Germany's Scholz in Kazakhstan to extend economic ties, oil supplies

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday visited Kazakhstan for talks on developing economic ties, on the second leg of his three-day trip to Central Asia.

In the Kazakh capital Astana, Scholz met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with petroleum deliveries and an extension of bilateral relations on the agenda.

Scholz said he would "do everything to improve possibilities for economic relations," calling for "continuous collaboration" in the raw materials sector.

Kazakhstan is Germany's third-highest supplier of oil after Norway and the United States.

Around 11.7% of German petroleum is sourced from the Central Asian giant, which has stepped in to replace Russian deliveries since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, especially to the vital PCK processing plant in the eastern German state of Brandenburg near Berlin.

During Scholz's visit, which followed his trip to Uzbekistan on Sunday, the two countries struck a deal to extend and increase deliveries - currently amounting to 100,000 tons of crude oil per month - beyond the end of 2024.

"The German government welcomes the continued supply of the PCK refinery beyond 2024," said a government spokesman. "We thank Kazakhstan for its support."

Tokayev said the meeting was bringing relations between Germany and Kazakhstan to a "new level."

"Our bilateral cooperation will be expanded in the spirit of a strategic partnership," he added.

Further agreements were signed to extend cooperation between the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Germany's Bundesbank, to establish at institute for science and technology at the German-Kazakh University in the eastern metropolis of Almaty, and to set up a German-language school in the country.

Kazakhstan, with a population of 20 million, is the ninth-largest country in the world and Germany's most important economic partner in Central Asia.

The country has enjoyed above-average economic growth in recent years, due in part to trade with its neighbours Russia and China.

However, it has also attracted criticism over violations of human rights, with freedom of the press and freedom of expression heavily restricted.

A press conference after Scholz's meeting with Tokayev was abruptly cancelled at short notice.