Astana (TDI): Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to prolong their joint initiative, “Partnering in Business with Germany,” until 2028, further strengthening their long-standing economic collaboration with a strong emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The program, jointly managed by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, has been running for 15 years.
More than 800 Kazakh entrepreneurs have already taken part, gaining valuable training in Germany, adopting modern business practices, and signing contracts, licenses, and franchise agreements that helped modernize their operations.
Under the new extension, Germany will continue in 2025 to fully finance participants’ expenses, including training, insurance, and accommodation.
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According to Deputy Minister of National Economy Yerlan Sagnayev, the program not only supports the professional growth of Kazakhstani entrepreneurs but also plays a key role in building sustainable economic relations between the two countries.
Germany remains Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner in the European Union.
At the 16th Kazakhstan-German Business Council held in Astana in May, it was noted that Kazakhstan ranked 43rd among Germany’s global trade partners in 2024 and accounted for 83 percent of Germany’s overall trade with Central Asia.
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Energy continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral relations. Kazakhstan started supplying crude oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline in 2023. Shipments are projected to reach 1.5 million tons in 2025, compared to 993,000 tons in 2023.
