Cyprus Opens First Embassy in Central Asia in Astana

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA — Cyprus officially opened its embassy in Astana on June 3, establishing its first diplomatic mission in Central Asia and signaling a new stage in relations with Kazakhstan, the  Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service reported. Photo credit: gov.kz Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev described Cyprus as an important partner of Kazakhstan within the European Union. He noted that establishing a resident diplomatic mission would help strengthen political dialogue and expand cooperation between Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said the opening of Cyprus’s first embassy in Central Asia demonstrates Nicosia’s commitment to developing relations with Kazakhstan and deepening engagement with the region. He expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue to grow across a range of sectors. The embassy is expected to support stronger institutional ties, facilitate business contacts and create new opportunities for trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges. During talks in Astana, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President Christodoulides agreed to deepen economic and investment cooperation as the two countries seek to expand trade, investment and business ties. The leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in key sectors, including finance, transport, logistics, digitalization and tourism. They also reaffirmed their commitment to boosting business-to-business contacts and creating favorable conditions for new investment projects. The visit marked another step in the growing partnership between the two countries. Cyprus is among the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, with both sides expressing interest in unlocking new opportunities for economic collaboration and increasing bilateral trade. The post Cyprus Opens First Embassy in Central Asia in Astana appeared first on The Astana Times.