Finland: Minister Skinnari visits Kazakhstan

NordenBladet — Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Kazakhstan on 12–14 May.

The aim of the visit is to strengthen the commercial and economic relations between Finland and Kazakhstan. Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagalijev, who is the co-chair of the Finnish-Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, will host the visit. From Finland’s side, the Commission is co-chaired by Minister Skinnari. This is the first meeting between the chairs. During the trip, Minister Skinnari will have also other high-level meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss not only the strengthening of the commercial and economic cooperation but also other topical matters The Minister will be accompanied by a business delegation.      Kazakhstan is the biggest economy in Central Asia. Dependent on oil and raw materials, the country is trying to diversify its economy. Kazakhstan’s Recovery Plan for Economy, published last year, prioritises green growth, digitalisation and infrastructure. These sectors will open up good marketing opportunities for Finnish companies. Thanks to its central location, Kazakhstan also plays a key role in the development of logistics links from Europe to China.

“Kazakhstan is already the most important export market for Finland in Central Asia. It is centrally located when it comes to rail traffic to East Asia. Now is the time to agree on important matters for the whole decade. Integrating Finnish companies into a rapid growth track requires us all,” Skinnari says.