On April 18, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired the 14th meeting of the Kazakhstan-European Union dialogue platform attended by heads of diplomatic missions of EU member states and top managers of several European companies.
Referencing the country’s devastating spring floods and the importance of expanding partnership with EU countries for the development of a sustainable water infrastructure, Bektenov stated, “The scale and consequences of the natural disaster require from us radically new approaches for the proper use of resources and avoidance of similar incidents in the future.”
Bektenov emphasized that Kazakhstan is especially interested in the best practices of European countries and companies, and welcomed discussions in which delegates shared their experience in the introduction of water-saving technologies and the development of the agro-industrial sector.
In turn, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, Kestutis Jankauskas, reported, “The water issue is a priority of our cooperation with Central Asia. Like other natural resources, water must have its price in order to be used efficiently. This will stimulate the introduction of more efficient technologies, and many European companies are ready to work in this direction.”
Having confirmed the EU’s readiness to transfer knowledge and technologies in the field of sustainable management of water basins and rivers, Mr Jankauskas announced that cooperation on agriculture and water management will be a focus of this year’s bilateral agenda.
