- 5° / -14°C WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 No 1 (187) www.astanatimes.com Government commissions Saryarka gas pipeline UNDP, Bitfury to create forestland as ’s first carbon reducing initiative able Development Goals indicate By Aidana Yergaliyeva moving towards sustainable and low carbon consumption will re- NUR-SULTAN – Bitfury, the quire significant investment and world’s leading blockchain com- innovation from both the govern- pany, in partnership with the ment and private sector. UNDP United Nations Development Pro- in Kazakhstan and Bitfury agreed gramme (UNDP) will be the first Dec. 12 to conserve and increase big business to compensate for the nation’s forestland. its carbon footprint in Kazakh- “This is the first carbon re- stan. The two entities will sign an duction initiative for Kazakh- agreement in late January with the stan and we hope that it will nation’s Ministry of Ecology, Ge- accelerate the country’s efforts ology and Natural Resources to to reduce carbon dioxide in part- create a forestland in the Pavlodar nership with the private sector. Region. These practical solutions will Kazakhstan must reduce its require institutionalisation and greenhouse gas emissions by 15 expansion,” said Yakup Beris, percent in the next decade to meet UNDP Resident Representa- its pledge in the 2016 Paris Agree- tive in Kazakhstan, reported the ment. UNDP press service. The agreement and UN Sustain- Continued on Page A2 Photo credit: The Kazakh Ministtry of Energy press service. press The Kazakh Ministtry of Energy Photo credit: KazStroyService was the main mobilisation began the following into the atmosphere, create more Staff Report Government approves new contractor among domestic compa- month and welding works started comfortable living conditions for nies, Bemer Armature Kazakhstan last March. More than 1,000 units the population and help improve the NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh provided shutoff valves and crane of equipment and approximately environmental situation. government completed the con- assemblies and Batys Munai Gas 2,000 employees were involved. “The arrival of natural gas in the draft Ecology Code struction and commissioning of Zhabdyktary supplied automated “The 1,061.3 kilometres of gas central and northern regions of the the Saryarka gas pipeline Dec. 27, gas distribution stations. pipeline and five units of the most country is a significant historical reported the Ministry of Energy’s “It should be noted that the imple- powerful automated gas distribution event for the country,” it added. to toughen penalties for press service. mentation of the project will bring a stations, as well as a gas measuring First President Nursultan Naz- The pipeline, which starts in the multiplier effect and will give impe- station, were built in a significantly arbayev ordered constructing the Region, will provide do- tus to the development of small and short time. This indicates the co- gas pipeline as part of the Five mestic gas to , the capi- medium-sized businesses, which ordination of work and the high Social Initiatives in his special environmental offenses tal, Temirtau and Zhezkazgan and form the basis of economic prosper- professional preparedness of our state-of-the-nation in March 2018. ciple will control large company nearly 2.7 million people in 171 set- ity for the regions located along the specialists and the innovativeness President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev By Aidana Yergaliyeva emissions with fines and respon- tlements along its route will have ac- gas pipelines, as well as our capi- of the technologies used in the pro- also instructed “timely completion sibility for environmental damage. cess to natural gas, the release noted. tal,” said the statement. cess,” said the ministry. of the construction of the Saryarka NUR-SULTAN – The govern- The fines will gradually double, The government ensured maxi- The construction launch ceremo- Using natural gas as a fuel is gas pipeline” as part of his election ment approved a new draft Ecol- quadruple and eventually, increase mum involvement of local manu- ny for main pipeline was held in De- among the government’s main tasks, programme, which focused on so- ogy Code during the Dec. 24 gov- eight-fold. facturers during construction. cember 2018, equipment and people as it will reduce pollutant emissions cial wellbeing. ernment meeting chaired by Prime The second principle will reduce Minister . the number of first category enter- The Ministry of Ecology, Geology prises obliged to undergo environ- and Natural Resources developed mental impact assessment (EIA) to the draft considering the experience 2,600. The businesses account for of the Organisation for Economic 80 percent of emissions. Icing believed to be most likely Co-operation and Development The existing code, which has (OECD) countries and opinions been covering almost all enter- from the Kazakh public and busi- prises (nearly 19,000), proved it- ness community. The ministry in- self “ineffective and impractical,” cause of Dec. 27 Bek Air crash cluded many of the more than 2,000 said Minister of Ecology, Geology two days under weather condi- based on the direction and mode and tried to stop the flight. suggestions received during the pub- and Natural Resources Magzum By Aidana Yergaliyeva tions… is not excluded,” Sklyar speed of the wind, the time in- The right roll of the aircraft began lic discussion of the bill. Mirzagaliyev while presenting the said, reported kursiv.kz. “Thus, terval between take-off aircraft, to develop. The code has seven principles. draft. NUR-SULTAN – A Kazakh taking into account the studied and this was 110 seconds, under Aircraft Commander (AC): The ‘polluter pays and fixes’ prin- Continued on Page A4 government commission assess- meteorological information and these conditions, the satellite What happened? ing the Dec. 27 crash of a Bek Air analysis of the parametric data of track has calculatedly shifted to Co-pilot: I do not know what plane near has found icing the flight recorder, the main theory the left by a distance of at least happened, a stabiliser, slow down, to be the most likely cause of the of the crash is the icing of the air- 50 metres from the runway. *profanity* accident, Deputy Prime Minister craft theory.” Accordingly, it could not have (the co-pilot is probably shifting Baiterek Holding creates Roman Sklyar told a Jan. 10 Cen- The aircraft was only partially influenced the emergence and the engine control levers to idle). tral Communication Service press treated with anti-icing liquid be- development of a special situa- AC: No need, what are you do- briefing. fore the flight. The aircraft com- tion,” Sklyar said. ing?! Let’s go, go, go! The Bek Air plane mander decided to treat only the There were no reports of wind (probably the commander venture capital fund, pursues collided with a two-storey build- stabiliser with anti-icing liquid, shear from another aircraft taking moves the control levers to take- ing near Almaty Dec. 27, killing not the wings, Sklyar said. off Dec. 27, he added. off mode). 12 people out of almost 100 on The commission continues to The commission hasn’t found AC: Remove the chassis. long-term construction board, including the captain. The work with the Interstate Aviation evidence of an aircraft malfunc- At a height of five metres, the commission has investigated four Committee, specialists and the tion or abnormal operation of air- cleaning of the chassis began,” possible causes of the crash: com- Netherlands Authorised Accident craft and engine systems, but work Sklyar read the transcribed con- mercial loading errors that affected Investigation Authority. continues and the investigation versation. projects in 2020 aircraft centring; external factors According to Sklyar, the com- might take more than a year, sput- The Fokker 100 airplane’s air- and the first start-up wind farm like icing, weather conditions or mission ruled out errors in com- niknews.kz reports. worthiness certificate was is- By Aidana Yergaliyeva complex in the Akmola Region. satellite delays; pilot error; and mercial loading and aircraft cen- Sklyar also read a portion of the sued in May 2019. The plane that DBK is providing seven billion aircraft failure. tring because the wind in the strip conversation between the pilots crashed was built April 9, 1996, in NUR-SULTAN – Baiterek Na- tenge (US$18.37 million) in loan “The probability of ice deposi- was steady at a speed of one to two before the crash. At 7:20 a.m. 10 the Netherlands. The Kazakh Avi- tional Managing Holding, the Ka- funds for up to 20 years. The bank tion on the surface of the aircraft, metres per second. seconds after take-off, the second ation Administration suspended zakh government’s key financial also prioritises “transport, logis- which had been parked for about “Under these conditions, pilot reduced the engine operating Bek Air’s airworthiness Dec. 27. agent, will continue to pursue its tics, communications and energy, long-term goals this year. It ended including green energy,” he said. 2019 included in the environmen- “Currently, DBK is the leading tal, social, and governance (ESG) bank in the country for long-term rating and creating a venture capi- lending to the non-oil economy. At tal fund. the end of 2018, the share of DBK’s As of Dec. 30, the Fitch Rating long-term lending to the manufac- of BBB confirmed the holding was turing industry and infrastructure responsible for the country’s diver- amounted to 46 percent of the total sification and sustainable econom- loans issued by all banks,” he added. ic growth with a stable outlook. The bank’s loan portfolio is 1.6 Baiterek’s subsidiary organisa- trillion tenge (US$4.24 billion). tions, Development Bank of Ka- DBK’s major strategic projects zakhstan (DBK) and Kazyna Capi- include building the rail tal Management (KCM), support and beam plant, trans- long-term financing for infrastruc- former factory, ferroalloy plant in ture and manufacturing investment the Karaganda Region, transport projects, Chair Aidar Arifkhanov and logistics centre in the Turke- told The Astana Times. KCM is fi- stan Region, the seaport and nancing the Makinski poultry farm Saryarka gas pipeline.

