Finnish Minister Arrives in Kazakhstan, Sanction Circumventing to Be Discussed

Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, has arrived in Kazakhstan. From April 9 to 12, he will be in Almaty and Astana on a trade mission. A key topic of the visit will be countering the circumvention of European sanctions against the Russian Federation, reports Orda.kz.

According to the Finish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tavio is accompanied by a delegation of representatives of 17 Finnish companies. In Astana and Almaty, the Minister will discuss the development of trade and bilateral relations, as well as relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union in several areas.

Kazakhstan has great market potential for Finnish expertise. Rich in natural resources, Kazakhstan is actively seeking solutions for energy production and more sustainable management of natural resources. Here Finnish companies have solutions to offer,
 Minister Tavio says.

Representatives of the International Chamber of Commerce EastCham Finland are taking part in the negotiations. One of their tasks is to increase the presence of Finnish investors in the markets of Central Asian countries.

We arrived with a group of companies that have expertise in sectors important to Kazakhstan such as mining, energy, construction, water, natural resources, forestry, logistics, and education, said Jaana Rekolainen, Chief Executive Officer of EastCham Finland.

The Finnish side stressed that they will engage in cooperation with Kazakhstan, taking into account sanctions. This could imply sanctions against the Russian Federation and attempts to circumvent them through the countries of Central Asia.

The meeting of the Kazakh-Finnish intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation will be held on April 11 in Astana. The Chairperson will be the Minister of Ecology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Nysanbayev.

At this meeting, Villa Tavio, in particular, will discuss with Kazakh partners the prevention of circumventing sanctions. They will also touch base on the opportunities that open up for Finnish companies given Kazakhstan's desire to diversify its economy.

At the end of February, Bloomberg reported that the EU sanctions against Russia were not effective enough. The Russian Federation reportedly bypasses them via intermediaries in third countries, including Kazakhstan. Companies registered in Kazakhstan had previously been included in the European sanctions lists for the first time.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny

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