Kazakhstan and Germany agree on new projects in education, water resources and agriculture

During the working visit, a meeting was held with Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Jens Brandenburg, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture Claudia Müller, Managing Director of the German Water Partnership Boris Greifeneder, Head of the National and International Economic Policy Group at the Federal Chancellery Holger Fabig and Scientific Director of the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) Susanne Buiter.

The prospect of joint training of professional personnel in the water management industry was discussed with the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Jens Brandenburg. The German side expressed its readiness to soon identify a university for collaboration with the new Kazakh National University of Water Management and Irrigation in Taraz.

Kanat Bozumbayev discussed the possibilities of Kazakhstani agro-industrial and organic products entering the German market with the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture Claudia Müller.

Germany is one of Kazakhstan’s key agricultural partners.

The parties agreed to coordinate the Concept of the Regional Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Central Asia. Let us recall that the work on the creation of the Regional Center for Sustainable Agriculture is being carried out on the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, announced during his official visit to Germany on September 28-29, 2023.

The Deputy Prime Minister also held talks with the Managing Director of the German Water Partnership, Boris Greifeneder.

The German Water Partnership (GWP) is a network of the international water industry in Germany, uniting more than 300 companies in the water sector. Cooperation with the GWP is an important step towards sustainable and efficient water management and will enable the use of proven new technologies.

Following the meeting, an agreement was reached to develop a draft Global Agreement on Water Partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Federal Republic of Germany.

On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke during a panel discussion of the round table “Water for Sustainable Development”.

— The consequences of recent floods, unprecedented in their intensity over the past 80 years, have indicated the need for innovative approaches to combat and prevent similar disasters in the future. With the assistance of UNDP, we are testing the German digital flood forecasting solution Talsim. We are also ready to study the German experience in solving flood problems and mitigation programs, — said Kanat Bozumbayev.

During the round table, dozens of German companies expressed a desire for cooperation and production in Kazakhstan.

Kanat Bozumbayev then met with Holger Fabig, head of the group for national and international economic policy at the Federal Chancellery. The parties exchanged views on industrial and raw materials cooperation and joint development of mineral resources.

— Increasing the degree of raw material processing on site with subsequent transportation of higher value added products has a number of advantages for both Kazakhstan and Germany. As our President has stated, we, for our part, consider the creation of a consortium of German and Kazakhstani companies to implement joint raw material projects to be optimal, — the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Kanat Bozumbayev discussed the study of underground water resources in Kazakhstan with the scientific director of the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) Susanne Buiter.

Today, the national hydrometeorological service “Kazhydromet” successfully cooperates with GFZ within the framework of the Berlin process and the Green Central Asia initiative.

Following the Deputy Prime Minister’s working visit to Germany, the following documents were signed:

• Memorandum of the Kazakh side with the Independent Institute of Environmental Problems UfU.
• Memorandum between the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the German Water Partnership.
• Memorandum between the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the limited liability company “INNARI innovative natural irrigation”.
• Memorandum between the Kazakh Research Institute of Water Management (KazNIIVH) of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Independent Institute for Environmental Problems (NIEP) of Germany.
• Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Independent Institute for Environmental Problems of Germany.