Seoul, September 19. Deputies of the Mazhilis, headed by the Chairman of the Chamber, Erlan Koshanov, took part in the I Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments on cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the countries of Central Asia.

Speakers of the parliaments of Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan spoke at the event.

Representing the Kazakh delegation, Erlan Koshanov thanked the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Kim Jin-pyo, for the initiative to organize the summit. He noted that increasing comprehensive interaction with the countries of Central Asia and strengthening the potential of the region is one of the priorities of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy.

“President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that the coming decade will be the most important stage for the Central Asian region. At the same time, it is very important for us to make the most of our economic opportunities and our overall potential,” Erlan Koshanov said.

The main session of the meeting was devoted to the priorities of regional cooperation between Korea and the countries of Central Asia in the near future.

The Speaker of the Mazhilis identified ensuring regional security as one of the main issues, noting that parliamentarians of Kazakhstan are making every effort to maintain stability in the region.

“Topical issues of our cooperation should be the fight against climate change, preservation of the environment and biodiversity, efficient use and protection of water resources, including transboundary ones,” Erlan Koshanov addressed his colleagues at the summit.

He noted that residents of Central Asia are already facing the negative consequences of the environmental disaster of the Aral Sea, melting glaciers and land degradation, which can undermine the food security of the region. In this regard, the Chairman of the Mazhilis called for an exchange of experience with leading Korean specialists.

Discussion of the issues continued in two special sessions. Participants discussed the possibilities of continuous regional economic interaction between Central Asia and the Republic of Korea, as well as prospects for cooperation in the field of digital transformation. The Speaker of the Mazhilis emphasized that Kazakhstan has begun to implement a new economic model initiated by the Head of State in the Address. And here our country sees great prospects for cooperation with the Republic of Korea in the field of innovation, green technologies, energy, industrial production, IT and banking sectors.

In conclusion, Erlan Koshanov noted that currently the economy, politics, and cultural ties are actively developing in the Central Asian region. All this opens up great opportunities to expand the scope of regional interaction with the Republic of Korea.

As a result of the event, the Joint Declaration of the First Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of the Countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea was adopted on the topic “Development of mutually beneficial relations oriented to the future.”

Press service of the Mazhilis. Courtesy of Zh. Zhumabekov