WNAM REPORT: Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavský is expected to kick off his visit to Kazakhstan later today. In an exclusive interview with Kazinform News Agency Minister Lipavský highlighted the key milestones achieved in 30 years of Kazakh-Czech relations, named the most promising areas of bilateral cooperation and praised the return of Przewalski’s horses to the steppes of Kazakhstan as part of the project initiated by the Prague Zoo and the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations last year. What major milestones have been achieved throughout this relatively short in historical terms period in the relations of the two nations? And what the future holds for bilateral cooperation between Astana and Prague?
Czechia regards Kazakhstan as a key player in the Central Asian region. Last year was particularly fruitful for our bilateral contacts, leading to significant developments in our relationship. Specifically, we collaborate in the defense industry, which is critical given the current circumstances. Czechia can provide next-generation aircraft like the L-39NG and L-410. Additionally, Kazakh civil aviation company SCAT launched direct flights between Astana and Prague in May 2024. Škoda Auto has begun assembling and selling cars in Kazakhstan, while Dibaq exports Fitmin pet and horse feed to the local market, and Staropramen beer has successfully entered the market. Looking ahead, I see great potential in areas such as cybersecurity, advanced materials, nanotechnology, and aerospace engineering.
Economic and trade agenda happens to be the central element of Kazakh-Czech bilateral relations. In the past two decades the bilateral trade has skyrocketed from $60 million in 1999 to over $1 billion in 2022. What do both sides do to step up economic engagement?
Indeed, economic and trade relations are a vital aspect of our partnership. I am pleased to see a steady increase in trade and remain hopeful that this trend will continue. However, there is still considerable potential to explore. Promising areas for cooperation include energy, engineering, agriculture, and civil aviation, among others. We can further investigate the development of new technologies like ICT, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, renewable energy sources, and medical devices.
Kazakhstan and Czechia enjoy robust cooperation in energy, agricultural, mining, petrochemical industries. Green economy and mitigating the effects of pollution and global warming are also of paramount importance in the bilateral relationship. Looking into the future, in your opinion, what are the most promising areas of bilateral cooperation?
I want to emphasize that our cooperation extends beyond just economic matters. For example, we opened a Czech-Kazakh research center for aquaculture and carp breeding in Astana this year, with the University of South Bohemia participating in the project. This collaboration has been ongoing for five years, focusing on applied research to develop and diversify freshwater aquaculture. During my visit, I would like to propose involving Kazakhstani scientists in a prominent Czech laser research facility, ELI Beamlines, which hosts one of the most powerful lasers in the world. The center is interested in collaborating with Kazakhstani researchers within their infrastructure.
Przewalski’s horses made their big comeback to the steppes of Kazakhstan, to their native habitat, this summer thanks to the wonderful project initiated by the Prague Zoo and the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The project was boosted by a memorandum of understanding inked during Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s visit to Astana in 2023. What does this milestone mean for Kazakhstan’s biodiversity? What else will be done as part of the Return of Wild Horses project in the years to come?
The return of Przewalski’s horses to the steppes of Kazakhstan this summer marks a significant achievement, thanks to the excellent project initiated by the Prague Zoo and the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. This initiative gained momentum through a memorandum of understanding signed during Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s visit to Astana in 2023. Prague Zoo is a leading breeder of Przewalski’s horses, and Kazakhstan has shown interest in their reintroduction. In June 2024, the Prague Zoo, with the support of Czechia, transported the first seven horses to Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala region, with plans for further transports in the coming years. Our goal is to bring at least 40 horses to Kazakhstan, which I consider a major success. Hundreds of thousands of Czechs know about this project and actively support it so I think this is a solid base on which we can build.
It is no secret that hundreds of Kazakhstani students choose Czechia to pursue Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees at local universities given their high ranking in the world university rankings. More and more international universities from the U.S., the UK and the Republic of Korea open their branches or campuses in Kazakhstan. Does the Czech Republic have plans in that respect? And if yes, what universities are planning to bring their internationally acclaimed programs to Kazakhstan?
We appreciate the interest of Kazakhstani students in studying in Czechia and encourage them to apply through the government initiative “Student.” Czech universities operate autonomously, so it’s up to them to decide whether to establish branches or campuses abroad. While we value Kazakhstani students seeking higher education in Czechia, we also support any efforts by Czech universities to expand their programs internationally.
