On February 19, 1992, diplomatic relations were established.
In 1995 the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Austria was opened.
In 2007 the Austrian Embassy in Kazakhstan was opened.
From October 2020, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Austria is Kairat Umarov.
From September 2020, the Austrian Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan is Willy Kempel.
Political cooperation
Contacts at the highest level:
The First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N.Nazarbayev visited Austria four times with official visits (in February 1993, in February 2000, in September 2004 and October 2012).
The President of Austria visited Kazakhstan once on an official visit (Federal President H. Fischer – December 3, 2010 to participate in the OSCE Summit in Astana).
In political terms Kazakhstan and Austria adhere to similar positions on topical issues of the modern world. Both sides positively assess the established practice of mutual support for the initiatives of the two countries in international structures, as evidenced by the support of relevant applications for membership in the UN Security Council, Austria's support for Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO, EXPO-2017 in Astana, as well as Kazakhstan's support for the Austrian chairmanship in the OSCE in 2017.
High-level contacts (2018-2021):
The development of contacts at the level of the leadership of foreign ministries was facilitated by the meetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan К. Abdrakhmanov with Austrian Foreign Minister Karl Kneissel at the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2018, and the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan in December 2018.
On October 16, 2018, negotiations were held in Vienna by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Kozhamzharov with Federal Minister of Constitution, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice of Austria J.Moser as a result of meeting was adoption of a joint statement, which reflected the willingness of the parties to develop cooperation in the fight against crime.
In October 2019, negotiations were held in Vienna between the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.Shpekbayev and the Director of the Federal Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Austria A.Wieselthaller.
On September 21, 2021, on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, a meeting was held between Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tleuberdi and the Austrian Foreign Minister A. Schallenberg. Both sides discussed issues of expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including the field of advanced technologies, simplification of the visa regime, strengthening cooperation on multilateral platforms in nuclear security and arms control.
On September 27-28, 2021, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Cooperation E. Kazykhan paid a working visit to Vienna to discuss issues of expanding cooperation and strengthening partnerships between Kazakhstan and international organizations, as well as bilateral cooperation with Austria.
During the visit, meetings were held with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, UN Deputy Secretary General, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Gada Wali, as well as negotiations with a group of members of the Austrian Parliament, the representative of the Administration of the Federal President and the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
On November 5, 2021, within the framework of participation in the First Economic Forum in Bishkek there was a meeting of the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Cooperation E.Kazyhan with Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria M. Linhart.
On January 19, 2022, during a working visit to Vienna, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Tleuberdi had a meeting with the head of the Austrian Foreign Ministry A. Schallenberg. There were explanations from the Kazakh side about the January events in Kazakhstan. They also discussed the state and prospects of Kazakh-Austrian relations, including the establishment of a visa-free regime for holders of diplomatic passports and readmission of persons.
Inter-parliamentary cooperation
Visits to Austria:
- Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev (February 2007, February 2009, February 2010, February 2011, February 2016), Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Mami (February 2012, February 2013), Chairman of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nigmatulin (February 19-22, 2019, September 6-8, 2021).
Visits to the Republic of Kazakhstan:
- President of the Federal Council of the Austrian Parliament I. Appe (June 26-29, 2019), President of the Federal Council of the Austrian Parliament K. Bader (September 23-24, 2019).
There is a group in the Austrian Parliament for cooperation with colleagues from Central Asian countries. The Senate and the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan have groups for cooperation with Central European countries, including Austria.
Kazakh parliamentary delegations annually take part in the winter meetings of the OSCE PA, which are traditionally held in Vienna.
Multilateral cooperation
Kazakhstan and Austria adhere to the established practice of mutual support of initiatives, as well as candidacies in international organizations.
Austria supported Kazakhstan's applications for the OSCE chairmanship in 2010, the EXPO-2017 exhibition and membership in the UN Security Council for 2017-18.
Kazakhstan supported Austria's applications for the OSCE Chairmanship in 2017 and participation in the work of the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for 2027-28.
In December 2017 the Austrian Parliament has ratified the Agreement on Expanded Partnership and Cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU, signed on December 21, 2015 in Nur-Sultan.
Kazakhstan supported the Austrian initiative on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear tests. Austria supported Kazakhstan`s initiative on the adoption of the UNGA Resolution on the Universal Declaration on Achieving a World without Nuclear Weapons.
Trade and economic cooperation
Austria is among the leading trading partners of Kazakhstan: among the EU countries, it ranks 9th in terms of bilateral trade. In turn, Kazakhstan is the second trading partner for Austria among the CIS countries (after Russia).
The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Austria for the period January-August 2021 amounted to $ 106.6 mln (exports – $ 1.2 mln, imports – $ 105.4 mln).
By the end of 2020, the trade turnover amounted to $ 158.8 mln, which is 12.8% lower than in the same period of the previous year (in 2019 – $ 181.8 mln). Exports in 2020 decreased by 5.8% and amounted to $ 3.3 mln, imports decreased by 12.7% and amounted to $ 155.5 mln.
The main export goods from Kazakhstan to Austria are: tantalum and products made from it, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium and other rare metals, equipment for measuring and controlling electrical quantities and radiation, ferroalloys, fish fillets and other fish meat (including minced meat), electric transformers.
