ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Austria are seeking to expand trade, investment and industrial cooperation, focusing on transport connectivity, energy, petrochemicals and critical raw materials.
Severin Gruber and Mukhtar Tileuberdi. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi met with Severin Gruber, Secretary General of Austria’s Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism, on Nov. 14, along with representatives of major Austrian companies and state-owned holdings, including OMV, Österreichische Beteiligungs AG (ÖBAG), and the Austrian-Kazakh Connectivity Platform (AKCP).
The discussions also covered preparations for the 13th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Austria Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the 11th meeting of the Business Council, scheduled for Nov. 19-20 in Vienna, the ministry reported.
Tileuberdi briefed the Austrian delegation on Kazakhstan’s plans to modernize its infrastructure, industry and energy sector.
Particular attention was paid to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor, and opportunities to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a transit link between Europe and Asia. Tileuberdi highlighted the potential for joint projects through the Austrian-Kazakh Connectivity Platform, Austria’s Team Austria initiative and the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy.
Gruber reaffirmed Austrian businesses’ interest in expanding their presence in Kazakhstan and called for greater use of bilateral mechanisms to advance investment projects in energy, mechanical engineering, agriculture, agribusiness and tourism.
Tileuberdi and Gruber identified several priority areas, including production localization, petrochemicals, renewable energy, non-resource exports and critical raw materials. They agreed to continue efforts to strengthen bilateral economic ties and identify new investment opportunities.
