Economic partnership is one of most dynamically developing spheres of Kazakhstan-Austria cooperation - M. Mueller
a Business Forum of the leading businessmen of both countries in Astana - all these forthcoming activities scheduled for November 2010 will become milestone events for our countries.
Head of the Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy in Kazakhstan which will be opened November 3 in Almaty Michael Mueller told about the current relations of Kazakhstan and Austria in economic sphere and the promising directions of their further development.
Over the past years dynamic development of the economic partnership has become one of the major tendencies in our countries' relations. In your opinion, what are the main conditions of this process?
One of the key factors of development of Austria-Kazakhstan cooperation is, first of all, both sides' interest in expansion of the trade-economic partnership and creation of favorable conditions for business ties strengthening. Since 2000 commodity turnover between our states has been increased more than tenfold. In 2009 it exceeded EUR 1.2 bln. All of these set the best pattern of positive dynamics of their development.
The second session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation and holding the Business Forum in November in Kazakhstan will significantly promote development of the relations. The Business Forum will allow the Kazakh and Austrian companies discussing implementation of joint projects. On November 3 Almaty will hold an official opening of the Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy in Kazakhstan. This Section will provide consultations to the state bodies and private sector in the issues concerning business including certain business projects. We also expect that the meeting of our presidents scheduled for December 2010 will give a new impulse to strengthening economic partnership of Austria and Kazakhstan.
What spheres of economic cooperation are of greatest interest for the countries?
Energy is, undoubtedly, one of the most important directions of interaction. Along with this, partnership of Austria and Kazakhstan are not limited to oil and gas sector. Infrastructure, healthcare, pharmacy, finances and investments, engineering and metallurgy are the promising fields of cooperation. Joint projects in modernization of railway infrastructure, usage of alternative sources of energy and new technologies are also interesting for both countries. Among the leading Austrian companies interacting with Kazakhstan are the Bank Austria, OMV Energy Holding and Vamed Company specializing in healthcare. Kazakhstan and Austria possess huge potential for developing business partnership.
How do you assess the prospects of Kazakhstan-Austria investment cooperation?
Establishment of the Customs Union is among the important factors of investment cooperation of Kazakhstan and Austria. This factor lets our countries access to new markets and gain additional prospects for the companies functioning on its space. The activity of the Kazakhstan authorities directed on search for new technologies, including implementation of the Forced Industrialization Program, create favorable conditions. In this view, Austria's experience in development and implementation of new technologies and know-how in various spheres may be interesting for Kazakhstan.
Thank you for the interview!