Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Katrougalos, visits Kazakhstan (5-6 February 2018)

Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Katrougalos, carried out a two-day visit to Kazakhstan on 5 and 6 February, accompanied by a large business mission headed by the Vice President of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), K. Bitsios.

Τhe Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs met with, among others, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, R. Vassilenko, the Vice Minister of Investments, A. Kabikenov, the Vice Minister of Agriculture, G. Isayeva, the Deputy Energy Minister, M. Mirzagaliev, the Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre, K. Kelimbetov, and the President of Nazarbayev University, S. Katsu. More than twenty Greek professors teach At Nazarbayev University, which was founded in cooperation with the World Bank. The dean of the School of Science and Technology, V. Tourassis, is a former professor at the Democritus University of Thrace.

Mr. Katrougalos opened the Economic Forum of Greek and Kazakh entrepreneurs yesterday in Astana, and delivered a speech on the Future of Europe at KAZGUU University, attended by members of the diplomatic corps.

Kazakhstan is one of the main economic powers of Central Asia and a key economic partner of Greece, supplying 25% of its crude oil. This visit further promoted the very good bilateral economic relations between Greece and Kazakhstan. The next step in the two countries’ economic cooperation is the upcoming interministerial meeting, which will convene in Athens in the second half of 2018.