ASTANA – Central Asia and the Western Balkans may be geographically distant, but they are not economically or strategically disconnected. Their positions between major European and Eurasian markets create opportunities that have yet to be fully developed, according to Prof.
Dr. Zijad Bećirović, director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) in Ljubljana. According to Bećirović, the next step for Europe and Central Asia is to give the dialogue greater economic substance. Photo credit: Bosnainfo According to him, Astana is developing a more sophisticated foreign policy model, which he described as “strategic redundancy,” seeking to reduce dependence by creating multiple political, economic, diplomatic, energy and transport options.
“This is a highly sophisticated approach to international relations,” Bećirović said in an interview with The Astana Times, noting that resilience increasingly depends on having alternatives while maintaining constructive relations across different geopolitical divides.
He said that this approach is becoming increasingly relevant as the international environment grows more fragmented and unpredictable. Rather than simply balancing competing powers, Kazakhstan is building a portfolio of relationships and routes that can reinforce one another and provide alternatives when geopolitical conditions change.
From geopolitical dialogue to economic diplomacy Bećirović’s assessment also reflects the changing role that IFIMES itself seeks to play. He is visiting Kazakhstan together with Janez Škrabec, founder and director of Slovenia-based RIKO, in what he described as part of a broader effort to connect political dialogue with practical economic cooperation.
Prof. Bećirović said Astana is developing a more sophisticated foreign policy model, which he described as “strategic redundancy” in an interview with Aida Haidar. Photo credit: The Astana Times IFIMES has held Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2018 and publishes the international scientific journal European Perspectives.
Bećirović said this institutional position allows the institute to connect political, academic and economic perspectives. “We increasingly believe that economic diplomacy should complement political and security dialogue. In the current geopolitical environment, strategic relationships become sustainable when political understanding is translated into concrete economic interests, investment, technology transfer and long-term partnerships,” he said.
RIKO, which Bećirović described as one of Slovenia’s most internationally recognized engineering companies, combines engineering expertise, advanced technologies, project management and implementation. He sees this expertise as relevant to Kazakhstan’s development priorities in sectors including energy, infrastructure, industry, environmental technologies and water management.
The objective, he stressed, is not simply to identify commercial opportunities, but to explore projects in which European expertise, technology and engineering capabilities can contribute to Kazakhstan’s long-term development objectives.