Expressing deep gratitude, President Tokayev called the honor “a great gesture of respect from Türkiye towards the entire nation of Kazakhstan” and a symbol of the “unshakable friendship” rooted in shared heritage. He highlighted its significance for Kazakh-Turkish strategic cooperation and acknowledged Türkiye’s historical role as the first nation to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence.
Tokayev lauded Turkish Presidentas “an authoritative world politician and a historical figure” whose “wise policy and tireless efforts” have significantly contributed to global and regional stability. He praised Türkiye’s dynamic development and its growing international influence, expressing confidence in its continued progress under Erdoğan’s leadership.
Deepening Bilateral Ties and Future Prospects
President Tokayev emphasized the strengthening Kazakh-Turkish relations, noting the successful operation of 4,000 Turkish companies in Kazakhstan and robust cultural and humanitarian exchanges, including over 12,000 Kazakh students studying in Türkiye. He also mentioned that around 800,000 Kazakhs visited Türkiye last year, a number expected to exceed one million this year.
“Astana and Ankara share common stances on global sustainable development and security,” Tokayev stated, underscoring effective collaboration within the Organization of Turkic States. He affirmed Kazakhstan’s balanced and multi-vector foreign policy, highlighting the nation’s strong economic growth, with GDP increasing by 5.1% in 2024 and 6.2% in the first half of this year, aiming for $300 billion GDP this year. He also stressed the importance of cooperation with Türkiye in digitalization, AI, transport, agriculture, and infrastructure projects. Tokayev also commended Türkiye’s mediation efforts in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Erdoğan Praises Kazakhstan’s Role and Tokayev’s Leadership
For his part, The Turkish Leader commended President Tokayev’s “wise leadership,” stating that Kazakhstan has become a “center of peace and stability” in its region. He praised Kazakhstan’s “highly commendable” contribution to the Organization of Turkic States and affirmed Tokayev as a “true friend of Türkiye.”
The award ceremony was part of President Tokayev’s official visit to Türkiye, which included meetings with Turkish business leaders, a visit to Anıtkabir, and co-chairing the 5th Kazakhstan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) with President Erdoğan. The HLSCC meeting covered extensive discussions on cooperation in defense, IT, finance, civil aviation, culture, education, healthcare, and tourism, culminating in the signing of a Joint Declaration and 18 intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents.
