Kazakhstan and Austria Outlined New Areas of Cooperation

Astana, May 5, 2026 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev received the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria Beate Meinl-Reisinger and the Federal Minister of the Interior of Austria Gerhard Karner during their official visit to Kazakhstan.

The parties confirmed the high level of Kazakh-Austrian relations based on mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation. “Today, we discussed key areas of Kazakh-Austrian cooperation and outlined new horizons for interaction. Austria is an important partner of Kazakhstan in the European Union, and we intend to further deepen our cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally,” the Kazakh Foreign Minister emphasized.

During the talks, particular attention was paid to the progress in the implementation of agreements on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports and on readmission, which opens up additional opportunities for further strengthening bilateral cooperation. In addition, the Austrian side within the framework of cooperation with the OSCE will hand over 25 passport readers to Astana International Airport.

Special attention was paid to the development of trade, economic and investment ties, including the holding of a business roundtable. In this context, the role of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Business Council, as well as Austrian companies operating in Kazakhstan, was highlighted.

The interlocutors noted significant potential for cooperation in such sectors as mining industry, transport and infrastructure, energy, tourism and education. Particular emphasis was placed on expanding transport and logistics cooperation, including the development of the Middle Corridor and participation in the “Global Gateway” initiative, opening up new opportunities for Austrian businesses in Kazakhstan.

In the context of economic cooperation, the parties discussed issues of energy collaboration. The role of Kazakhstan as one of the key suppliers of oil to Austria, as well as its contribution to ensuring energy security and stable supplies, was underlined.

The parties also exchanged views on current international and regional security issues, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation and resolving contemporary challenges exclusively through peaceful means in accordance with the UN Charter.

Following the meeting, the parties expressed confidence that joint efforts would give a new impetus to Kazakh-Austrian partnership and contribute to the further expansion of cooperation.