Kazakhstan president cancels visit to Vietnam due to major wildfire

Due to the fire in Kazakhstan’s Abay province, the Kazakh president postponed his official visit to Vietnam and wishes visit at a more suitable time, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The fire began on June 8 and engulfed 60,000 hectares of forest in Abay Province in eastern Kazakhstan. It was the world’s biggest wildfire by area this year, Sputnik Kazakhstan reported.

So far, the fire has killed three people with 14 missing.

President Tokayev will inspect the area affected by the fire and hold an emergency meeting with local authorities to take necessary measures to support residents.

Covering more than 2.7 million square kilometers with a population of 19 million, Kazakhstan is an important transshipment center for goods transported by road from Asia to Europe.

Vietnam established diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan in 1992.