The Prime Minister of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Mr Xavier Bettel, accompanied by the Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Mr François Bausch, paid an official visit to Astana, Kazakhstan on 20th-23rd May 2015 to take part in the VIII Astana Economic Forum .

During the visit, Prime Minister Bettel and Minister Bausch met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Karim Massimov, at the Government House. The Prime Minister Bettel and the Minister for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure were also received by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Nursultan Nazarbaev, at the Akorda Presidential Palace.

During these meetings the parties discussed bilateral relations and relations between the EU and Kazakhstan as well as the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half 2015. The parties agreed to further deepen the bilateral trade and financial cooperation.

During the visit, two bilateral agreements were signed between Luxembourg and Kazakhstan: the Luxembourg Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Mr François Bausch, and Mr Asset Issekeshev, the Minister of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, signed an air services agreement, and on behalf of the Luxembourg Agency for Financial Technology Transfer, the Ambassador of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg to Kazakhstan, Mr Pierre Ferring, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Bank of Kazakhstan.

During the Astana Economic Forum which gathered 3000 participants from 90 countries, Prime Minister Bettel delivered the opening speech at the plenary session. Mr Nicolas Mackel, CEO of Luxembourg for Finance, also represented Luxembourg at the Investment Forum “Invest in Kazakhstan”.