Kazakhstan and Germany have signed an agreement to extend their long-running “Partnering in Business with Germany” program until 2028, reinforcing bilateral economic cooperation with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Jointly implemented by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the program has been in operation for 15 years. More than 800 Kazakhstani entrepreneurs have participated, gaining hands-on training in Germany, learning best business practices, modernizing their operations, and securing contracts, licenses, and franchise agreements. In 2025, the German side will continue to fully cover costs for participants, including training, insurance, and accommodation.
Deputy Minister of National Economy Yerlan Sagnayev emphasized that the program not only fosters professional development among Kazakhstani entrepreneurs but also contributes to deepening long-term economic ties between the two nations.
Germany is Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner within the European Union. At the 16th Kazakhstan-German Business Council meeting held in Astana in May, it was revealed that Kazakhstan ranked 43rd among Germany’s global trade partners in 2024 and accounted for 83% of Germany’s trade volume with Central Asia.
Energy remains a central pillar of bilateral cooperation. Kazakhstan began exporting crude oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline in 2023, with volumes expected to rise to 1.5 million tons in 2025, up from 993,000 tons in 2023.
