Presidents of Kazakhstan and Germany issue Joint Declaration
At the invitation of His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, paid an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany from 29 to 30 September 2026. The two Presidents issued the following Joint Declaration on this occasion:
Both Presidents commend the successful cooperation between their countries since the Republic of Kazakhstan gained its independence. In view of the experience acquired in over three decades of successful cooperation, the mutual trust and the increasingly profound political dialogue at the highest level, they look positively to continued close cooperation.
They recognise the progress that has already been achieved and underline the importance of continued reforms and further modernisation of their respective countries in order to ensure a legally stable and economically beneficial environment, while adhering to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, the protection of human rights, investment security, an independent judiciary and sustainable development.
The Presidents reaffirm their support for the Strategic Regional Partnership between Central Asia and Germany launched in Berlin on 29 September 2023 under the framework of the Central Asia and Germany Summit and continued in Astana on 17 September 2024 under the framework of the second Summit. They commend the holding of the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central Asia and Germany in Berlin on 11 February 2026 and welcome the plans to hold a third Central Asia and Germany Summit in the near future.
They welcome the growing comprehensive regional cooperation between the countries of Central Asia as an important contribution to further strengthening the region’s autonomy, resilience and prosperity.
The Presidents reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and to the fundamental principles of international law and of the Charter of the United Nations, including respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries. They underline the importance of settling disputes and conflicts through peaceful, political and diplomatic means.
The Presidents further underline the need to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations as soon as possible.
The Presidents regard trade, economic cooperation and investments as key pillars of cooperation. They reaffirm their common interest in increasing mutual trade, diversifying the products traded, expanding investments and localising production.
The Presidents welcome measures to date on improving the parameters for German companies in Kazakhstan, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, and encourage the implementation of further reforms in this context. They underline their common interest in joining up approaches to standards, taking German, European and international standards into account.
The Presidents recognise the important role played by the Kazakh-German Intergovernmental Working Group, the Kazakh-German Economic Council, the Berlin Eurasian Club, the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad for Central Asia and the German Eastern Business Association in developing economic relations and increasing mutual exports.
In order to deepen industrial cooperation, the Presidents welcome the joint roadmap for 2026 to 2028 on developing industrial, technological and raw materials cooperation. A particular focus will be on building up joint production capacities, extracting and processing critical raw materials, increasing the value-added of products manufactured in the country, and establishing reliable and resilient supply chains.
Both Presidents welcome their countries’ close cooperation on strengthening energy security and diversifying supply sources and transport routes for energies, including supplies of oil and gas to Europe. They intend to further develop cooperation under the framework of the Kazakh-German Energy Dialogue and the H2-diplo office in Astana as regards strengthening security of supply and energy corridors, decarbonising industry, expanding renewable energies and cooperating on green hydrogen.
The Presidents underline the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route for Asian and European transport and trade networks. They welcome its further expansion as a reliable and competitive route that helps to diversify transport connections, deepen trade relations and boost economic resilience. In this context, they welcome the initiatives by Kazakhstan, Germany and the European Union aimed at further developing transport infrastructure and enhancing networks.
The Presidents regard digital transformation, artificial intelligence, research and space as promising areas for cooperation.
The Presidents recognise potential for the further expansion of cooperation on agriculture and food on the basis of the existing good partnership. They attach great importance to the implementation of bilateral and regional cooperation projects and to private-sector economic initiatives in this field.
They appreciate the intensification of cooperation on healthcare, particularly on medical science, and welcome its further expansion.
In view of the severe impact of climate change on the availability of water and the state of the ecosystems, the Presidents attach particular importance to cooperation in the fields of water, climate, the environment and biodiversity, as well as to the sustainable management of natural resources. They regard cooperation in these areas as an important component of both bilateral relations and the Strategic Regional Partnership between Central Asia and Germany and welcome the contribution made by the Federal Government’s Green Central Asia initiative in this regard.
Both Presidents recognise the need for a regional approach in order to address transnational challenges in the climate and environmental field. In the interest of enhancing cooperation in the environmental and climate field, they emphasise the importance of working towards the establishment of a regional environment and climate partnership between Central Asia and the Federal Republic of Germany, as envisaged in the Berlin Declaration by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central Asia and Germany of 11 February 2026.
The Presidents welcome the cooperation between the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the German trade association, German Water Partnership. They attach great importance to joint projects in the water sector.
They support deeper cooperation between their countries in the fields of culture, youth, sport, science and education.
Against this background, the Presidents particularly welcome the expansion of direct contacts between scientific institutions and universities, the implementation of joint research projects, the promotion of academic mobility and the training of highly qualified specialists, as well as the further development of the Kazakh-German University in Almaty, including through a potential new campus, the establishment of a Kazakh-German school in Astana, and cooperation on technical and vocational education and training. They underline their common interest in promoting the German language at schools and universities in Kazakhstan.
In this context, they also welcome the initiative to establish a Kazakh-German Future Forum as a platform for the exchange of young experts and professionals on the topics of the future, such as sustainable development, energy, digital transformation and artificial intelligence. They support the holding of the first forum in Saarland in the summer of 2027 and of a possible follow-up forum in Kazakhstan in 2028.
Both Presidents advocate strengthening ties between the two countries’ civil societies and acknowledge the important role of the German minority in Kazakhstan in bringing the people of both countries closer together and in developing cultural and people-to-people cooperation. In this context, they commend the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on the Affairs of Ethnic Germans in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Both Presidents welcome the successful conclusion of negotiations on an agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union on facilitating the granting of visas as an important step towards further strengthening people-to-people ties and implementing the readmission agreement.
The Presidents regard as positive the progress made on the cornerstones of the Strategic Regional Partnership – including economy and energy, transport and regional cooperation, resilience, climate and the environment, and civil-society contacts – and are committed to further strengthening the Central Asia and Germany format as a platform for long-term and results-oriented cooperation.
The Presidents declare their mutual interest in further strengthening bilateral cooperation through the continuation of a trust-based political dialogue and of the expansion of relations, particularly in the fields of trade and the economy, as well as in science, education and culture.
Earlier, Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany held expanded talks.