The main import goods to Kazakhstan from Austria are: vaccines, blood serums, medicines, cattle, passenger cars, ferrous metal structures, telephone sets.
According to Statistik Austria, in January-August 2021, the bilateral trade turnover amounted to 965.1 mln euros. Exports – 857.9 mln euros. Oil and petroleum products account for most of it (98.5%). The rest – metal products, fish/crustaceans, inorganic chemical products, iron and steel. Imports – 107.2 mln euros.
To date, 42 Austrian companies are represented in Kazakhstan, including such world-famous Austrian brands as Kapsch, Liebherr, Gebrüder Weiss, Andritz Hydro, Herz Armaturen, Red Bull, Swarovski, Frey Wille, Trodat, Colop, Julius Blum and others.
The Kazakh-Austrian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Agricultural, Environmental, Industrial, Technical and Technological Cooperation (IGC) is an effective mechanism in the field of bilateral economic cooperation. The IGC Co-chairs: on the Kazakh side – Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration K.Torebayev, on the Austrian side – Director General of the Federal Ministry of Digitalization and Economy F. Frauscher.
The tenth meeting of the IGC was held on September 23, 2021 in Kazakhstan (Nursultan). The next, 11th meeting of the IGC is scheduled to take place 2022 in Austria.
There are also three Working Groups at the intergovernmental level between Kazakhstan and Austria: on transport infrastructure, on hydropower and renewable energy, as well as on medical equipment.
The bilateral Kazakh-Austrian Business Council has been operating since 2012 (the 8th meeting was held on September 22, 2021 in Kazakhstan). The co-chairs are Chairman of the Union of Machine Builders of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Pshembayev and Vice-President of the Austrian Economic Chambers R. Schenz. The next, 9th meeting of the Business Council is scheduled for 2022 in Austria.
The Forum of Regions is being held in Austria jointly with the Austrian Chamber of Economics, which is attended by representatives of political and economic circles of the regions of the two countries. The first Forum was held on June 27, 2018 in Astana. The second one was held online on December 10 , 2020.
The Embassy to Austria, together with the Austrian Economic Chambers, is holding a Forum of Regions, which is attended by representatives of the political and economic circles of the regions of the two countries. The first Forum was held on June 27, 2018 in Astana. The second one took place online on December 10, 2020.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation
At the initiative of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1997, the «Austrian Library» was opened at the Kazakh State University of International Relations and World Languages (Almaty), numbering over 4 thousand copies of books.
In October 2009, the book of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. was published in German in Vienna. Nazarbayev's «Kazakhstan's Way» (Kasachstans Weg)
The publication was timed to coincide with the 65th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in 2010. Books in memory of Kazakhstanis who died on the territory of Austria and the grand opening of a memorial plaque on the territory of the Mauthausen concentration camp.
From 2015 to 2020 The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan implemented the project «Pearls of Kazakhstan - melodies of the Great Steppe», within the framework of which concerts of Kazakhstani musicians were held, as well as a number of other cultural events.
As part of the celebration of the 750th anniversary of the Golden Horde, as well as the 1150th anniversary of Abu Nasr al-Farabi and the 175th anniversary of Abai Kunanbayev, concert programs of chamber music were organized, as well as publications and exhibitions were provided.
On July 11, 2021, within the framework of the music festival «Ost-West Musikfest 2021», a solo concert of the People's Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, world-famous violinist A. Musakhodzhayeva and Honored Worker of our country, pianist S. Asabayeva dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan took place. As part of the concert, Abai's works, as well as world classics, were performed.
On October 1, 2021, the Vienna Technical Museum hosted an event dedicated to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Austromir space expedition, which included cosmonaut Tokhtar Aubakirov, Austrian cosmonaut Franz Fibek and Russian crew commander Alexander Volkov. The event was attended by the Minister of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria Leonora Gevessler, Austrian cosmonaut Franz Fibek, Kazakh cosmonaut Tokhtar Aubakirov (via video link), Director General of the Vienna Technical Museum, as well as scientists and researchers in the field of cosmonautics.
In October 2021, the Days of Kazakhstani Cinema were held at the Stadtkino Cinema in Vienna. At the film screening organized in honor of the 30th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the audience was presented two works by Kazakhstani cinematographers – «Tomiris» by Akan Satayev and «Amre» by director Jeff Vespa, known in foreign distribution as «Paris Song».
On September 1, 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Austrian Institute of Applied Political Economics.
An important factor in strengthening bilateral contacts is the Austrian-Kazakh Society (AKO), which unites friends of Kazakhstan in Austria from among representatives of political, business and cultural circles, Kazakh students studying at Austrian universities. In particular, AKO interacts with the Kazakh Student Community in Austria (KSSA) in matters of joint events, organization of competitions and internships.
Regional cooperation
To date, memorandums of cooperation have been signed between the East Kazakhstan Region and the federal state of Styria, the South Kazakhstan region and Carinthia, the Pavlodar region and Upper Austria, the cities of Almaty and Graz. These documents form the basis of regional cooperation, on the basis of which specific projects are being developed.
The expansion of the Institute of Honorary Consuls of Kazakhstan in Austria contributes to the strengthening of regional ties. There are seven honorary consuls of Kazakhstan in eight federal states of Austria