ERFURT – Central Asia offers significant future potential for Thuringian companies and research institutes – this is the interim conclusion of the business trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan currently underway by a Thuringian delegation. Led by Dr. Arnulf Wulff, authorized signatory and department head at LEG Thüringen, 25 Thuringian representatives, including 17 entrepreneurs, are currently in the region. 25 participants – this is a comparatively large response to a travel offer from "Thuringia International," the LEG team that organized the trip. And the progress of the visit in the two countries confirms the participants' assessment: The delegation has been warmly received at all its stops so far, and everywhere the interest in Thuringian expertise and know-how has been palpable. Against this backdrop, promising cooperation opportunities have already been explored. Companies such as Petkus Technologie GmbH from Wutha-Farnroda and Erfurt Bildungszentrum gGmbH have successfully deepened existing collaborations; The Thuringian Institute for Plastics Research (TITK) from Rudolstadt found cooperation and business opportunities at, among others, the Textile Institute Tashkent and the Association of the Textile Industry of Uzbekistan.
High-ranking representatives dedicated considerable time to Contact with the visitors from Thuringia. Discussions took place with, among others, Monika Iwersen and Dr. Tilo Klinner, German Ambassador to Kazakhstan and German Ambassador to Uzbekistan, respectively; Mario-Ingo Soos, Consul General at the German Consulate General in Almaty, Kazakhstan; Alisher Satybaldiev, Director General of the Almaty Industrial Region; and Laziz Kudratov, First Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan. These kinds of Contact pave the way for lucrative business deals and collaborations that benefit both sides. The fact that Thuringian companies and researchers can offer attractive products and services to their Central Asian partners was evident in various meetings. The interest of the interlocutors in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan lies primarily in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agriculture, and construction/building materials. This is reflected in the great satisfaction of the Thuringian delegation members regarding the market opportunities, which have already become abundantly clear during the short visit so far. A concrete Memorandum of Understanding on future joint projects has already been signed with partners of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ATAMEKEN – a first step, which is to be followed by many more. The trip, which has provided the participants with many new Contact and opportunities for entrepreneurial activity, concludes on Sunday, October 2nd.
Background:
For several years now, "Thüringen International" has dedicated many activities to market development in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Recent activities have included information events and a digital business trip ("Online Business Mission"). The core of the travel program consisted, and continues to consist, of numerous business meetings, pre-arranged individual business Contact for the companies, company visits, and Contact with local business associations. New opportunities for economic cooperation—with a focus on sectors such as mining and mechanical engineering—are a central theme of these Contact with Central Asia, as are research collaborations, for example, in the field of textile technology.
Kazakhstan is considered the most efficient economy in Central Asia and is Germany's most important trading partner in the region. The country traditionally serves as a crucial bridge between Asia and Europe. Uzbekistan, with 35 million inhabitants, is the third-largest country of the former Soviet Union and represents the largest consumer market in Central Asia. In addition to its wealth of natural resources, the country boasts a substantial industrial base and significant agricultural potential.
Further information can be found at:
www.thueringen-international.de/kasachstan-usbekistan
