Kazakhstan and ADB discussed prospects for cooperation in the coming years

The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov met with Utsav Kumar, the newly appointed Country Director of the Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank in Kazakhstan.

The discussion focused on ADB’s future activities in the country and the key priorities outlined in the Bank’s Country Partnership Strategy for Kazakhstan for 2023-2027. This strategy includes mitigating climate change, supporting decarbonization, promoting inclusive economic growth, strengthening governance, and capacity development.

Kairat Umarov highlighted the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation with the ADB, a partnership that has resulted in investments totaling 6.8 billion USD in loans, grants, and technical assistance in Kazakhstan. He also shared the government’s current efforts to promote socio-economic development and address the consequences of flooding, underscoring the country’s commitment to its development goals and strategies.

The ADB representative emphasized the importance of the ongoing reforms initiated by the President of Kazakhstan, which have been instrumental in accelerating the country’s development and improving the welfare of the people. He affirmed that ADB will continue to support Kazakhstan in cross-cutting areas such as private sector development, promoting gender equality, and strengthening and diversifying regional cooperation and integration as part of the country strategy.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from both sides to continue effective cooperation across various domains.

Utsav Kumar was born on 22 April 1977, and is a citizen of the Republic of India. He holds both PhD and Master’s degrees in Economics. He joined the Asian Development Bank in 2009. Prior to his appointment in Kazakhstan, Kumar served as Deputy Country Director of ADB’s Resident Mission in Sri Lanka.

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