On June 30, Astana hosted the 3rd round of Kazakh-Canadian political consultations, during which the parties exchanged views on the prospects of further developing diplomatic relations and on the issues of regional and international agenda, QazMonitor reports citing the ministry of foreign affairs.
Kairat Umarov, the first deputy minister of foreign affairs, met with the Canadian delegation led by Sandra McCardell, the assistant deputy minister for Europe, Arctic, Middle East, and Maghreb, at Global Affairs Canada.
During the meeting, the diplomats emphasized the importance of implementing previously agreed political agreements, expanding trade and investment cooperation, and intensifying interaction within international organizations.
Minister McCardell highlighted that Canada considers Kazakhstan as its most important commercial partner in Central Asia and that Ottawa intends to expand bilateral contacts on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.
"Kazakhstan, with a bilateral trade volume surpassing $1 billion in 2022 with Canada, is a respected ally in the world arena, with whom we are cooperating on many priority issues of the international agenda," added McCardell.
Additionally, the parties discussed facilitating the visa regime for Kazakh citizens in Canada and expanding the bilateral legal framework. It is expected that these efforts will increase the volume of attracted investments and facilitate mutual travel, which will have a positive impact on businesses, tourists, and cultural contacts.