Kazakhstan Attracts Robust Industrial Interest from German Companies, Eager for Collaborative Endeavors
Frankfurt am Main's Federal State of Hesse, a Veritable Hub for Business, Bolsters Ties with Kazakhstan
Astana and Hesse, Germany, are forging closer economic bonds, as evidenced at the Kazakhstan Investment Day 2025 forum held on April 3 in Frankfurt am Main. The Prime Minister's press service reported the developments.
Roman Sklyar, Kirghizstan's First Deputy Prime Minister, spearheaded the Kazakh delegation at the event, meeting with Manfred Pentz, Hesse's Minister for International Cooperation, Europe, and Debureaucratization. The encounter paved the way for an impending economic mission from Hesse to Kazakhstan, aimed at identifying viable investment opportunities.
The gathering saw discussions centered on trade and economic cooperation between both regions, with a focus on future development prospects. Sklyar also engaged in bilateral conversations with several German companies.
Hesse, boasting a 2024 GDP of 370 billion euros (approximately US$408.4 billion), serves as one of Germany's most economically robust federal states, making up nearly 9% of the country's total economy. The region is home to leading financial institutions such as Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, KfW, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, offering a robust platform for prospective partners and investors.
The thriving economic climate in Hesse and Kazakhstan's growing influence position both parties to collaborate on promising projects. Prime areas of concentration include transportation and logistics, financial services, raw materials and energy, and digital transformation.
Hesse's strategic position as a transport hub complements Kazakhstan's role as a Central Asian transit corridor, particularly for EU-Asia cargo. Infrastructure modernization and supply chain connectivity are key topics of interest.
Financial institutions within Hesse are poised to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large-scale project investments in Kazakhstan, while Kazakhstan's rich reserves of critical minerals such as uranium and rare earths are of great interest to Germany's energy transition efforts.
German technology companies are also exploring technology partnerships in Kazakhstan's burgeoning digital economy. In addition, the German-Kazakh Business Council has spearheaded joint projects through platforms like the Partnering in Business with Germany program, celebrating its 15th year of collaboration in 2024. AKA Bank, a crucial organizer of the 2025 forum, facilitates cross-border investment through German-Kazakh financial networks.
An economic delegation from Hesse is slated to visit Kazakhstan in the coming months to finalize partnerships, potentially focusing on energy, technology, and infrastructure sectors. Around 1,100 German-affiliated companies already operate in Kazakhstan, many as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), indicating ample potential for scaling high-value clusters.
Recent forums have emphasized green energy partnerships and digital infrastructure as priority areas for joint initiatives, highlighting the vibrant and growing relationship between Hesse and Kazakhstan.
- The Prime Minister's press service reported that the delegation led by Roman Sklyar, Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister, met with Manfred Pentz, Hesse's Minister for International Cooperation, Europe, and Debureaucratization, at the Kazakhstan Investment Day 2025 forum, which was held in Frankfurt am Main, aiming to foster closer economic bonds between Astana and Hesse, Germany.
- In 2025, Hesse's Minister for International Cooperation, Europe, and Debureaucratization mentioned the impending economic mission from Hesse to Kazakhstan, which would identify viable investment opportunities and further strengthen the economic ties between the two regions, particularly focusing on sectors such as transportation and logistics, financial services, raw materials and energy, and digital transformation.
- Given Hesse's robust platform for prospective partners and investors, with leading financial institutions like Commerzbank, and Kazakhstan's rich reserves of critical minerals like uranium and rare earths, financial institutions within Hesse are expected to support both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large-scale project investments in Kazakhstan, while Kazakhstan's growing influence and thriving digital economy attract German technology companies seeking technology partnerships.
