Astana, Feb 27 (EFE).- The presidents of Kazakhstan and Serbia, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Aleksandar Vučić, agreed on Friday to take bilateral cooperation between their two countries to a new level, particularly in the areas of information technology, energy, and defense.
“We will reach a new level thanks to stronger cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, information technology, and energy,” the Serbian president said during a joint press conference in Astana alongside Tokayev.
In addition, Vučić asked his Kazakh counterpart for assistance in preparing his country’s special forces units.
“I was one of the few presidents who closely followed the competition of special forces units from various countries held in the United Arab Emirates, and I was amazed to see that Kazakhstan is convincingly the best in the world in this field,” he said.
The Serbian president also expressed interest in expanding the participation of Kazakh companies in joint projects, particularly in construction. He pledged to support Serbian entrepreneurs who wish to invest in Kazakhstan’s economy and took the opportunity to invite Tokayev to Serbia.
For his part, the Kazakh leader emphasized that Serbia is an important and reliable partner for Kazakhstan in the Balkans and noted that the visit coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“Nearly 60 Serbian companies are successfully operating in our country,” he said, noting that significant untapped potential remains.
For that reason, he added, the two countries agreed to increase trade and promote new investment projects “that serve the interests” of Kazakhstan and Serbia.
In particular, the sides discussed opening new freight transport routes through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which connects China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Contratos firmados
As part of the Serbian president’s visit, the two sides signed contracts worth nearly €900 million, primarily related to military cooperation, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade, Arman Shakkaliyev, told reporters.
“This involves the repair of combat vehicles, and the production of gunpowder and ammunition,” he specified.
Among the agreements is one for the repair and modernization of Soviet-era self-propelled 122-mm and 152-mm caliber artillery pieces, signed by the Kazakh company SP Kaztechnology and Serbia’s Yugoimport SDPR.
In 2025, trade between the two countries reached $107.7 million, a 7.6% increase compared to the previous year. EFE