The first group of Kazakh civil servants has enrolled in training for diplomats and officials from Central Asian countries working with the European Union, El.kz cites MFA.
The short-term courses, organized at the prestigious College of Europe, a leading institute on European affairs, include familiarization with foreign, trade, climate and transport policy, EU industry standards, simulation of negotiation processes, as well as meetings with European officials.
From Kazakhstan, employees of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministries of Trade and Integration, Agriculture, Ecology and Natural Resources, Water Resources and irrigation take part in the training.
Welcoming the participants of the training at the inaugural meeting, the Rector of the College, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini shared her vision of the future of interregional cooperation, emphasizing the special role of mutual trust and interest at the highest level between the Central Asian states and the EU. She believes that college-based trainings will become a regular area of cooperation, expanding and adapting the program in accordance with the areas of cooperation.
Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Russia, the Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and the OSCE, welcomed the expansion of interregional cooperation and stressed that the courses meet the needs of dynamic cooperation.
In turn, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium Margulan Baimukhan thanked the parties for jointly promoting the initiative and congratulated the participants on passing the selection to a highly competitive educational institution. According to the Kazakh diplomat, the success of interregional cooperation partly depends on the involvement and training of employees of sectoral government agencies, and the inaugural courses in Bruges will have a positive impact on the dynamics of our relations with the EU.
He drew attention of the participants to the great potential of sectoral cooperation with the EU, which can improve the well-being of citizens, create new opportunities for entrepreneurs in the region and expand the geography of mutually beneficial partnerships for Central Asia.
The educational initiative is part of the agreements on the development of cooperation in the field of higher education reached during the meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the President of the European Council Charles Michel was born on July 2, 2023 in Cholpon-Ata and is in line with the goals of the Roadmap to strengthen ties between the EU and Central Asia.