Berlin considers Kazakhstan its key partner in Central Asia – expert

Chief research associate of Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS) Erbulat Seilekhanov shared his thoughts regarding President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Germany, Kazinform correspondent reports. 

According to Erbulat Seilekhanov, Berlin considers Kazakhstan its key partner in the Central Asian region.

Germany, in his words, is the key strategic partner of Kazakhstan in the European Union. This is evidenced by the frequency of top-level visits of President Tokayev to the country. This is his third visit to Germany in the past four years. Plus, Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a visit to Kazakhstan this June accompanied by a huge delegation.

On top of that, he added, relations between Kazakhstan and Germany are characterized by gradual dynamics of development across all avenues of cooperation.

The expert stressed that volume of German investments into Kazakhstan has amounted to $6 billion since 2005, with 90% of the investments channeled into non-energy sector. This is of paramount importance for qualitative growth of Kazakhstan’s industry.

Seilekhanov went on to note 80% of German trade turnover with Central Asia falls on Kazakhstan. That is why Berlin considers out country its key partner in the region.

“I feel quite strongly that our mutually favorable cooperation will get a powerful impulse during the latest visit of the President,” he added.

It bears to remind that President Tokayev kicked off his two-day official visit to Germany yesterday.