Visa, trade and Rare Earths: Key takeaways from Tokayev–von der Leyen meeting

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) on 3 April on the sidelines of the landmark Central Asia – European Union summit, which will take place tomorrow in Samarkand. The meeting focused on expanding cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in key areas such as the economy, digitalization and innovation, writes Aida Haidar.

According to the Akorda press service, both leaders welcomed the progress in launching negotiations for an agreement to simplify the visa issuance process between Kazakhstan and the European Commission.

President Tokayev emphasized that the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement remains the foundation of Kazakhstan’s engagement with the EU. He outlined four priority areas for deepening collaboration: energy, infrastructure and industrial projects, the development of transport and logistics networks, and digital innovations, including advanced technologies and artificial intelligence.

For her part, Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the importance of joint transport and logistics initiatives, notably the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. She also congratulated President Tokayev on Kazakhstan’s recent breakthrough in rare earth metals exploration, a development that could significantly enhance the country’s role in global supply chains. 

The Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction announced on 2 April that geologists from Karagandy, working under a state-backed exploration program, identified vast deposits at the Kuirektykol site. Initial estimates point to around one million tons of rare earth metals. The most promising zones, Irgiz and Dos 2, have shown mineralization levels exceeding 0.1%, with some samples reaching an impressive 0.25%. These findings position Kazakhstan as a potential key supplier of critical minerals essential for high-tech industries, including renewable energy, electronics and defense.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue within the C5+EU format and discussed pressing regional and international issues.

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