Photo credit: Kazakh Emergency Situations Committee. Kazakh Emergency Photo credit: and construction of a meat factory Continued on Page A7

INSIDE NATION ECONOMY EDITORIAL&OPINION BUSINESS NATION&CAPITAL After Bek Air crash, survivors helped each Exports fell 4.5 percent in 2019 A4 With reforms on the way, coming decade MOST Business Incubator supports Central Kazakh anti-nuclear anthem inspires other, locals rushed to offer aid A2 Asian, youth startups A7 Kazakhstan mandates online cash looks positive for Kazakhstan A6 activists across languages, decades B1 Aviation Administration to modernise registers starting in 2020 A4 MYRZALIEV: Turkestan becomes centre Shymkent to launch third industrial Lonely Planet names Central Asia 2020’s standards A2 of investments and business activity A6 zone in 2020 A8 best travel region B6

US$ 1 = 378.06 KZT € 1 = 420.18 KZT 1 = 6.2 KZT A2 NATION

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

NATIONAL After Bek Air crash, UNDP, Bitfury to create Pavlodar forestland... NEWS IN BRIEF Eight rehabilitation centres Continued from Page A1 percent,” she said. The forests will to the above parties in a collabora- for children with disabilities and survivors helped each other, consume the carbon dioxide sup- tive effort,” Sarsembayeva added. 16 additional inclusion support Kazakhstan currently legally ply generated by the Kazakh com- The project is part of the Biodi- rooms will be opened as part owns 29 million hectares of forest. panies supplying the electricity. versity Financing Initiative (BI- of the agreement between the Most of the land, however, is threat- The project will start by creat- OFIN), which will also assist in Foundation of the First Presi- locals rushed to offer aid ened by illegal logging, forest fires ing cartographic materials of un- improving forest management prac- dent of Kazakhstan and Samruk evacuate all involved. Local vil- and land-use change. While these 29 accounted (ownerless) forests and tices through Kazakh legislation Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund. By Aidana Yergaliyeva lage residents provided the victims million hectares of land is somehow purchasing firefighting equipment. and by raising public awareness on The Samruk Kazyna group of with food and hot tea. protected, there are forest lands that The parties will determine the span the ways to reduce emissions. BI- companies has allocated more NUR-SULTAN – In face of cha- Dozens of Almaty residents “are not included in the state forest of its emission compensation “after OFIN helps countries around the than $159 million for charity in os and tragedy immediately after rushed to donate blood and over- fund,” BIOFIN Financial Mecha- the exact area and composition (spe- world measure their biodiversity the past five years to support a Bek Air plane crashed Dec. 27, whelmed the City Transfusion nism Expert Meruyert Sarsembaye- cies, age) of unaccounted forests is spending, assess the funding need- more than one million individu- survivors, locals and emergency Centre. va told The Astana Times. determined by the methodology that ed to achieve their goals and make als. The first stage involves sup- services worked together to help “Friends! Many thanks to all “We will work with the forests is currently under consideration by recommendations on how to raise porting children with special those injured in the accident. Atintsy [a nickname for Almaty that are not being considered and the Ministry of Ecology,” she said. money from various sources. needs and approximately 171 “Our people once more showed residents] who responded to the managed. It is exactly these for- The involvement of the Kazakh “Further expansion of the pro- specialists and 49 rehabilita- their unity and readiness to help call! A large crowd gathered in ests that are threatened by the for- government and local authorities is ject’s experience provides an op- tion therapists will participate each other,” tweeted Kazakh Presi- the city Transfusion Centre, at est fires and illnesses. If they are a must as “its implementation re- portunity for wider participation in trainings. The fund will pro- dent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. the intersection of Chapayev and not legitimised and transferred to quires a change in the legal status of local and international organisa- vide equipment for the centres. Bukharzhyrau, please approach the state forest fund, it may lead to in forest areas,” she added. tions with a large carbon footprint “Our working group visited all The relatives of the issue with understanding and that, they will produce even more “We fully support the UNDP in projects of a similar nature and regions and identified the towns patience. There are enough blood emission,” she said. sustainable development goals reduction of greenhouse gas emis- where rehabilitation centres and survivor Gulim components in the National Cen- The initiative envisions creating aimed at protecting our planet sions,” she said. inclusion rooms will be located. Akisheva, who is five tre, you don’t need to go there. forestland in the region to compen- and are inspired by Kazakhstan’s Kazakhstan has set the goal to They will be located in hospitals, You can donate blood tomorrow, sate for Bitfury’s carbon footprint. initiative to create mechanisms to receive 50 percent of its energy clinics and secondary schools in months pregnant, the day after tomorrow,” blogger The company will start with 20 reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” from alternative and renewable eight regions. Kazakhstan’s First publicly thanked fellow Konstantin Avershin wrote in an hectares. said Bitfury CEO and co-founder sources by 2050. With UN sup- President Instagram post. Bitfury will consume coal-fired Valery Vavilov, according to the port, the country has reduced the set the task to open the centres passenger Temirlan Employees of the Almaty De- electricity and the carbon footprint press service. annual energy consumption to heat this year. The Samruk Kazyna Kadauov. Kadauov partment of Emergency Situations produced by electricity suppliers UNDP will act as “a focal point, pilot residential buildings by 25-45 Fund will help us to create bet- and Karasai district police officers “will be compensated by 100-110 providing experience and assistance percent in the past five years. ter conditions for children,” said covered Akisheva also donated blood for the victims. Foundation of the First President The Emergency Service Com- of Kazakhstan Executive Direc- with his own body and mittee of the Ministry of Internal tor Asset Issekeshev. helped her get out of Affairs organised a phone hotline to provide emergency psycho- Government for Citizens con- the plane. logical assistance to victims in Government reviews legislation tact centre 1411 has switched to Nur-Sultan, Almaty city and the round-the-clock mode, reported The crash took 12 lives, includ- Almaty and Kostanai regions. The the Government for Citizens ing captain of the aircraft Marat hotline number received 917 calls press service. Information is Muratbayev, and another 50 out and provided emergency psycho- results, sets plan for 2020 available regarding registering of the 95 passengers and five crew logical assistance to 30 relatives of ministrative supervision terms were In addition, to improve law de- pensions and benefits, social members were injured in the ac- the victims. The hotline received By Galiya Khassenkhanova also lengthened for sexual harass- veloping and public discussion allowance for large families, cident. The survivors helped each calls from the embassies and rep- ment and rape, especially against procedures the Ministry of Justice targeted social assistance and other get out the plane. resentative offices of the Nether- NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh minors, became serious crimes. has developed a package of legisla- social services websites, labour “I think that the men did a good lands, the United States, the Phil- government reviewed Dec. 30 the The legislation plan underwent tive amendments on improving the relations and employment and job – they acted heroically in the ippines, Finland, , Slovakia results and implementation of the 10 adjustments during 2019. These legislative process. The govern- applications for online psycho- sense that they supported women, and Germany. legislation plan for 2019, includ- amendments included the addition ment approved the relevant bill at logical consultation for those children,” Aslan Nazaraliyev told Relatives of the victims also