Event dedicated to the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan

On 20 June 2024, an event dedicated to the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in Astana. The agreement is the first of its kind signed by the EU with a partner in Central Asia and brings the cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan, which has a history of more than 30 years, to a new level. On 1 March 2020, the EPCA entered into force, ratified by all EU Member States and the European Parliament. The EPCA promotes and strengthens cooperation between the EU, its Member States and Kazakhstan in key areas like financial and economic cooperation, culture and research, social policy, justice and human rights, sustainable development and green economy.

During the event, the implementation plan of the EPCA EU-Kazakhstan was presented as well as various projects implemented by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) and cofinanced by the EU. The Programme Director Arsen Kudabaev from the Kazakhstan Parliamentary Development Fund (KPDF) presented the project “ENABLE – Civil Society for Sustainable and Energy Efficient City” which is being implemented in partnership with Almaty City Association of Apartment Owners’ Cooperatives (ALMATY ASSOCIATION) and the Petropavlovsk Regional Association of Consumer Cooperatives of Apartment Owners (PETROPAVLOVSK ASSOCIATION) and coordinated by IWO. The project was highly appreciated and received obvious interest among the participants. Thanks to the organisers, the participants were given the valuable opportunity for networking and further cooperation within the framework of the projects being implemented with the EU’s support. Also, cooperation possibilities in future projects were discussed.