OREANDA-NEWS. July 21, 2010. During German Chancellor Angela Merkel's first ever visit to Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan and Germany signed 34 agreements totally worth Euro 2 billion. This was announced by Kazakhstan’s First Vice Minister of Industry and New Technology Albert Rau.

In the course of the German-Kazakh business forum in Astana MoUs were signed among KazAtomProm, Kazakhstan’s Center for Engineering and Transfer of Technology and Chemieanlagenbau Chemnitz; between KazakhstanTemirZholy National Railways Operator and Siemens; between ChemPharm of Kazakhstan and Berlin-Chemie.

Altogether the forum was attended by over 300 representatives of Kazakh and German business communities.

Albert Rau briefed that Kazakhstan is working on amendments to the national legislation on special economic zones. He reminded that currently there are six special economic zones operating in Kazakhstan. These are an IT park in Almaty, a special economic zone in Astana, Aktau Caspian Sea port special economic zone, Ontustik textiles zone, Atyrau-based Petrochemistry Park and Burabai special economic zone.

He invited German businessmen to invest into Khorgos near-border economic zone located at the border on China. This economic zone will be the starting point of both motor and railways West China – West Europe corridors.