana.