Angela Merkel's visit to Kazakhstan gave impetus to bilateral coop development

between Kazakhstan and Germany, both countries have been maintaining intensive high-level political dialogue . The previous meeting of Nursultan Nazarbayev and Angela Merkel was held in February 2009 on the occasion of announcement of the Year of Kazakhstan in Germany.

During the talks in Astana the parties exchanged views on all issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The meetings held on the occasion of the Year of Germany in Kazakhstan will help rapproach both nations and acquaint Kazakhstan with modern Germany.

Kazakhstan and Germany signed 9 intergovernmental and 34 economic agreements to the amount of EUR 2 bln within the framework of the visit.

Several agreements aim at training the Kazakh managers in the sphere of agriculture, environment, prevention and elimination of emergency situations, etc.

Federal Minister of Environment, Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Germany, Norbert Rettgen, who accompanied the Chancellor, signed with his Kazakh counterpart Nurgali Ashimov the Program of Action and Cooperation in ecology between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Kazakhstan and the Federal Ministry of Environment, Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Germany.

The Action Program signed by the Ministries of Healthcare of Kazakhstan and Germany implies wide range of cooperation including training the Kazakh doctors, scientific and professional experience exchange between medical institutions, hospitals, medical seminars conducted by German doctors for Kazakhstan.

Both countries are interested in cooperation in the sphere of education and aerospace. Two Universities of Kazakhstan the Abylay Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages and the Al-Farabi National University agreed with the Justus Liebig University of Giessen city to realize mutual educational projects, scientific researches as well as to launch students exchange program.

The National Space Agency of Kazakhstan and the Federal Space Agency of Germany signed the Agreement on cooperation in the sphere of peaceful exploration and usage of outer space. Kazakhstan Garysh Sapary National Company signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with OHB Systems German Company. OHB Systems possesses advanced technologies for small satellite formats.

The parties discussed the status and prospects of Kazakh-German cooperation in trade-economic sphere as well as the issues regarding expansion of investment cooperation within the framework of Kazakhstan's Forced Industrial Innovation Development Program. Around 700 enterprises with German capital operate in Kazakhstan presently.

Germany is one of the most important trade economic partners for Kazakhstan. According to statistics the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Germany for 2008 made to EUR 6.1 bln. Since the beginning of the global economic crisis the trade turnover in 2009 reduced to EUR 3.7 bln but according to the Kazakh statistics agency the trade turnover for the first 5 months of this year increased to 72 percent compared to the same period in 2009. These figures give us hope on positive balance at the end of the year.

Kazakhstan is rich in natural recourses, qualified specialists and geographical position and it results represent interest for German investors in our country. More than 100 German companies and organizations took part in the joint business forum. Among them were such eminent representatives as the heads of the East-Central European Association of German Entrepreneurs, Eastern Committee of German Economy, Engineering Union and equipment manufacturers of Germany as well as the representatives of large German companies and financial institutes such as Siemens, Deutsche Bank, METRO, HeidelbergCement and others.

Kazakhstan and Germany will establish a Kazakh-German Business Council for strategic cooperation. The East-Central European Association of German Entrepreneurs, Eastern Committee of German Economy and Representation of German Economy in Central Asia will represent Germany in the Council.

Besides, the Engineering Union and equipment manufacturers of Germany will send an expert on development of engineering industry.

The memorandum of cooperation was signed between Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company and Siemens. Siemens and KazTurboRemont signed the agreement on assembling gas-turbine units for oil and gas industry in Atyrau.

It should be mentioned that Linde AG German company on the conditions of the signed agreement will install modern sewage treatment plants at ArcelorMittal Temirtau. A joint venture on production of concrete railway sleepers in accordance with technologies of Rail.One German Company is established.

Roth&Rau AG company intends to build the first solar power station in Kazakhstan, Funke Kunststoffe company plans to fund building the plant on production of window profiles, pipes and fittings of plastic.

The Deutsche Bank will open a credit line in the amount of EURO 100 mln for Kazakh small and medium businessed and German Society for Technical Cooperation will render technical and consulting assistance.

The cooperation in the sphere of agriculture was discussed as well.

DKS GmbH German Company signed an investment agreement on building a modern resort and recreation center 'Talgar Square'.

The projects that are under realization now will help increase inflow of investments as well as promote diversification of Kazakhstan economy and it is important for creating thousands of new job positions.

Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel's visit to Kazakhstan will certainly bring the cooperation between our countries to a new height.