Kazakhstan, Austria discuss expanding trade and investment ties
Kazakhstan and Austria have discussed ways to strengthen trade, economic, and investment ties, with a focus on energy, transport, industrial development, and new joint projects, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi met with Severin Gruber, Secretary General of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism, in Astana on November 13.
The meeting was also attended by senior executives and representatives of major Austrian companies and state-owned enterprises, including Edith Hlawati, Chief Executive Officer and Sole Managing Director of Österreichische Beteiligungs AG (ÖBAG), Berislav Gašo, Member of the Executive Board and Executive Vice President for Energy at OMV, and Karl Jurka, President of the Austrian-Kazakh Connectivity Platform (AKCP).
The talks focused on expanding bilateral economic cooperation and preparations for the 13th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Austria Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the 11th Business Council meeting, both scheduled for November 19–20 in Vienna.
During the discussions, Tileuberdi outlined key priorities from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's state-of-the-nation address, including large-scale modernization of Kazakhstan's infrastructure, industry, and energy sector.
Particular attention was given to developing the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, and strengthening Kazakhstan's position as a major transit hub connecting Europe and Asia.
The Kazakh foreign minister highlighted opportunities for joint projects through the Austrian-Kazakh Connectivity Platform, including potential cooperation under Austria's Team Austria initiative and the European Union's Global Gateway program.
Gruber, in turn, confirmed that Austrian businesses are interested in expanding their presence in Kazakhstan. He also stressed the importance of making greater use of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms to promote investment projects in energy, engineering, agriculture, agribusiness, and tourism.
The two sides highlighted several other promising areas for cooperation, including local manufacturing, petrochemicals, renewable energy, Kazakhstan's non-resource exports, and critical raw materials.
Both countries expressed their commitment to deepening economic ties and exploring new opportunities for joint projects.
At the end of the meeting, the Austrian delegation thanked the Kazakh side for organizing a comprehensive business program in Astana.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Kazakhstan presented its ecological initiatives at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.