UAE is looking forward to strategic partnership with Kazakhstan: Khalifa

Astana - July 16 (WAM) - The UAE is looking forward to a strategicpartnership with the Republic of Kazakhstan, HH President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said.

In a statement shortly after his arrival here yesterday at the start of a three-day official visit to Kazakhstan, President Khalifa expressed his hope that his current visit and subsequent talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, would add impetus to the already strong UAE-Kazak relations.

Relations between the two countries have developed steadily in recent years, resulting in a number of joint investment projects being established.

"The UAE and Kazakhstan share common views on a number of regional and international issues. This commonality could constitute a strong ground for even stronger relations which we are striving to achieve", said President Sheikh Khalifa.

He noted that close cooperation at the official level has laid the ground for private sector initiatives as evidenced in the emergence of several joint projects in the sectors of tourism, real-estate and production.

Citing the encouragement lent to foreign investments by the government of Kazakhstan, Sheikh Khalifa said the UAE's private sector has been encouraged by this state policy and that UAE businessmen are eyeing investments in the field of infrastructure, including oil and mineral resources.

"The UAE is also looking forward to investing in agricultural projects in a bid to diversify its sources of food supplies", said Sheikh Khalifa.

The UAE President concluded his statement by stressing shared cultural ties with Kazakhstan, notably the common Islamic heritage.