President of Kazakhstan Kassym Generous Tokayev met with President of Italy Sergio Mattarella at the Presidential Mansion in Akorda. During the meeting, bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed, Kazinform News Agency reported, citing the press service of Akorda.
Welcoming the Italian delegation in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, President Tokayev noted that the meeting was an excellent opportunity to discuss important issues of mutual interest in bilateral relations. “I have good memories that my visit to Italy was extremely successful thanks to your hospitality and willingness to create all conditions for productive negotiations. The two states have very close cooperation in various fields. Many Italian companies operate in our market. There is a rapid growth. Cultural and human ties are also developing dynamically. Therefore, I believe that very strong relations have been established between our countries,” he said. Italian President Sergio Mattarella also expressed his satisfaction with the meeting and said that the meeting was a demonstration of sincere friendship between the two countries. Mattarella noted that there is significant potential for the expansion of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Italy and noted that the state of bilateral relations is extremely positive. “We have really excellent relations in all areas – political, economic, trade and cultural,” he added.
During the meeting, the heads of state discussed in detail the prospects for the development of trade, economic and investment cooperation. President Tokayev emphasized that Italy ranks third among Kazakhstan’s largest trading partners and is also one of the five largest investors in the country’s economy. Last year, the volume of trade between the two countries reached about 20 billion dollars. About 250 Italian companies operating in Kazakhstan make significant contributions in the oil and gas industry, renewable energy, engineering and agriculture.