re- ing tightening several crime pun- of four bills, postponement of the a meeting and it will be submitted raising children with disabilities. The Astana Times. “There was not ceived emergency psychological ishments and determined the plan deadlines for 12 bills and the divi- to the Parliament in the near future. Approximately 5,000 people per that strong of a chaotic panic. There help from 23 psychologists at Nur- for 2020. sion of one bill into two parts. The government also discussed day reach the centre on social was panic, screaming – all were Sultan airport. The legislation plan for 2019 ini- According to Minister of Justice the legislation plan for 2020. issues. “Since the beginning of shocked, of course. But, thank God, The rescue operation involved tially envisaged 27 bills, but taking Marat Beketayev, the main reasons “The draft Plan for 2020 con- the year, our centre has received there was no fire. We could get out, 984 people and 72 units in total. into account the developer bodies’ for the missed deadline were poor- tains 17 bills aimed at resolving ur- more than 22,000 calls. Most of and we helped each other.” launched an addi- proposals and the amendments in- quality analysis of law enforce- gent and important issues, fulfilling the people are interested in pen- The relatives of survivor Gulim tional flight from Almaty to Nur- troduced during the year, the plan ment practice at the bill’s concept the instructions of First President sion and social security, assign- Akisheva, who is five months Sultan Dec. 28 at 7.15 a.m., said provided for the development of development stage as well as the Nursultan Nazarbayev and Head ment of monthly allowance to pregnant, publicly thanked fellow Madiyar Uakpayev, spokesman for 32 bills. The Parliament received lack of necessary control by the de- of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,” large families and issues of ap- passenger Temirlan Kadauov. Ka- the Ministry of Industry and Infra- all of them. President Kassym- veloping state bodies’ first heads. said Prime Minister Askar Mamin. pointing social assistance,” said dauov covered Akisheva with his structure Development. Jomart Tokayev signed three bills; The government also held sev- The bills to be developed are Government for Citizens Deputy own body and helped her get out The Ministry of Internal Af- the Parliament will review the rest. eral meetings on legislative issues aimed at the development of ar- Board Chairperson Birzhan Zhu- of the plane. fairs created a national operational One of the important bills is the and as a result, the Ministry of Jus- eas such as social security, physi- nussov. “The country must know its he- headquarters at the Situational bill on Amendments and Additions tice has developed amendments to cal education and sports, military roes,” Akisheva’s relative Dana Centre of the Committee for Emer- to Some Legislative Acts of the some decisions aimed at strength- service and housing of special A 10-megawatt solar power Tolbekova told NeKhabar’s Tele- gency Situations. The operational Republic of Kazakhstan on the Im- ening control over legislative ac- state bodies’ employees and mili- plant was launched in late De- gram channel about Kazakh news. headquarters handled emergen- provement of Criminal, Criminal tivity and improving the quality of tary personnel. It is also planned cember in Kengir village near “Temirlan is an example of a real cies and coordinated the activities Procedure Laws and Enhancing legislative work. to develop new draft laws On the Zhezkazgan in the Karaganda man who, despite his injury, re- of interacting emergency and rel- the Protection of Personal Rights. These amendments provide for Control of Specific Goods, On the Region, reported Kazinform. A mained brave and courageous. We, evant civil protection services. The President signed the bill into an increase in the developing state Plant World and On Veterans. total of 29,436 solar panels were Gulim’s relatives, want to express Operational headquarters were law on Dec. 30. body’s responsibility for the post- Out of 17 bills provided by the installed on a 20-hectare area our deep gratitude to Temirlan and created in Nur-Sultan, Almaty city, The new law tightens punish- ponement or violation of the dead- draft plan, the government plans to generate 14 million kilowatt/ his parents for raising a son so the Almaty and Kostanai regions ments for crimes, such as theft, lines of the planned bill. The corre- to introduce eight draft laws to the hour per year. The electricity worthily.” and two headquarters were set up robbery, online drug distribution, sponding draft resolution is under Parliament in the first half of 2020 will be distributed by the Zhez- Emergency services arrived 20 at the international airports of Nur- poaching and violence against wild- consideration by the Office of the and nine in the second half of the kazgan Distribution Electric minutes after the crash and helped Sultan and Almaty. life inspectors. Sentences and ad- Prime Minister. year. Grid networks. The first three power plants were built earlier in the city of Saran and Agadir and Gulshat villages. More than 60 billion tenge (US$159 million) was invested to construct all Aviation Administration to modernise standards the solar stations in the region. technology and ways of working. have to be quite innovative. I come “As we go through an education “2019 was a breakthrough year By Galiya Khassenkhanova “It takes about six months for from a low-cost industry; I was process of our regulating commu- for the region in terms of renew- us to set up a regulator. In my part of the low-cost transformation nity on what it is that we need from ables. By developing solar ener- NUR-SULTAN – The Aviation career, I have managed to do this in Europe, I was part of EasyJet. them, we can tailor it to their (the gy, we not only prevent capacity Administration of Kazakhstan twice. It takes quite a long time We were asked to achieve the same airlines’) requirements. We are shortages, but also solve envi- (AAK), which began engaging in to get a regulator going. The last objective, but quicker and cheaper. getting quite positive responses ronmental issues. Our region is technical control and supervision one I did was for the European Transforming systems, building from them. We have very good becoming a leader in renewable Aug. 1, will modernise the coun- Commission; I was chair of the new systems, building new ways engagement from the airports. The energy sources,” said Karaganda try’s aviation regulations within performance review body oversee- of working is something that I first problematic one was Kosta- Region Akim (Governor) Zhenis two years. Civil Aviation Author- ing the 31 countries. There was a have been doing for about 30 years nai. We were working with them Kassymbek. ity (CAA) Kazakhstan Director regulator we set up and that took now. Second is to make sure that and trying to be as flexible as pos- General Peter Griffiths spoke with us nearly six years to get going. you train the people properly, that sible, trying to give them operating Beginning in March, the gov- The Astana Times about the details tance in transitioning to the British So, this one we need to do in two they have access to all the material capabilities as quickly as we can, ernment will provide housing of its work. civil aviation regulatory model. In years, because the President wants that they need, so they can do self- but still make sure to maintain the for approximately 2,000 fami- “The purpose of the AAK is to the past year and a half, the Civil Federal Aviation Administration analysis,” said Griffiths. standards,” he said. lies in Nur-Sultan this year as take out all of the regulatory ac- Aviation Committee (CAC) has (FAA) Category 1 status, which He also addressed the situation part of the second stage of the tivity which is done by the gov- developed and introduced appro- gives them the ability to fly from “We are trying to with Air Astana purchasing Boe- Bakytty Otbasy (Happy Fam- ernment and to oversee all of the priate amendments to the main Nur-Sultan to New York. To do ing 737s. ily) programme. Participants airlines, making sure that they are civil aviation law. that we have to improve all the change the regulation “Air Astana did not purchase will receive one million tenge operating to high international “We are trying to change the reg- regulations, but he has set the time anything; they said they will if the (US$2,700) housing certificates. standards, to bring all the airports ulation system here