ASTANA (TCA) — Germany is aware of how important this EXPO is for Kazakhstan. It is the first time ever that the EXPO has been hosted by a Central Asian country – and that’s a great success, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at the opening of Germany’s National Day at EXPO 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 12.
“This EXPO is all about the future, about the energy supply of the future. For us in Germany, the energy transition is the project for the future. The German Pavilion is showcasing this vision under the slogan ‘Energy on Track’. Germany wants to present its project not just to Kazakhstan, but to the whole world,” Steinmeier said.
In his words, German companies are already well established in the fields of infrastructure, cement, gypsum and other raw materials. Germany is also increasingly active with respect to climate projects in Kazakhstan. Germany has supported the Central Asia Water Initiative for almost a decade now. This is Germany’s contribution to the EU’s Central Asia Strategy.
“We are also working together on viable solutions to global environmental problems. For example, German expertise flowed into the construction of the Yerementau I wind farm here in Kazakhstan. We would be glad to expand such collaboration,” Steinmeier said.
Speaking at a media briefing after his talks with the German Federal President on the same day, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that Germany is Kazakhstan’s reliable friend and key economic partner. More than 900 companies with German capital now work in Kazakhstan and German investments have exceeded $4 billion.
The Kazakh leader also said that given Kazakhstan’s convenient location, Kazakhstan and Germany are set to join efforts for on-ground transit of goods from China to Germany via Central Asia.