Presidents of Kazakhstan and Estonia Held Talks

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed President of Estonia Alar Karis, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a state visit.

The high-level talks were preceded by an official welcoming ceremony at the Akorda residence. The two leaders introduced members of their official delegations. The commander of the honor guard delivered the welcoming report to the heads of state. Following the playing of the national anthems, the presidents held a tête-à-tête meeting.

– I am pleased to meet with you during your state visit to Kazakhstan. We regard Estonia as one of our important strategic partners and hold deep respect for the history, traditions, and culture of the Estonian people. I am glad that our relations continue to develop steadily. We have no major issues or obstacles. At the same time, there is considerable untapped potential for cooperation, which must be realized. I am confident that your visit will give strong momentum to our further cooperation and friendship. Indeed, certain barriers remain in our mutual trade, but we also see progress. We are very interested in accessing your seaports and boosting trade with your country, as well as maintaining constructive contacts within international organizations – primarily the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and others. I hope your visit will also give fresh momentum to our cultural ties, – said President Tokayev.

In turn, Alar Karis thanked Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the warm reception extended to him.

– Our relations are at a very good level. Of course, certain obstacles remain, but they can be overcome. Sometimes we do not even realize that it is not so difficult. Our business communities are already actively discussing joint projects. Several meetings are planned, and we expect to sign a number of memorandums of understanding and advance many initiatives. I look to the future with great optimism and hope that new contacts will support this progress. The current geopolitical situation is far from stable, but we must jointly address and overcome emerging challenges. You mentioned the United Nations – it is indeed a key institution that clearly needs certain reforms to reduce conflicts and wars worldwide, – noted the President of Estonia.

The talks continued in an expanded format with the participation of both delegations.

During the meeting, the heads of state discussed priority areas of economic cooperation. The parties reviewed issues related to trade and investment, digitalization and artificial intelligence, transport and logistics, industrial cooperation, agriculture, critical minerals, as well as education and science.

President Tokayev reaffirmed that Estonia is a reliable and trusted partner of Kazakhstan within the European Union.

– This visit marks a new chapter in the mutually beneficial partnership between Kazakhstan and Estonia. Kazakhstan regards Estonia as a highly important partner in the Baltic region and in the European Union as a whole. Estonia’s modern accomplishments in building an innovative and prosperous state are impressive.
Estonia is a leader and a global example in building a digital state, digital government, digital society, and promoting openness, transparency, and civic participation. We also appreciate Estonia’s strong commitment to upholding the rule of law, advancing education, and ensuring sustainable development, – the Head of State emphasized.

President Tokayev noted the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation, stressing that Kazakhstan and Estonia have built a solid partnership across all areas. He highlighted the open and constructive nature of political dialogue and the important role of inter-parliamentary contacts in strengthening mutual understanding.

The Head of State stated that the two countries cooperate within international organizations and share similar approaches to key regional and global issues, including ensuring peace, stability, and sustainable development.

Special attention was given to economic cooperation, traditionally one of the most significant components of bilateral relations.

It was noted that since 2005, Estonia’s direct investments in Kazakhstan’s economy have exceeded 128 million USD. More than 80 Estonian companies operate successfully in Kazakhstan today, including in logistics (CF&S Kazakhstan LLP), postal services (Omniva), and digital platforms (Bolt).

The President underlined that the participation of a large Estonian business delegation demonstrates Tallinn’s genuine interest in expanding cooperation and expressed readiness to provide comprehensive support to Estonian companies.

President Tokayev emphasized that deepening cultural and humanitarian ties adds unique value to the friendship between the two countries. Education and science also remain among the most promising areas of bilateral cooperation.

President Alar Karis stated that Kazakhstan is Estonia’s most important economic partner in Central Asia.

– Estonia is ready to serve as your gateway to the EU market. Beyond the transit and logistics you mentioned, Estonian businesses are ready to invest in Kazakhstan. Our business delegation includes 40 companies working in logistics, transit, ICT, cybersecurity, as well as education and technology. Estonia is a member of the European Union, and we welcome the fact that Central Asia – with Kazakhstan as the regional leader – is a strategic partner of the EU.
The European Union intends to strengthen our cooperation in transport and connectivity under the Global Gateway initiative, aiming to develop alternative transport corridors, – said the President of Estonia.

In conclusion, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev once again thanked President Alar Karis for his visit, emphasizing that he regards the meeting as a genuine symbol of friendship and a valuable opportunity to further deepen cooperation.

Following the talks, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Alar Karis adopted a Joint Statement.