in Kazakhstan on that, which is 2021. It is quite a system here in planes are certified. Boeing staked To date, 721 families have re- and other mechanisms we need up to be able to make it more dynamic difficult challenge for us to do, but Kazakhstan to be their reputation on this aircraft; ceived housing in the capital. in order for international airlines to towards the industry, but also to we are working on it,” he added. they only have one chance. If one Large and single parent fami- come in,” he said. modernise it. Many countries have In the future, AAK plans to ap- able to make it more of these aircraft crashes, that will lies, as well as citizens raising The 100 Concrete Steps Plan been doing this, when they have ply for International Aviation Safe- dynamic towards the be the end of Boeing. I do not think children with special needs, of the Nation proposed by First been putting up a number of sepa- ty Assessment (IASA) FAA Cate- that they will make this mistake may apply for the programme, President Nursultan Nazarbayev rate agencies. The United King- gory 1, meaning the country’s civil industry, but also to again,” said Griffiths. which provides 2-percent loans. in 2015 lists Step 68 as switch- dom is probably the leader in do- aviation authority complies with Kazakhstan has 893 aircraft on Twenty-year, 10-million tenge ing to the British model of avia- ing that. So, Kazakhstan decided ICAO standards and its certified modernise it.” its register, many of which are of (US$26,700) loans have 50,000 tion industry state regulation. The to do the same,” said Griffiths. air carriers can provide services Soviet heritage, he added. More tenge (US$132) monthly pay- change will allow meeting Interna- It is easy to say, but it is not easy in the United States, as well as use He noted working with Kazakh air- than 755 flights a day and 15,000 ments. Overpayment will be ap- tional Civil Aviation Organisation to do, he noted. Because Kazakh- the American partners’ code. lines has been a very positive experi- a month are conducted in Kazakh proximately two million tenge (ICAO) requirements for quali- stan does not have an equivalent Since the administration needs ence. He appreciated the work of Air airspace, not counting military (US$5,300). This year, 100 bil- fied inspectors and achieving its organisation for AAK to use as a to complete the process quickly, it Astana, which operates on European flights. Aviation is quite advanced, lion tenge (US$266 million) 80-percent safety goal. model, it is trying to create one. considers getting the right people standards, making it not that difficult but still there are some accidents, will be allocated to implement The U.K. Civil Aviation Author- The agency is trying to incorporate its primary asset. to manage. The other airlines, such as including the most recent one of the programme nationwide. Lo- ity International (CAAi) and AAK all the work practices in use in the “You have to get people who are SCAT and are at different Bek Air near Almaty on Dec. 27, cal authorities also provide as- concluded an agreement Oct. 7 in United Kingdom and Europe and, willing to work above and beyond levels but are all working towards the and AAK’s task is to bring them sistance in housing for socially London to provide technical assis- at the same time, modernise the what we ask them to do. They also same common objective. down to zero. vulnerable categories of people. A3 EURASIA&WORLD

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

tion of the national pavilion and EXTERNAL ensuring its functioning. If as a NEWS IN BRIEF result of visiting our pavilion addi- Kazakhstan to spend $23 million tional foreign investments come to Kazakhstan ranked 69th in 2019 Kazakhstan, the allocated money Social Progress Index among 149 will be gained back many times by countries, improving its position creating new industries, creating from 71st place in 2018. Kazakh- on EXPO 2020 pavilion in Dubai new jobs and additional taxes that stan performed within the expect- will go to the budget. Therefore, ed range in access to Nutrition it is very important to participate and Basic Medical Care, Basic there,” he added. Knowledge, Advanced Education, Minister of Trade and Integra- as well as Information and Com- tion noted money munications. The country slightly from the budget has been allocated underperformed in Personal Free- in previous years. The funds were dom and Choice. According to used to prepare the pavilion, but the report, the country needs more will also be used to dismantle it work in areas such as Inclusive- following the event and bring it ness, Environment Quality, Health to Kazakhstan. The structure will and Wellness, among others. The be rebuilt to represent the nation’s world’s average score has im- products either in the region or the proved 2.31 points since 2014. capital. Norway, scoring 90.95, leads the Kazakhstan intends to build one rating. of the expo’s most ambitious pa- vilions. At 3,420 square metres, Kazakhstan and the United it will be one of the largest on the States signed Jan. 6 an agree- site. The pavilion will be located ment on air traffic under the open near those of Belarus, Italy, Lux- skies regime, reported the Minis- embourg, Monaco, Switzerland, try of Industry and Infrastructural Turkey and the United States. Development press service. The EXPO 2020, with the theme agreement will establish the le- Connecting Minds, Creating the gal framework for direct regular Future, will be open Oct. 20-April flights between the two countries. 10, 2021. Organisers expect ap- This is Kazakhstan’s first open sky proximately 25 million visitors. agreement. It provides opportuni- “First of all, the government zakhstan by an additional $10 bil- Kazakhstan to show its attractive The exhibition complex is in the ties for carriers planning to fly be- By Galiya Khassenkhanova has set the goal of increasing the lion. For this, it is very important nature. form of a shamrock, with the tween the countries, in which the investment volume in fixed assets, to participate in the World Exhibi- “The Kazakh national pavilion 150-metre diameter Al-Wasl Plaza parties can fly without restrictions NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan including foreign direct invest- tion in Dubai,” said First Deputy will be within the thematic cluster at the centre and adjacent to the on the number of carriers, destina- has allocated 8.8 billion tenge ments, from $24 billion this year Prime Minister and Minister of Opportunities; many different in- United Arab Emirates pavilion. tions and frequencies, including (US$23 million) for its pavilion to $34 billion by 2025. That is, we Finance Alikhan Smailov. vestors from around the world will The design offers three thematic those with the fifth degree of air- at EXPO 2020 in Dubai, reported plan to annually increase the in- International investors will visit visit it. Approximately 8.8 billion clusters – Mobility, Opportunities space freedom. The opening of di- zakon.kz. flow of foreign investment in Ka- the expo, and it is important for tenge was allocated for construc- and Sustainability. rect flights is expected to contrib- ute to the development of political, economic, cultural relations and tourism, as well as transport acces- sibility of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). Flag installation tradition for new Kazakhstan and South Korea will build a plant to produce high- voltage electrical equipment in non-permanent UNSC members lives on Nur-Sultan, liter.kz reports. The tablished the ceremony during initiated by Kazakhstan, which is fulfil the important and responsible nent members took place at the products are to be sold on the local Staff Report its January 2018 UNSC presi- held for the third time, is to rec- task of maintaining global peace press wall in front of the Security market and exported to other coun- dency. ognise the mandate given to you and security. The election of your Council Hall. tries. Nur-Sultan Akim (Mayor) Al- NUR-SULTAN – The Perma- “The objective of this ceremony, by the international community to countries to the Security Council Now, the ceremony is an official tay Kulginov discussed Jan. 14 the nent Mission of Kazakhstan to testifies to trusting by the remain- event in the annual programme of establishment of the joint venture the United Nations took part Jan. ing 192 member states in your the first day of the UN Security between Kazakh Alageum Electric 2 in the official flag installation governments in the commitment to Council with wide participation company and South Korean Hyo- ceremony of the newly elected the ideas outlined in the UN Char- of representatives of UN member sung Heavy Industries during his non-permanent members of the ter, especially in these challenging countries and world media. trip to Seoul. The project will help United Nations Security Council times,” Kazakh Permanent Repre- In January 2019, the Permanent solve the problem of fast-growing (UNSC) at the United Nations sentative to the UN Kairat Umarov Mission of Kazakhstan presented cities in providing safe and stable headquarters, reported the mis- told the attendees. to the UN handmade flag stands electricity in tight spaces. The first sion. Ambassadors of the new non- as a gift for UN Security Council products will be released in 2021. Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent permanent UNSC members spoke members. The stands are made in and the Grenadines, Tunisia and about their priorities for their time Kazakhstan and decorated in the Kazakhstan tightened control at Vietnam are the newest non- on the council and expressed grati- national style. all checkpoints with China due to permanent members of the body, tude to Kazakhstan for organising Kazakhstan completed its two- their pneumonia outbreak, Com- and will serve from 2020 through the event. year tenure as a non-permanent mittee for Quality Control and 2021. Previously, the flag installation member of the UNSC December Safety of Goods and Services Chair It was Kazakhstan that es- Mfa.kz. Photo credit ceremony of UNSC non-perma- 31, 2018. Lyudmila Byurabekova announced during the Jan.13 press briefing. The first case of the disease was registered Dec. 8, the last on Jan. 3. The incidence is more associ- ated with people who worked in a Nation to lead Landlocked Developing Countries group seafood market in Wuhan or were regular visitors there, she said. The The group includes 32 nations dinated cooperation with transit for last two years, for his signifi- Lack of access to the sea, re- Chinese authorities announced the By Elya Altynsarina – 16 in Africa; ten in Asia, includ- countries, UN agencies and other cant contribution in this role. moteness and isolation from global pneumonia outbreak of unknown ing all five Central Asian countries interested parties on a regional ba- ʻUtoikamanu emphasised Ka- markets and high transit costs im- origin in Wuhan in late December. NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Afghanistan; four in Europe sis. zakhstan has always taken an ac- pede the general socio-economic As of Jan. 5, 59 cases of infection has assumed chairmanship of the and two in South America. Ka- “As chair, Kazakhstan will make tive position in promoting and development of landlocked coun- were registered. Chinese experts’ Group of Landlocked Developing zakhstan, the largest landlocked every effort to enhance cooperation protecting the group’s interests. tries. Sea trade is fully dependent preliminarily established Jan. 9 that Countries (LLDC) for 2020-2021. country, is located at the farthest between our group and all interest- She noted with its government’s on transit through third countries a new type of coronavirus became The chairmanship transfer cer- distance from the oceans (about ed parties, including UN agencies, support, the LLDC ministerial and additional border crossings the causative agent of the disease. emony was held at United Nations 3,750 km). international financial institutions, meeting on trade issues is being and long distances significantly Headquarters in New York with During its chairmanship, Ka- the private sector and academia,” planned in June in the capital. The increase costs. LLDCs also face Kazakhstan and China agreed on participation from UN member zakhstan intends to contribute to said Kairat Umarov, the country’s meeting is part of the World Trade challenges including poor infra- 30 percent of the text of the draft ambassadors and experts and the implementing the Vienna Pro- Permanent Representative to the Organisation’s 12th ministerial structure development, small eco- agreement on water allocation on UN High Representative for Least gramme of Action for LLDCs United Nations, at the event. He conference. Kazakhstan was elect- nomic markets, vulnerability to transboundary rivers, reported in- Developed Countries, LLDCs and (2014–2024) and the UN Sustain- also thanked Paraguay Permanent ed chair during the LLDC annual climate change and insufficient business.kz. The Kazakhstan ver- Small Island Developing States able Development Goals through Representative to the UN Julio Ce- ministerial meeting in New York access to information and commu- sion of the document provides for Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu. the group’s enhanced and coor- sar Arriola, who chaired the group on Sept. 25. nication technologies. standards that take into account the needs of the ecosystems of Balkhash, Ile, Zaysan and Irtysh zakhstan has now become the rivers. The parties created a joint 50th GRECO member state. “I commission on the use and pro- welcome the Republic of Kazakh- tection of transboundary rivers, as Kazakhstan ratifies agreement with stan as GRECO anticorruption well as a working group of experts. body 50th member state,” wrote The water relations between the GRECO Executive Secretary Gi- countries have been regulated by anluca Esposito on Twitter. an agreement on cooperation in the GRECO, becoming its 50th member Kazakhstan is GRECO’s first use and protection of transbound- “The purpose of this agreement the Kazakh capabilities in fighting GRECO, and not for the personal member in Asia – the rest of its ary rivers of 2001. By Galiya Khassenkhanova is to provide the representatives of corruption. benefit of individuals. Kazakh- 49 members comprise European GRECO and assessment groups The documents of GRECO rep- stan’s close cooperation with the countries and the United States. Kazakh singer Dimash Kudai- NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Presi- with immunities from civil, ad- resentatives and assessment group Council of Europe will raise the According to the Council of bergen will perform his first sta- dent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ministrative and criminal liabil- members, who may include sci- development of democracy and Europe, GRECO was established dium concert in Russia March 9 at ratified his country’s agreement ity, from detentions and arrests, entific experts, Council of Europe the protection of human rights in in 1999 to improve its members’ the Megasport Sport Palace. The with the Council of Europe on im- including their baggage, personal officials and translators assisting Kazakhstan to a new level, so the capacity to fight corruption by 26-year-old artist will present a munities and privileges for Group belongings and equipment, during them, regarding audits in Kazakh- conclusion of the agreement was monitoring their compliance with large-scale solo programme for the of States Against Corruption visits to Kazakhstan related to the stan are to be inviolable, and offi- a timely, necessary and justified Council of Europe anti-corruption first time. At the upcoming perfor- (GRECO) representatives Jan. 4, fulfilment of their official duties,” cial GRECO correspondence and measure,” added Bektenov. standards through a dynamic pro- mance, Dimash (as he is known according to the akorda.kz. noted First Deputy Chair of the its official means of communica- It is expected that ratifying this cess of mutual evaluation and peer by his fans) will perform his best The agreement was signed Oct. Kazakh Anti-Corruption Agency tion will be prohibited from arrest agreement will help Kazakhstan’s pressure. GRECO helps identify compositions in Kazakh, Russian, 15 in Strasbourg, France, by Ka- Olzhas Bektenov during the rati- or censorship. anti-corruption efforts and im- deficiencies in national anti-cor- Spanish, English, French and other zakh Anti-Corruption Agency fication process in the parliament. “The agreement provides prove its ranking in global corrup- ruption policies, prompting the languages. Concert details and Chair Alik Shpekbayev and by The agreement is intended to GRECO representatives and mem- tion indices. necessary legislative, institutional names of special guests will be an- Council of Europe Deputy Sec- prevent GRECO representatives bers of assessment groups the op- All GRECO member states are and practical reforms. The organi- nounced soon. The Russian public retary General Gabriella Battaini from being blocked in any way portunity to use privileges and im- granted uniform, model immuni- sation also provides a platform for discovered Dimash after his vic- Dragoni. GRECO’s headquarters from doing their work in sharing munities, to perform independently ties and privileges and follow 20 sharing best practices in prevent- tory at the Slavic Bazaar in 2015. are in Strasbourg. best practices and strengthening functions related to the work of anti-corruption guidelines. Ka- ing and detecting corruption. A4 ECONOMY

