Astana, Sep 17 (EFE).- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday offered Central Asia technology transfer in exchange for access to the region's vast natural resources, during the summit between the European country and the five Central Asian republics.

“Especially in times of global uncertainty, close and reliable partners are needed,” Scholz said in the Kazakh capital, Astana, which hosted the group’s second meeting. The first summit was held a year ago in Berlin.

Scholz stressed that strengthening relations with the five countries - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan - “is a strategic goal for Germany.”

He supported the regional policy of exchanging raw materials for technology and said that Berlin is investing heavily in research and development (R&D), “around 3 % of the Gross Domestic Product.”

“It's a very good indicator (...), from artificial intelligence to electronics, robotics, biology,” he stressed, adding that his country remains ”one of the world's leading economies.”

In response, the Central Asian leaders expressed their readiness to increase exports of oil and rare metals in exchange for technology and investment, including the transfer of equipment production to the region.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed that increasing exports of natural resources, not only hydrocarbons, to the European market is a priority for Central Asia.

In fact, the largest Central Asian republic has already increased oil pumping to Germany to 100,000 tons per day. This softened the impact of the sanctions on Russian exports because of the Ukraine war on its economy.

Tokayev called on Berlin to develop the rare metal deposits found in the region and expressed readiness to offer German companies favorable conditions for this.

In particular, he highlighted HMS Bergbau’s project, worth more than $500 million, for lithium mining and processing in the east of the country.

In this respect, Scholz expressed his confidence that in the future Central Asia will replace China, which currently supplies 80% of European imports.

The joint declaration signed at the end of the summit emphasizes the modernization of the transport corridor between China and Europe. For this, the Central Asian countries welcomed the European Union’s allocation of 10 billion euros to the Global Gateway strategy precisely for infrastructure projects.

Uzbekistan, the most populous country in the region, expressed its readiness to cooperate with German companies to develop strategic natural resources, ranging from uranium to copper, zinc, and tungsten.

Kyrgyzstan also expressed interest in cooperating with Germany in the construction of hydroelectric power plants and the development of renewable energy in neighboring China.

In turn, Scholz warned countries in the region that his government intends to prevent Russia from using international trade networks to circumvent Western sanctions for its military campaign in Ukraine.

The Uzbek leader, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, announced that his country is to host the Central Asia+Germany summit next year. EFE

kk-mos/pddp/lap

Astana (Kazakhstan), 17/09/2024.- A handout photo made available by the Kazakhstan President press service shows Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attending a plenary session of the Central Asia-Germany summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, 17 September 2024. According to the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan, positioning itself as a reliable and major supplier of energy resources to Germany, has the opportunity to increase supplies to the German market. EFE/EPA/KAZAKHSTAN PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Astana (Kazakhstan), 17/09/2024.- A handout photo made available by the Kazakhstan President press service shows German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attending a plenary session of the Central Asia-Germany summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, 17 September 2024. According to the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan, positioning itself as a reliable and major supplier of energy resources to Germany, has the opportunity to increase supplies to the German market.  EFE/EPA/KAZAKHSTAN PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Astana (Kazakhstan), 17/09/2024.- A handout photo made available by the Kazakhstan President press service shows Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attending the Central Asia-Germany summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, 17 September 2024. According to the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan, positioning itself as a reliable and major supplier of energy resources to Germany, has the opportunity to increase supplies to the German market. EFE/EPA/KAZAKHSTAN PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Astana (Kazakhstan), 17/09/2024.- A handout photo made available by the Kazakhstan President press service shows Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (2-R) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) entering a hall during the Central Asia-Germany summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, 17 September 2024. According to the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan, positioning itself as a reliable and major supplier of energy resources to Germany, has the opportunity to increase supplies to the German market. EFE/EPA/KAZAKHSTAN PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES