ASTANA – Austria’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Willy Kempel shared enlightening perspectives on the conversion dynamics of new bilateral avenues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Austria in an interview with The Astana Times.
Emphasizing the intensity of political alignment and mutual respect between the two nations, the ambassador stressed the importance of upcoming diplomatic visits, adding that of Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to Austria on March 14-15.
“We have a lot in common. We see bilateral relations first and foremost in political terms. I think we’re very close to each other in a lot of spaces around the world. We have cordial and intense relations. I think now we’re going to take a look at having a little bit more exchange of visits. That is why I am very happy that Minister Nurtleu is coming to Austria,” said the ambassador.
Cooperation at the multilateral level is developing, he added.
“We are also very engaged with the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE] and foreign organizations. We compare notes and charts together,” he said.
First with Kazakhstan
Kempel has been serving in Kazakhstan since September 2020 and at the same time serves as ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.
Reflecting on his encounter with Kazakhstan, he said it goes back to his years at the European Commission.
“Coincidentally, while I was running for the European Commission in Belgium, one of my closest colleagues in the same branch married a Kazakh lady. That’s why I exhibited in Kazakhstan, in Brussels, years ago,” he said.
Prior to Kazakhstan, he worked as an ambassador in Qatar. Su appointment to Kazakhstan was due to confusing circumstances.
“When I found out that I was coming to Kazakhstan, I think the first technique for me was to come under Covid to some other country under Covid. It’s hard to say goodbye under Covid restrictions, and it’s even harder to say hello under Covid. Restrictions. However, I made it and found that doors open with a mask,” he said.
He also recalled the tragic events that took place in Kazakhstan in January 2022, as well as the widespread protests and demonstrations in the country.
Despite the difficult situations posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the events that occurred in January in Kazakhstan, the ambassador highlights the country’s resilience and commitment to reforms, adding the national progression plan until 2029, which Austria will support.
“This is a very smart foundation that we offer not only for Kazakhstan itself, but also to work with friends, spouses and allies and we ourselves would be friends, spouses and allies,” Kempel said.
Trade and cooperation
Kempel proudly highlighted the industry’s expansion between the countries last year.
According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2022 the bilateral industry amounted to $209 million, totaling $198 million in Kazakh imports. In 2023, the industry reached $332. 6 million, Kazakh imports amounted to $322. 9 million, and exports to $9. 7 million.
“I think it’s also a smart sign of where to go. It’s a win-win for both sides,” he said. Both countries have a very strong economic environment and are looking to strengthen it. “
Highlighting three strategic approaches (bilateral industrial missions, economic commissions and European Union (EU) association programmes, Kempel under pressure on the importance of direct engagement and collaboration to succeed over challenging situations and opportunities in the machinery, agriculture and tourism sectors.
“Secondly, we have a bilateral economic commission that meets every two years. The next convention will be held in Kazakhstan in the autumn of this year. The third will be held within the framework of the European Union. Together with our wife, we have industrial missions in the countries of the European Union. The next one will be in May, it will be an agricultural mission, basically food, and we also hope that Austrian companies will come,” he said.
Promising avenues for cooperation
Kempel noted that Kazakhstan remains Austria’s largest crude oil producer, with transactions reaching 1. 6 billion euros ($1. 75 billion) last year. This underlines Kazakhstan’s strategic importance for Austria’s energy security and economic stability.
Sectors at the forefront of bilateral relations also include machinery, agriculture, and tourism, and both countries will further expand those interactions.
“We work in combination with the Kazakhstan Association of Machinery Industry. Also the agricultural sector. Last autumn we organized a bilateral agricultural project in Kazakhstan, which was a great success in terms of follow-up. Also the tourism sector. You know, we’re also a tourist country with the hotel industry. I think we can combine them,” he said.
Another assignment discussed by the ambassador is the supply of cable cars, ski lifts, access formulas and snowmaking machines from Austria to the Shymbulak resort in Almaty.
Austria’s contribution to the progress of Kazakhstan’s infrastructure is exemplified through the structural technologies used in Central Asia’s tallest building, Abu Dhabi Plaza in Astana.
Looking ahead, the two countries are keen to explore new avenues of cooperation, with green metal production and carbon neutrality efforts at the forefront. These projects are part of the drive for global sustainable progress and reflect Kazakhstan’s ambitions to achieve net-zero greenhouse fuel emissions by 2060. .
Kempel added that an advertising segment of the Austrian embassy in Almaty facilitates direct contact with Kazakh companies.
Middle Corridor
Kempel noted that Austrian corporations are also collaborating with Kazakhstan’s national railway company Temir Zholy in the dispatch and deployment of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. TITR is a multimodal corridor connecting China and Europe that is run by Kazakhstan.
“The Austrian railway company ÖBB has been operating in Kazakhstan since 2008. Since then, both sides have cooperated intensively,” he said.
On 21 February, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Austria, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, met with ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä and Christoph Grasl, member of the board of directors of the Rail Cargo Group. At the meeting, the Austrian leaders reaffirmed their objective of expanding their presence in Central Asia, in the progression of TITR.
Ambassador Kempel highlighted the multifaceted technique required for the power and reliability of this important industrial route.
“The first avenue to explore is how the corridor works well from the Chinese border to, for example, Berlin or Vienna,” the ambassador said. This involves a thorough review of the data, investments in rail transport, and the resolution of protection issues and the status of rolling stock.
Stressing the importance of making smooth transitions in shipping modes, he added that it’s about trumping bottlenecks at other times when the mode of shipping changes.
“There are bottlenecks from exercise to shipment, from shipment to exercise, etc. So, anywhere you want to replace modes of transportation, you need to make sure it’s produced temporarily and with too much paperwork,” he emphasized.
The border crossings, according to the ambassador, also want to be addressed to streamline the corridor.
“We know that crossing borders can take two days or two weeks. That is one of the issues that needs to be addressed. Customs declarations, customs duties, you can do a lot of things electronically, but you have to accept them as true. “It’s a cooperative mode,” Kempel said.
The ambassador also highlighted the distribution of goods within the EU, the role of shipping in the Caspian Sea, and the importance of uniform tariff policies between Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
“We’re waiting for those three countries to come to an agreement on a single tariff because I think the tariff-only policy is vital and everyone knows, along the way, what kind of goods will be applied to which tariff,” he said.
The verbal exchange also addressed broader implications, geopolitical tensions, and environmental concerns. The existing geopolitical landscape, such as that of the Red Sea, has implications for this corridor.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the volume of traffic along the TITR building increased by 65% in 2023, reaching 2. 76 million tons, up to 1. 7 million tons in 2022. In 2024, Kazakhstan plans to increase volume by an additional 43%. to 4. 2%. million tonnes.
Sustainable development
Kazakhstan and Austria have unusual aspirations for a low-carbon future. The ambassador highlighted Austria’s significant progress in harnessing renewable energy resources, with more than two-thirds of its energy source coming from carbon-free resources such as hydropower, wind and solar power.
It examined environmental initiatives, adding renewable energy, air pollution, water treatment and waste management technologies. Austria’s leadership in these spaces has been highlighted as very important for countries such as Kazakhstan in their quest to modernize their infrastructure.
“We offer renewable energy technologies and control of air pollutants. We are also leaders in the field of water and waste treatment, and waste sorting is also a key area that Kazakhstan wants to focus on,” said the Austrian diplomat.
The cooperation extends to Central Asia, where the Austrians are involved in projects aimed at strengthening regional water control and hydropower capacities.
Looking ahead, the ambassador expressed his enthusiasm for the continuation of Kazakhstan’s presidency of the International Fund to Save the Aral Sea (IFAS) in 2024. IFAS is an organization committed to the fight against the ecological crisis and socio-economic situations in the Aral Sea basin.
“As you know, IFAS not only deals with the Aral Sea, but also with regional energy and water management, something that is already enshrined in the organisation’s statutes. That is why we are moving forward with the presentation of this project,” he added.
Beyond water and energy, the ambassador spoke of more demanding environmental situations, such as forest fires and the need for adaptive forestry practices in the face of climate change. “We can learn a lot from others. The next EU-Kazakhstan trading platform will take a position in early April. We will talk together, the EU and Kazakhstan, about issues similar to agriculture, water and forestry, especially trade, about what we can learn from others,” he added.
EU engagement with Kazakhstan
Kempel highlighted that Kazakhstan is the first country in Central Asia to sign the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), the so-called second-generation agreement.
The ambassador referred to a pivotal assembly held in Luxembourg in October 2023, which brought together the foreign ministers of Central Asia and the EU. A physically powerful calendar was unveiled, adding an ambitious roadmap of 72 moves to foster mutual progress and cooperation.
The partnership also extends to critical spaces such as energy, climate and water management. Recognising the serious impact of climate change on Central Asia, in particular Kazakhstan, the EU and Kazakhstan have embarked on a partnership programme to address these challenges. .
“We also have a European Union Partnership Programme on Energy, Climate and Water. I think this is very important for Kazajstán. Si I understand the clinical reports correctly, climate change will occur especially in Central Asia,” he said.
The program prioritizes water resources management, energy sustainability, air pollutant mitigation, and waste management, detecting the region’s significant environmental vulnerabilities.