BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1. World Bank Vice
President for Europe and Central Asia Antonella Bassani has praised
Kazakhstan’s ongoing reform agenda, highlighting its importance for
the country’s long-term sustainable development.


This was announced by the press service of the Kazakh President,
citing Antonella Bassani's remarks at the meeting with Prime
Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov.


“First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the adoption
of the New Constitution. This is truly a historic moment for the
country. I would also like to note Kazakhstan’s impressive economic
results in recent years, including strong GDP growth and a
significant improvement in living standards. These achievements are
clearly placing the country on a trajectory toward high-income
status, which, as I understand, is one of the key goals set by the
President,” Bassani said.


According to the press service, in the course of the meeting,
the sides discussed the implementation of Kazakhstan’s Country
Partnership Framework for 2026–2031, with a focus on accelerating
the transition toward a more diversified, sustainable, and
competitive economy, underpinned by a stronger role for the private
sector.


They also emphasized the importance of long-term cooperation
between Kazakhstan and the World Bank, within which more than 50
projects worth over $8 billion have been implemented in transport,
education, digitalization, environmental protection, and green
technologies.







Bassani noted Kazakhstan’s growing role in the development of
the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as well as its
progress in digital transformation and artificial intelligence,
stressing that the country’s reform agenda could serve as a
positive example for others.


Particular attention was given to expanding private sector
participation in the national economy.


Separately, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a series of
bilateral meetings with other participants of the upcoming 38th
plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council under the
President of Kazakhstan, including Bassani, Chevron Upstream
President Clay Neff, and Shell Exploration and Production President
Peter Costello.