German newspaper Handelsblatt has published an article by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in which he noted that Kazakhstan already produces 21 of the 34 raw materials of strategic importance to Europe and is ready to build complete production chains jointly with German businesses.
Qazinform News Agency presents the full text of the article. “In politics, as in economics, trust is capital, and reliability is its highest form. Amid growing international turbulence, relationships of this kind acquire particular value. Over more than three decades, Kazakhstan and Germany have accumulated substantial mutual trust and built a reliable framework for a strategic partnership distinguished by constructive political dialogue, consistent implementation of agreements and a firm focus on concrete results.
For Kazakhstan, Germany is more than a key trading partner and major investor. It is a country with which we share economic interests and an unwavering commitment to international law. Today, our cooperation extends far beyond the bilateral agenda. It is becoming an important link between Asia and Europe, making a significant contribution to economic resilience, energy security and transport connectivity across Eurasia.
Deep ties between people form a strong foundation for our cooperation. More than 200,000 ethnic Germans live in Kazakhstan today, while Germany is home to more than one million people who came from our country. Shared historical memory and cultural traditions bring our peoples closer together.
It is this foundation that allows us to look to the future with confidence. I therefore see my current visit to Germany, above all, as an opportunity to open a new chapter in our strategic partnership, identify new areas for growth and give fresh momentum to our joint work.
All the necessary conditions are in place. In 2025, bilateral trade approached $9 billion (€7.9 billion). More than 1,000 enterprises with German capital are registered in Kazakhstan. There is also considerable potential to diversify Kazakh exports and produce goods with higher added value.
We could additionally supply the German market with more than 80 types of processed products. The greatest opportunities lie in metallurgy, petrochemicals, the food industry and railway engineering. Combining our efforts in critical minerals also appears particularly relevant.
Strategic resources for the energy transition and digitalization Kazakhstan already produces 21 of the 34 raw materials of strategic importance to the European economy. These include lithium, silicon, cobalt, niobium, tungsten and copper. These materials are essential for the energy transition, engineering, industrial production, microelectronics and digital technologies.
We offer our German partners more than guaranteed supplies: we propose jointly creating complete production chains, from geological exploration and extraction to processing, component manufacturing and the reuse of materials.