Kazakh-European cooperation in the field of digitalization was discussed in Brussels at a roundtable on Digitalization and Connectivity: How Can EU and Kazakhstan Cooperate Better, co-organized by European Neighborhood Council and the Mission of Kazakhstan to the EU, El.kz cites MFA.
The event was attended by senior officials from leading European institutions, experts, business, diplomats and the mass media.
“Digitalization is a powerful tool for the future of new Kazakhstan, and the digital transformation determines the competitiveness of companies, nations and even entire regions. Kazakhstan has set itself a strategic task to become one of the largest digital hubs in the continent,” said Ambassador Margulan Baimukhan, Head of Kazakhstan’s Mission to the EU, in his welcoming remarks. In this regard he reminded that Kazakhstan achieved considerable progress in meeting the related challenges and today, for example, occupies the high 28th place in the UN E-government Development Ranking.
“Our priorities align with the ones set by the European Union and its member states, as well as its ambitious Initiative of Digital Connectivity for Central Asia, presented last month at the Samarkand conference on connectivity for sustainable development,” the Ambassador stressed.
The Kazakh diplomat also briefed the audience on the priorities of public policy in the field of development of ICT, presented by the President of Kazakhstan at the Digital Bridge 2022 International Forum on Digital Technologies and Business and urged European institutions and businesses to intensity cooperation with Kazakhstan in this crucial area of development of contemporary societies and economies.
Senior officials from the office of the EU Special Representative for Central Asia and the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships shared their views on the current state and prospects for expanding EU – Kazakhstan cooperation in the field. It was noted that the subject of cooperation in the development of digitalization is one of the elements of the strategy for the development of connectivity between EU and the countries of Central Asia, as discussed recently at the meetings of the President of the European Council and the heads of states of Central Asia in Astana on October 27 and the heads of foreign affairs agencies in Samarkand on November 17.
According to Samuel Vesterbye, Director of the European Neighborhood Council, an independent think tank specializing in promoting the cooperation between the EU and the countries of Southeast Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Turkey, developing digital and transport connectivity with Central Asia can help unlock the region’s rich human, economic and transit potentials, and strengthen trade and economic links between Asia and Europe.
Relevant projects in the sphere of automation of processes in international transport networks and processing of big data proposed for implementation in Kazakhstan were well presented by the business community of Belgium and Luxembourg, namely, by Senior Project Manager of Camco Technologies Werner Peeters, and Co-Founder and Head of Technology and Research of Data Things Francois Fouquet.
The Kazakh professional community’s views were represented at the event President of the Internet Association of Kazakhstan Shavkat Sabirov, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Association of Information Security Victor Pokusov and reputable Kazakh expert in ICT Alexander Lyakhov. During the discussion, it was noted that Kazakhstan was interested in constructive interaction with European partners to strengthen its digital sector, enhance security standards, and train highly professional personnel.
In addition, the Kazakh experts held meetings in Brussels at the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships and the European External Action Service’s Division for Connectivity and Digital Transition, where they exchanged views on relevant areas of cooperation within the EU Strategy on Central Asia, and Kazakhstan’s role within the EU’s Initiative of Digital Connectivity for Central Asia.