The 17th meeting of the Kazakhstan-German Business Council for Strategic Cooperation (KGBC) was held in Berlin on August 27, bringing together government officials and business leaders to discuss investment and industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Kazakhstan’s ministries, national companies and business community, while the German side included executives from major industrial, technology and financial companies such as Siemens Energy, CLAAS KGaA, WILO, KNAUF, HMS Bergbau, Koch Solutions, Aurubis AG, Deutsche Bahn, KfW Bankengruppe and Deutsche Bank, The Caspian Post reports, citing the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Kuantyrov said the KGBC plays an important role in expanding economic cooperation, strengthening business ties and developing new investment initiatives. He called for moving beyond business contacts toward the implementation of concrete long-term joint projects.

KGBC Co-Chair and Executive Director of the German Eastern Business Association Michael Harms said Kazakhstan has growing importance in German business strategy in Central Asia. He noted German companies’ interest in expanding their presence in Kazakhstan and developing projects in industry, energy, transport and logistics, mechanical engineering, raw materials and critical materials processing, and technology.

More than 1,100 companies with German capital participation currently operate in Kazakhstan, according to the meeting.

Discussions focused on investment projects, production localisation, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, energy, green technologies, critical raw materials, mechanical engineering and transport infrastructure.

German companies were also presented with investment financing opportunities offered by Baiterek National Holding, including government support measures, long-term financing instruments and opportunities for joint projects with German investors.

The sides also discussed transport and logistics cooperation, particularly the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or Middle Corridor. Kazakhstan presented the investment potential of Alatau City to German businesses.

During the visit, Kuantyrov also held bilateral meetings with German officials and business representatives, including State Minister for Europe Günter Krichbaum, Federal Chancellery representative for International Economic Policy Benjamin von Engelhardt, DIHK Executive Board Member Volker Treier, Federation of German Industries Executive Board Member Wolfgang Niedermark and Michael Harms.

The meetings addressed intergovernmental cooperation, institutional support for joint initiatives and further steps to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

The two sides reaffirmed their interest in expanding direct business contacts and advancing concrete investment, industrial and technology projects between Kazakhstan and Germany.