The meeting began with an official welcoming ceremony, where the national anthems of Kazakhstan and Singapore were played, and the leaders reviewed the honor guard. President Tokayev and President Shanmugaratnam then introduced their respective delegations. Tokayev also signed the Book of Honorable Guests in the Presidential Palace lobby.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, President Tokayev noted that this visit marked the first by a Kazakh president to Singapore in over 20 years. He recalled his time as a diplomat in Singapore in the 1970s and expressed pleasure in returning as Head of State.
President Tokayev praised Singapore as a reliable partner, highlighting that over 140 Singaporean companies and joint ventures operate in Kazakhstan. Singaporean investments in Kazakhstan have surpassed $1.7 billion, and despite recent global economic challenges, mutual trade is expected to exceed $2 billion.
Tokayev emphasized Kazakhstan’s aim to enhance bilateral cooperation through stronger political dialogue and increased trade and investment. President Shanmugaratnam praised the growing partnership between the two nations.
The leaders discussed enhancing cooperation in trade, economy, investment, culture, and humanitarian efforts. Tokayev expressed interest in expanding ties in energy, critical raw material processing, infrastructure, digital economy, fintech, agricultural technology, logistics, and communications.
Both presidents committed to advancing mutually beneficial investment projects and strengthening the legal framework of their bilateral relations. They also agreed to boost cooperation in education and human capital development.
