Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev began a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates on January 15.
Nazarbaev is scheduled to meet the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Muhammad bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and other state officials during his visit.
Kazakh Ambassador to the U.A.E. Kairat Lama Sharif told the daily Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on January 14 that Nazarbaev and U.A.E. officials will sign cooperation agreements on tourism, financial, economic, and energy issues.
"The U.A.E. has become a reliable and effective partner in the Arab and Muslim world for Kazakhstan," said Lama Sharif.
He added that from January to October 2016, trade turnover between the two countries was some $285 million, which is 3.4 times more than in the same period the previous year.
Lama Sharif said the increase was largely due to an increase in the exporting of Kazakh agricultural products.
Nazarbaev is also due to attend the World Future Energy summit in Abu Dhabi on January 16.
The official visit to the U.A.E. will be Nazarbaev's first trip abroad in 2017.
