Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Kazakh counterpart Yermek Kosherbayev signed a memorandum Tuesday removing visa requirements for holders of national passports to promote tourism between the nations.
The agreement marks another step in Kazakhstan’s recent efforts to deepen relations with Israel.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Astana, Sa’ar said his visit reflected a desire to “further strengthen these relations in order to realise their full potential.”
He welcomed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s decision to join the Abraham Accords in November, highlighting that Kazakhstan is the first Central Asian country to do so.
“I commend this bold and moral move,” the Israeli minister said.
Kosherbayev, in turn, said Kazakhstan remains concerned with the situation in the Middle East and supports constructive efforts to ensure stability and security in the region.
“By joining these agreements, Kazakhstan contributes to overcoming the regional conflict by promoting dialogue and upholding international law based on the UN Charter,” he said, adding that Astana supports the two-state solution.
The Kazakh foreign minister also highlighted Kazakhstan’s role as a founding member of the Board of Peace, the charter of which was signed during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“Kazakhstan is always ready to exert diplomatic and political efforts to establish peace in a complex region where the interests of regional and global actors intersect,” Kosherbayev said.
Sa’ar did not mention the Board of Peace directly, instead reiterating Israel’s position on Gaza.
“We support the Trump plan in Gaza. In order for it to be implemented, Hamas must be disarmed and Gaza must be demilitarised. This is necessary both for Israel’s security and for a better future for Gaza,” he said.
During the visit, officials also announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make an official visit to Kazakhstan later this year.
Sa’ar’s trip to Astana, the first official visit by an Israeli foreign minister to Kazakhstan in 16 years, focused on trade, innovation, food security and water management.
He was accompanied by a delegation of around 30 business representatives from the cyber, health and agricultural sectors attending the Kazakh-Israeli Business Forum.
The Israeli minister also voiced support for Kazakhstan’s constitutional reforms, describing President Tokayev as “a visionary” and saying Israel wants to “invest in the president’s vision.”
The visit coincided with the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Sa’ar attended a ceremony organised by the Israeli and German embassies in Astana to honour the victims.
“We’ve learned our lesson. We shall never again be a defenceless nation. We will defend ourselves by ourselves,” he said.