Astana, 21 June 2023 (TDI): Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Federal President of Germany, held diplomatic negotiations.
Following a tet-a-tet meeting, the two leaders continued discussions in an extended format with the presence of members of official delegations.
Acknowledging the presence of the German delegation led by the German Federal President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s official visit brings up good opportunities for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
“We have been anticipating your visit, which is regarded as a very important one in terms of giving an additional boost to the development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany,” Tokayev noted.
Enhancing trade and economic cooperation was central to the discussion. Germany is an important economic and investment partner of Kazakhstan. More than 80% of German foreign trade with Central Asia comes from Kazakhstan.
Other relevant areas of cooperation are manufacturing, mechanical engineering, energy, transport and logistics, including renewable energy sources, critical raw materials and agriculture.
President Tokayev invited German companies to invest in green energy. In this regard, the two leaders commended the launch of the construction of the plant to produce green hydrogen by the German-Swedish company Svevind Energy.
Furthermore, the Heads of State discussed the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation in the mining industry and exploration.
Tokayev noted that German entrepreneurs may rely on the full support of the Kazakh Government in this dimension.
In addition, President Tokayev appreciated Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Aktau, where he will explore the economic potential of the Mangistau region.
He noted, “I also appreciate your decision to go to the Mangistau region. I think that it will become a showcase of our achievements in business cooperation.”
In response to the above, Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed gratitude to President Tokayev for the invitation to visit Astana and the warm hospitality on Kazakh land.
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Steinmeier noted productive discussions in a tet-a-tet format and the importance of executing joint projects.
Conclusively, the Kazakh leader extended his warm greetings and best wishes to Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany. Moreso, some documents were signed in the presence of the Heads of State.
Testimony Omole is a Conflict Analyst at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa. He is an alumnus of the Department of Political Science, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria. He was awarded the 2022 Certificate of Excellent Performance by the Knowles Educational and Charitable Trust for International Leadership, Atlanta, USA. His research interests include conflict, the nexus between conflict and poverty, and the role education plays in peacebuilding. Email: omoletestimony2016@gmail.com
