"An unexpected match"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
International Politics and Society
30 August, 2023
Originally published: https://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/foreign-and-security-policy/an-unexpected-match-6953/
Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia have many interests and policy objectives in common. But is it enough to create a strong and lasting partnership?
Last month, Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-Central Asia (CA) summit
held in Saudi Arabia. In particular, Astana was interested in improving
its cooperation and trade with Riyadh, hoping to somewhat reduce its
dependency on neighbours like China and Russia – while Saudi Arabia
wants to expand its influence and presence in Central Asia. In this
context, it is helpful that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s
(MBS) vision of increasing his country’s global presence coincides with
Kazakhstan’s famous multi-vector foreign policy of establishing global
partnerships. Whether more trade, investment and common foreign policy
objectives can help bilateral relations evolve into an Astana-Riyadh
alliance is an intriguing question.
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