ASTANA – Ambassador of Austria to Kazakhstan Andrea Bacher embarked on her mission in January. A few months into her tenure, she finds her agenda packed with opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties. The Astana Times sat down for an interview with Ambassador Bacher to explore the latest developments in the Kazakh-Austrian ties and her priorities during her tenure.
Ambassador Andrea Bacher served as Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs before her appointment. Photo credit: Aida Temerkhan/ The Astana Times
Bacher stressed her overarching mission is to raise the visibility of Austria in Kazakhstan, particularly for Austrian businesses, while also working to deepen Austrians’ understanding of Kazakhstan and the broader Central Asian region.
“There is so much that we can learn, and we can experience from this region. One of my favorite books, and I tell it every time, is Peter Francopan’s ‘Silk Road,’ which I read for the first time when I was studying. It really opened my eyes to the rich cultural, political, and economic heritage of the region,” said Bacher.
Central Asia, she noted, is still a blank spot on the mental map for much of Europe. She hopes that, by the end of her tenure, she can confidently say she helped change that.
“After I finish my term here in Kazakhstan, if I can say with confidence that I have managed to put this country somehow on the mental map in Austria, entice people to come here to visit, to try the cuisine, to look at the traditions and to travel around, then I will have done my job,” said Bacher.
A promising market for Austrian businesses
The conversation proceeded to the latest developments. Astana recently hosted the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Economic, Agricultural, Environmental, Industrial, Technical, and Technological Cooperation, and a meeting of a bilateral business council.
“To put it in context, I have to say that Kazakhstan is our largest trading partner in Central Asia already,” Bacher said.
According to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, in 2024, the Kazakh-Austrian trade reached $280.8 million, including exports of $4.1 million and imports of $276.7 million. The gross inflow of investment from Austria to Kazakhstan in 2024 reached $20.7 million. Since 2005, the figure has surpassed $3 billion.
From her interactions with Austrian companies and investors, Bacher said the interest is “extremely high.”
“They are looking for new markets. For them, Kazakhstan, in the context of Central Asia, is one of the most promising,” said Bacher, adding that there are more than 400 Austrian companies doing business in Kazakhstan.
“I think the main takeaway from last week was that we are here and we are open for business. Austrian companies are world-class. They have the expertise, and they are loyal. Once they enter the market, they usually stay for years, if not decades,” she said.
These companies, which come from sectors ranging from energy and infrastructure development to water management and healthcare, can contribute to Kazakhstan’s economic diversification goals.
“It is interesting that our companies are mostly small and medium-sized, many of them are family-owned, but they are real hidden champions in their sectors,” said Bacher.
Austria, she noted, is an export nation, earning six out of ten euros via export. Small and medium-sized businesses are a cornerstone of the country’s economic growth and industrial base.
Insights from companies
Austrian companies acknowledged significant progress in Kazakhstan’s business environment over the past few years, citing improvements in the legal framework and overall investment climate.
“Of course, one of the issues that every country needs to focus on is the fight against corruption, because we know that every single case of corruption is poison to the trust of investors,” said Bacher.
The Astana Times editor Assel Satubaldina and Ambassador of Austria Andrea Bacher during their conversation. Photo credit: Aida Temerkhan/ The Astana Times
“Another challenge that they brought up last week and that we discussed with our Kazakh partners is the question of qualified workers, which is an issue in Austria, but also in Kazakhstan – getting the right people for the right jobs,” she added.
The ambassador suggested that Kazakhstan could benefit from adopting elements of Austria’s dual education system, which combines vocational school training with hands-on experience in companies.
“What we are seeing is that Kazakhstan has excellent universities, but the system of vocational training is still underdeveloped,” she added. While dual education is sometimes deemed outdated, the ambassador said she believes it is “cutting-edge” as it can prepare specialists for high-technological jobs.
Transport and logistics
Austria is also keen to invest in developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. Bacher described transport and logistics as an “area of incredible importance.”
“We have seen over the last few years how quickly pandemics and conflicts can interrupt international supply chains. I think every one of us has understood that the diversification of routes, particularly in Central Asia, is important. It is important for Central Asia, but also for Europe, when it comes to our stability, prosperity, and security in the end,” she explained.
The ambassador stressed that the European Union’s push for the Global Gateway initiative in Central Asia was coming at the right time.
“We are really supportive of bringing concrete projects to the ground,” she added.
Latest milestone in EU-Central Asia ties
Kazakhstan’s relations with Austria cannot be explored fully without diving into the context of a broader EU-Central Asia ties. The recent summit in Samarkand, which convened Central Asia leaders and the EU’s top officials, marked a turning point in more than 30 years of these relations. Bacher said it was a “signal of the political will and the commitment to work closer together.”
“Europe and Central Asia, but Kazakhstan, in particular, are natural partners in many areas – when it comes to regional security, for example, when it comes to the defense of multilateralism, of an international rules-based order, with the UN Charter at its center, the respect for international law, but also when it comes to tackling global challenges,” she explained.
Bacher said Austria has also welcomed the European Commission’s recent announcement on the start of the negotiations on visa facilitation for Kazakhstan, calling it a move that could strengthen political ties and foster greater trade, investment, and people-to-people exchange.
“We hope for a swift start to the negotiations, because I believe that the visa facilitation would be a boost at the political level, but also when it comes to trade and investments, particularly when it comes to people-to-people context. Facilitating the exchange, facilitating travel to and from Europe, is only something that we all can benefit from,” said Bacher.
Feeling at home
Since arriving in Kazakhstan in January, Bacher said she has been profoundly surprised by the warmth and hospitality of the Kazakh people and the pride with which they share their culture and cuisine.
“This is something very similar to the Austrian mentality. We also like to show our visitors not only our beautiful country, but also the culinary highlights. It is a form of how we identify as people. In this respect, I felt very much at home as soon as I arrived in Kazakhstan,” she said.
In just a few months, the ambassador has already made it a point to travel beyond the capital.
“As in every other country, the capital is not the rest of the country. I really want to get out and get in touch with people,” she added.
Her trips have taken her to Almaty. There, the snow-capped mountains reminded her of the Austrian Alps. She got to see wild tulips blooming across the steppe near Shymkent and explore rich Silk Road heritage in Turkistan.
“Travels like these show, on the one hand, the immensity of the country, because you have to take into account that Kazakhstan is over 30 times the size of Austria. The dimensions are just completely different. It will take a while to explore the country,” said Bacher.
Given Austria’s strong tourism sector, the ambassador sees opportunities for cooperation, especially in experience-sharing and investment. However, she noted that current travel links remain limited, with few Austrian tourists visiting Kazakhstan.
“This is a priority area for my work in the next few years here in Astana. One very concrete step, which I think would facilitate a lot, would be the establishment of direct flights between our countries. I’m currently speaking to Kazakh partners, both on the governmental side, but also on the business side, to see how we can move forward on re-establishing this direct flight,” said Bacher.
Women in leadership
As a woman in leadership, Bacher said women often see each other as competitors. This should be the other way round. The ambassador recently took part in a platform for female business leaders in Astana and was deeply impressed by the diversity of participants, from entrepreneurs to public officials.
“If you look at the last few years, there is an upward trend when it comes to female empowerment, female leaders in politics, diplomacy, and business. You can also see that here in Kazakhstan. Some of the toughest and most professional leaders I have met since coming here were women,” said Bacher.
Austria, too, has come a long way in ensuring equal opportunities, including in leadership positions. Bacher highlighted that women now hold four out of seven directorates in the Austrian Foreign Ministry, with 41% of leadership positions overall filled by women.