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

ECONOMIC Exports fell 4.5 percent in 2019 NEWS IN BRIEF ratus ($930.1 million). Seventy- The Kazakh banks which re- By Nazira Kozhanova four percent, or $45.4 billion, of ceived 654 billion tenge (US$1.72 Kazakhstan’s total exports were billion) from the state will be able NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s commodities. Accordingly, 25.8 to return the money ahead of sched- export volume decreased 4.5 per- percent, or $15.8 billion, were ule, reported finprom.kz. The bank- cent during first 10 months of 2019 non-oil exports. According to the ing sector is stable and character- and exports fell from 65.1 percent National Export Strategy, Ka- ised by a decrease in the level of of all trade volume to 60.4 percent, zakhstan set an export target for non-performing loans and excess energyprom.kz reported Dec. 30, non-primary goods and services liquidity, as well as moderate lend- using data from the Kazakh Minis- in 2018 of $22.7 billion, and for ing. Positive recovery dynamics be- try of National Economy’s Statis- 2019, $24.7 billion. gan in 2017 and since that time, the tics Committee. Measures to boost Kazakhstan’s banks’ equity has increased more Exports decreased from $50 exports include changes to legisla- than 30 percent. In addition, a de- billion in 2018 to $47.7 billion in tion governing the redistribution crease in problem loans has led to a 2019. of repayable funds for the provi- four-fold increase in bank capital to At the same time, trade turnover sion of soft loans and financing for cover them. The banks have more increased 3 percent compared with non-primary sector export-orient- than 10 trillion tenge (US$26.41 the same period in 2018, amount- ed projects. Authorised capital has billion) of free liquidity, or 40 per- ing to $79.1 billion. Import in- been increased and a state guar- cent of assets. creased 17 percent in 2019, from antee mechanism has been intro- $26.8 billion to 31.4 million. The duced for Kazakh Export. Meas- Kazakhstan’s air traffic reached a share of import in total trade in- ures to reimburse transport costs record high number of passengers creased from 34.9 percent to 39.6 for industrial and innovative enter- from January-November 2019. The percent in 2019. prises were also introduced. The country’s airlines transported 7.9 Mineral products made up the came from fuel and energy prod- and vegetable products and fin- also included chemical products goal of the changes is to increase million people, a 7.5-percent in- largest share of exports in 2019 ucts. Metals and metal products ished food products made up $2.6 and related industries ($2.2 bil- the volume of non-oil exports by crease year-on-year (yoy), and their at 73 percent of total exports, or amounted to $6.5 billion or 13.7 billion, or 5.4 percent. lion) and machinery, equipment, one and a half times by 2022, and revenues increased 16 percent per $34.8 billion. Of this, $32 billion percent of the total exports; animal Major export product groups vehicles, appliances and appa- to double it by 2025. year. According to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Devel- opment, Kazakh airports provided services for 14.8 million passengers in the first ten months of 2019 and expected the indicator to reach 16 Government approves Kazakhstan mandates online million. The ministry has forecast air traffic will increase 6.6 percent in 2020. Kazakhstan introduced an new draft Ecology Code open sky regime in November at 11 cash registers starting in 2020 domestic airports; as a result, air- lines such as LOT Polish Airlines or legal entities can purchase a (Poland), Air Asia (Malaysia), Be- By Nurdana Adylkhanova register at a public service centre to toughen penalties for lavia (Belarus), Jazeera Airways or download the application to (Kuwait) and Salam Air (Oman) switch to the one online. Taxpay- NUR-SULTAN – All taxpayers should soon open new flights. who use traditional cash registers ers should register it on the fiscal environmental offenses were to switch to online machines data operator’s website and com- Kazakhstan’s electricity con- plete the contract. The operator Continued from Page A1 create phased waste management, by the end of 2019, for beginning sumption increased 2 percent in in 2020 all cash payments are to will accept and transfer informa- a sequence of measures to reuse, 2019, reported energyprom.kz. be made using online cash regis- tion about fiscal settlements to The public will be able to par- recycle, dispose of and prevent Electricity generation during the ters, said the Ministry of Finance the tax administration. ticipate in all four stages of the waste. same period decreased 0.4 percent. State Revenue Committee’s De- Zangar Shyndali “He (a taxpayer) does not need EIA: a statement of intent, assess- Enterprises will need to license In January-November, the coun- partment of Digitisation and Pub- to fill out a cash settlement book ment scope, report and conclusion their activities for waste process- try’s electricity production was 96.7 lic Services Acting Director Zan- precisely cash registers that allow and there is no need to put a seal on the results. ing and disposal to reduce the billion kilowatt hours (kWh), a 0.4 gar Shyndali in an interview with you to fiscalise this cash,” said on an online cash register. He can Under the third principle, in- number of unauthorised landfills. percent decrease per year. In mon- PrimeMinister.kz. Shyndali. do all this remotely and on the site dustrial enterprises will undergo In addition, the draft code also etary terms, electricity production, He noted 97 percent of the He noted three billion checks of the fiscal data operator,” said a technological audit to be offered proposes introducing Waste to transmission and distribution for 640,000 cashiers registered in have been struck online. Shyndali. the period decreased to 1.4 trillion the country now work online and “The more checks consumers Online cash registers allow en- tenge (US$3.7 billion). In 2018, 480,000 taxpayers started using will demand, the more informa- trepreneurs with more than two electricity production reached them in 2019. tion we will see and the more cash cash desks to monitor all pay- 107.3 billion kWh, a 4-percent Introducing online cash reg- will be fiscalised,” he added. ments and operations remotely. increase year-on-year (yoy). Ac- isters is aimed at combatting Taxpayers operating in areas The government has been re- cording to the Ministry of Energy, tax evasion and the shadow lacking a telecommunication net- turning 50 percent of the cash Kazakhstan’s 138 electric power economy. The method was im- work are among those exempt register machine cost to taxpay- plants produce 21,673 megawatts. plemented in response to Presi- from using online cashiers. Indi- ers this year to encourage them to The majority of stations (69.7 per- dent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s viduals, second-tier banks, long- shift to online registers, he noted. cent) generate energy from coal, 20 instructions to strengthen meas- distance carriers and taxpayers “Taxpayers who apply the spe- percent from gas, 9 percent from ures against tax evasion in his who never use cash settlements cial tax regime on the basis of a hydroelectric power plants (exclud- state-of-the-nation address are allowed to use a traditional patent, as well as single land tax ing small plants) and 1.3 percent “Constructive Public Dialogue electronic cash register (ECR) payers, and anyone who wants from renewable sources (including – the Basis of Stability and without the online system. to purchase cash registers with small hydroelectric power stations). Prosperity of Kazakhstan.” Taxpayers can transfer funds a 50-percent discount, we urge “According to research, most to an online cash register without them do it this year, because next Magzum Mirzagaliyev Approximately 2,300 large and of the shadow economy falls on visiting a tax office. Those regis- year there will not be such an op- 6,000 medium-sized companies trade where cash prevails. It