"Germany and Kazakhstan are successful trade partners": German Economy Representative to CA and Kazakhstan

ALMATY. February 18. KAZINFORM /Dauren Zhailin/ ?Germany and Kazakhstan are successful trade partners, first of all?, Deputy Head of the Representation of the German Economy in Central Asia, representative to Kazakhstan Galiya Dzhunusova told in an interview to Kazinform after the working visit of Head of the State Nursultan Nazarbayev to the Federal Republic of Germany.

How do you estimate the results of the recent visit of Nursultan Nazarbayev to Berlin? Will the reached agreements give start to new investment projects? How do you consider the results of the economic part of the visit? Undoubtedly, the results of the visit can be called as positive, firs of all in advancement of Kazakhstan?s image in Germany and EU in hole. This becomes quite important due to our oncoming chairmanship in the OSCE. On February 3 Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev took part in the economic forum that aroused great interest of the German business circles. As for new investment projects we mean here diversification of economy, establishment of production infrastructure, especially for processing industries. But it is early to speak on the results, namely now, in the conditions of the global crisis. It is clear, that the German businessmen will seek for perspective markets both sales of products and deployment of production. How would you characterize the current state of the Kazakh-German trade and economic cooperation? Traditionally Germany has ranked second in Kazakhstan import after Russia. It has changed in favor of China in recent years. Today Germany holds the third position. The countries have broad prospects both in investment and trade sectors, considering the strategies of innovative and industrial development of Kazakhstan and the fact that Germany is the most important supplier of up-to-date machines and technologies. Kazakhstan is the leading economy in the Central Asia to date. The EU countries? interest in this region grows and it can be supposed that the intensity and efficiency of the economic relations with Kazakhstan will give fresh impetus to further growth of mutual economic interest between Germany and other countries of the Central Asia, primarily with Uzbekistan. Which sectors of Kazakhstan economy are most attractive for the German business? Oil sector, as usual? Since Germany is not an oil-producing country and has no large companies across the world, the share of its participation in Kazakhstan?s oil sector has never been big. Partially, this explains the fact why Germany is not so strong in investing in Kazakhstan. Germany has always been interested in oil and gas complex as a consumer of energy resources. We can find potential fields as for investing as for trade development, for instance, in processing spheres, production infrastructure, new technologies, pharmacy, engineering, processing of agricultural products, construction etc. Could you note most important economic projects which are under realization now? These are the projects of the firm ?Knauf?, a joint project with ?Tissen Group? on production of metallurgic silicon, the program on training Kazakhstani managers, cooperation of Kazakh company ?Bent? with ?Voslloh? Firm and other many projects in small and medium businesses. What issues are most important for the further strengthening of business ties between our two countries? There are no obstacles or problems. It is desirable to be more clear about the features of the development of both economies, so that to meet mutual expectations. In fact, Kazakhstan and Germany are the ideal partners. With regard to the prospects of business: Kazakhstan pays much attention to industrial development, Germany offers virtually everything for industrial development: technology, know-how and experience - especially in SMEs - training, etc. As the world has some division of labor and activities, it would be necessary to better define which areas of our economies develop and preferably what partner with. Here I mean not the money and cost of a product, but the prospects of long-term cooperation for the effective development of any branch of industry. According to Minister of Economy and Budget Planning of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov an agreement providing investment of Kazakh companies in the German economy was to be concluded in a joint business forum in Berlin.Does Germany represent any investment interest for Kazakhstan's business? Germany is a country of high technical and technological achievements and world recognized ?champion? in exports. While analyzing the structure of the economy it becomes clear that the main product is produced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Again, we should be well aware of what we want to develop or produce, and to determine the area where investment could flow. In this crisis, many German companies have been in the situation when they had to decide what will happen next, and how to save, very often, a unique enterprise. Investment opportunities in these conditions have increased, and we have had some suggestions, when high-tech companies are seeking partners to enable them to sell shares or offering some other option of cooperation. Investments in Germany is an attractive opportunity to enhance the quality of your own products and sell them on the international market. More information about investment opportunities in Germany you can find in GTAI, the German society on trade and investment, with whom we cooperate closely. It is already known that within the framework of the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany there will be Days of kazakh Economy in federal states. Which activities are the representation planning to implement in 2009? This year we are having days of Kazakhstan's economy, or Days of the economy of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, in many federal states, such as Bavaria, Saxony, Baden-Wьrttemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and others. In addition, we expect a visit of the economic delegation headed by the representatives of the Government of the Federal States of Bavaria, Raynland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wurttemberg. At the end of March Astana will hold a joint energy forum, and our representative office is taking part in its preparation. In September, together with the Club of German economy we will have a regular 11-th Day of German Economy in Kazakhstan.The Embassy and other organizations from Germany, who work in our country are already in the process of development of activities for the Year of Germany in Kazakhstan. This is not a full list of everything that is done. In addition, it is the activities of certain large companies, visits of entrepreneurs delegations to different regions of Kazakhstan are planned. All this encourages us to say that, despite the problems associated with the crisis, the level of mutual interest in economic cooperation is not reduced. Thank you for the interview.