Kazakhstan and the Central African Republic (CAR) have established diplomatic relations, opening a new channel for bilateral cooperation between the Central Asian and Central African states.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi and CAR Foreign Minister Sylvie Baïpo-Temon signed a joint communiqué establishing diplomatic relations on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The agreement confirmed the two countries’ interest in developing bilateral ties and working together through international organizations.
The move brings formal diplomatic ties between Kazakhstan and CAR into place at a time when both countries are using multilateral platforms to expand their international engagement. The establishment of relations creates a formal basis for political dialogue and future cooperation between their governments.
Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry said the agreement was an important outcome of the first day of its program during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week. Alongside the CAR agreement, Tleuberdi held talks with the foreign ministers of Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine and El Salvador, discussing bilateral cooperation, trade and economic ties, and international and regional issues.
The Kazakh minister also met senior officials from the UN and UNESCO, including UN Trade and Development Secretary-General and Secretary-General candidate Rebeca Grynspan and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. Discussions focused on multilateral cooperation and Kazakhstan’s engagement with UN institutions.
For CAR, the establishment of relations adds Kazakhstan to its network of bilateral diplomatic partners outside Africa. The country has continued to engage with foreign governments and international institutions on issues including development, security and economic cooperation. Recent meetings between CAR officials and international partners have also highlighted efforts to broaden cooperation beyond traditional partners.
Kazakhstan, meanwhile, has been expanding its diplomatic engagement across different regions while using the UN as a platform for bilateral and multilateral contacts. The new relationship with CAR provides an additional framework for dialogue between Central Asia and Central Africa.
The joint communiqué establishes the diplomatic relationship; further agreements or institutional arrangements would be needed to define how the two countries develop their cooperation in specific sectors.