is tered as individual entrepreneurs portunity,” he added. the best available technologies Energy, which will create rev- were operating in Kazakhstan at the (BAT) to produce fewer emissions. enue from electricity generated end of November 2019. In the first The government will exempt fines by waste incineration. At the same three quarters of the year, large and from first category companies that time, it sets strict quality emissions medium-sized enterprises manufac- transition to the BATs. requirements similar to European tured products and rendered servic- By the fourth principle, the code directives. es worth 9.2 trillion tenge (US$24.3 will oblige local executive bod- Kazakhstan currently processes Cashless payments for initial billion), a 5.7-percent increase year- ies to entirely redirect the rev- 14 percent of its solid waste. Due on-year (yoy), and represented 20.7 enue from the fines to measures to low tariffs, however, investors percent of the nation’s gross do- that should reduce emissions. The find the industry unattractive. mestic product (GDP). The move is in response to interna- “This mechanism will allow re- house, car sales to be introduced Region, with 1.9 trillion tenge tional experts who have repeatedly ducing waste volumes up to 30 per- and verify their potential coun- and it met for the first time Sept. (US$5.02 billion) or 20.7 percent criticised Kazakhstan’s environ- cent by 2025 and attracting private Staff Report terparties. 6. “Our citizens are deeply con- of the total, had the largest produc- mental fines and spending. investments,” said Mirzagaliyev. Tokayev noted the government cerned about the development tion volume in the sector. Almaty If the mechanism works, it could NUR-SULTAN – President and Atameken National Cham- of dialogue between the gov- and Nur-Sultan were also included Enterprises will attract more than 180 billion tenge Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, speak- ber of Entrepreneurs will create ernment and the society. This in the top three regions, producing (US$470.21 million) in invest- ing during the second meeting of an open and integrated business dialogue should be based on the 1.7 trillion (US$4.49 billion) and need to license their ments. the National Council of Public entity database, where each en- recognition of pluralism of opin- 1.5 trillion tenge (US$3.96 billion), activities for waste Mamin instructed the govern- Trust last December, instructed trepreneur will be able to verify ions. Different views, but one respectively. The trio comprise 55.9 ment to create a BAT Bureau the government and National his or her counterparty. The cata- united nation – this is the main percent of the country’s output. processing and within the International Centre for Bank to implement a cashless logue will display the companies’ guideline,” he said. Large and medium-sized mining Green Technologies and Invest- payment system for initial house tax arrears and administrative of- The national council includes companies account for 2.4 trillion disposal to reduce ment Projects. and car sales. fenses. representatives of almost all the tenge (US$6.34 billion) or a 26-per- the number of To date, Kazakhstan has ac- “The government and the Na- He also discussed the need to country’s social and political cent share, the largest product and cumulated more than 3.5 million tional Bank should prepare a services volume in the sector. The unauthorised landfills. tonnes of municipal solid waste package of legislative amend- “The government and the National Bank figure, however, was a 7.6-percent at its 3,500 landfills. According ments to introduce cashless pay- decrease per year. to ministry’s data, pollutant emis- ments in the initial sale of hous- should prepare a package of legislative The fifth principle aims to obtain sions reached 2.5 million tonnes ing and cars. Of course, there is Operations have begun on www. timely and reliable information with 100,000 tonnes in annual a need to factor in the features of amendments to introduce cashless payments in finreg.kz, the official website of the on the qualitative and quantita- growth in 2018. our territorial development, es- the initial sale of housing and cars.” financial market regulation and de- tive composition of emissions and Mirzagaliyev stressed the need pecially, in rural areas,” he said. velopment agency. By a presiden- discharges. Large companies will for “appropriate measures” to re- He noted the amendments will tial decree, “On further improve- be required to launch automated duce emissions; otherwise, “ac- help tackle the shadow economy. strengthen control over rational groups, said Advisor to the Presi- ment of the public administration emission monitoring systems. cording to the forecast in 2030, the “Today, with development of land use and instructed the gov- dent Erlan Karin. system of Kazakhstan,” a new state The sixth principle will strength- emission of pollutants will reach banking technologies, a respect- ernment to increase basic tax “The composition of the coun- body was launched in January. The en environmental control. The 3.6 million tonnes.” able citizen or business needs rates on unused land from 10 to cil is very balanced… Here, agency ensures protecting the rights draft proposes amendments to en- The ministry, “with the support a small amount of cash. At the 20 times. He requested the audit (there are) representatives of the and legitimate interests of financial sure prompt response to facts with of the German side,” has begun same time, the share of shadow be completed before May 1. ‘old’ opposition, representatives services consumers, contributes to negative environmental impact creating a low-carbon develop- economy in the real estate and The main goal of the National of the new protest movement, the stability of the financial system, and will strengthen administrative ment strategy through 2050, he auto markets is about three tril- Council of Public Trust is to hold civil society activists, prominent develops the financial market and fines for environmental offenses added. lion tenge (US$7.8 billion). discussions with representatives human rights activists who have carries out state regulation, control 10 times. Kazakhstan began prohibiting There is a need to put things in of political parties and civil so- been involved in the protection and supervision of the financial The final principle seeks to im- burying plastic, waste paper, card- order,” he added. ciety, where they can offer pro- of human rights for many years, market and financial organisations. prove waste management produc- board and glass this year. The pro- At the first meeting, council posals and recommendations on youth activists and leaders, rep- The agency is the assignee of the tion and consumption by introduc- gramme did not work sufficiently, members discussed the need to public policy issues. Tokayev resentatives of the regions and Kazakh National Bank’s rights and ing the circular economy principles however, due to the regions’ lack provide business representatives announced its creation at his leading Kazakh experts,” he obligations in accordance with the used in OECD countries. It will of infrastructure. with an effective tool to evaluate June 12 inauguration ceremony noted. transferred functions and powers. A5 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF Turkestan Region initiated 49 investment projects in 2019 Fifty high school students from gives good results,” said company Arys, which suffered explosions By Zhanna Shayakhmetova front office head Medeu Dilda- this summer, had the opportunity bayev Dec. 30. to master business basics during NUR-SULTAN – Turkestan, The office also operates an ex- the winter break, reported inbusi- Kazakhstan’s youngest region, port development centre, which ness.kz Jan. 7. As part of the final launched 49 projects worth $195 analyses export promotion. It has stage of Menіn Arysym (My Arys), million last year, including seven identified 224 exporting compa- a special project initiated after the foreign investment projects worth nies in the region. incident, the Atameken National $96 million, reported the Turkistan “We spoke with all exporters Chamber of Entrepreneurs opened Invest press service. The ventures and knew the information on the 1317.Kz entrepreneurial camp; the created approximately 2,000 jobs. areas of their activities. According numbers indicate the minimum The major investors include to the analysis, 98 companies are and maximum ages of the partici- Nepal’s CG Foods Central Asia, engaged in seasonal exports, 52 pants. The course combines the which opened a $15-million noo- companies temporarily suspended Fundamentals of Entrepreneur- dle plant in the Kazygurt District, their exports due to financial dif- ship from the school programme, and China’s Risen Energy, which ficulties and 25 companies decided Atameken Business Academy and started construction of a $60-mil- to stop exporting. We developed a Bastau business courses. Upon lion solar power plant in the Sozak roadmap to work with each entre- completion, each camper received District in July. The power plant, preneur,” he added. a Zhas (Young) Master of Business with a 50-megawatt capacity pro- The office is coordinating with Administration (MBA) certificate ducing 114 million kilowatts of 47 large exporters on their pro- and individual development card. electricity annually, will be the duction base and potential for largest in the region. The company further development and has de- Damu Entrepreneurship De- plans to install more than 151,000 veloped a single call centre and velopment Fund summed up the solar panels and create approxi- 55 foreign firms, visited the region solar power plants, reinforced con- “The office works on the single guide on government support results Dec. 31 of the Business mately 400 jobs. for a potential $2.3-billion invest- crete plant, hotel and shopping window principle from attracting measures. An electronic trading Roadmap 2020 programme, re- Sixteen foreign companies are ment and possible 15,000 jobs. mall and launching low-voltage an investor to the launch of the platform for regional producers ported informburo.kz. The pro- expected to invest more than 810 Eighteen projects worth $2.1 bil- cable production and shoe lines. project. We establish contacts with and exporters is integrated with gramme’s purpose was ensuring billion tenge (US$2 billion) in the lion were ultimately approved. Turkistan Invest is working to local and foreign entrepreneurs Turkistaninvest.com to provide regional entrepreneurship’s sus- region in the near future. The list of projects includes a streamline the process to imple- who are interested in our region detailed information about ex- tainable and balanced growth, as In total, 75 companies, including 500-hectare industrial greenhouse, ment investment projects. and support them. This approach porting companies. well as maintaining existing jobs and creating new ones. During the ten years, the small and medium- sized business share of the gross domestic product (GDP) increased to 28.4 percent compared to 24.9 EuroChem invests in new AFSA, Securities and percent in 2015. The number of operating small and medium-sized businesses increased by 400,000 Exchange Board of India sign and the number of employees by fertiliser plant in Zhambyl region 300,000. More than 16,000 busi- and at least 400,000 tonnes of gyp- ness entities received financing, in its initial stage and to grow to more than 100,000 entrepreneurs By Nurdana Adylkhanova sum dehydrate per year. These can one million tonnes per year. cooperation agreement be used in the road, oil and gas, con- Mamin participated in the pres- received training, products worth very pleased to have signed this 15.5 trillion tenge (US$40.9 bil- NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh- struction and agriculture industries. entation of the third production stan’s Ministry of Industry and The plant is expected to create line of the Saule confectionery fac- By Nurdana Adylkhanova memorandum with the Securi- lion) were produced and one tril- ties and Exchange Board of India lion tenge (US$2.7 billion) was Infrastructural Development, the 2,000 new jobs and to begin opera- tory. The enterprise will generate Zhambyl region akimat (adminis- tions in 2021. 70 new employment opportunities. NUR-SULTAN – The Astana and we look forward to building paid in taxes. The Business Road- Financial Services Authority tration) and the EuroChem Miner- The prime minister also visited Mamin also visited the Regional a strong relationship between our map was extended through 2025. (AFSA) and Securities and Ex- institutions,” said Bubeyev. al and Chemical company recently a wind farm currently under con- History and Local Lore Museum While the draft has the identi- change Board of India (SEBI) SEBI aims to protect investors’ signed an investment agreement struction in Zhanatas. The wind and the Art Gallery at the Kune cal goals and objectives, support have signed a memorandum of interests and promote and regu- to build and operate a new $1 bil- power plant cost 50 billion tenge Taraz Historical and Ethnocultural tools have been improved. Lend- understanding (MoU) for mutual late Indian securities market de- lion fertiliser plant. Kazakh Prime (US$131.5 million) to build. It will Complex, which opened Dec. 25 ing has been increased from 60 to cooperation and technical assis- velopment. It was launched April Minister Askar Mamin attended generate 100 megawatts of clean to commemorate the 8th anniver- 360 million tenge (US$158,700 tance, reported the Astana Inter- 12, 1992 under that year’s SEBI the signing ceremony in Zhanatas electricity in its initial stage, with sary of the Zhambyl region. Over- to $952,200) and the government national Financial Centre (AIFC) Act. city of the Sarysu District. production increasing up to 200 all, production output for the first has allocated 421 billion tenge press service. Tyagi expressed satisfaction EuroChem will produce one mil- MW. Some 19 wind turbines have 11 months of 2019 in the Zhambyl (US$1.1 billion) for the next The agreement was inked by with the partnership progress and lion tonnes of fertilisers per year. been installed so far, and 40 are ex- region cost 319.5 billion tenge phase, 1.5 times more than the AFSA Acting Chief Executive Of- readiness to expand cooperation. EuroChem’s technology allows pected to be installed by the first (US$840.4 million) and invest- funding for the previous five years. ficer Mukhtar Bubeyev and SEBI “We are pleased to sign this phosphate and complex fertilisers quarter of 2020. ments in fixed assets were 250.1 Chairperson Ajay Tyagi. It allows MoU with AFSA which will en- to be created without generating The Qazaqsoda company will billion tenge (US$657.9 million). Kazakhtelecom, which tested 5G for cooperation on joint efforts to hance bilateral cooperation be- phosphogypsum waste and gen- build a soda ash plant, to be fin- From 2020 to 2025, 66 investment technology Dec. 18, spoke about foster the progress of the Indian tween the authorities and would erally minimise harmful environ- ished in 2022, at a cost of ap- the capabilities of fifth-generation projects with a total budget of 2.7 and AIFC financial markets. establish a stronger relationship mental impacts. proximately 127 billion tenge networks at the Digital Samruk trillion tenge (US$7.1 million) will AFSA, formed Jan. 1, 2018, is an with AIFC. With the markets in- The project will also produce 2019 forum in Nur-Sultan, reported (US$446.9 million). Production is be realised and are expected to cre- independent regulator, legal entity creasingly becoming inter-con- profit.kz. It announced the interme- 120,000 tonnes of calcium chloride planned to be 400 tonnes per year ate more than 11,000 jobs. and statutory body in Kazakhstan nected and the financial entities diate results of digitising and imple- created to regulate activities con- operating globally, the memoran- menting innovative projects in the cerning financial services within dum will be a valuable tool for country’s largest companies, and AIFC territory. It also supervises cross-border co-operation. It will participants had the opportunity to the activities of AFSA participants also promote exchange of infor- become acquainted with the partner providing non-financial services. mation for technical assistance experience in digital technologies, AFSA was established in accord- and training needs, apart from world trends and cases. One of the ance with the Constitutional Law facilitating cross-border invest- forum’s important events was dem- “On the Astana International Fi- ments,” he said. onstrating 5G technology using the nancial Centre” for the purpose AFSA and SEBI are working to Tele2 and Kcell networks, where of regulating activities related to increase the exchange of regula- devices achieved speeds of up to 1.5 financial services in the AIFC. tion and enforcement information Gbit/s at a specially organised demo “The AIFC seeks to work and to develop cross-border finan- booth. Kazakhtelecom launched its build partnerships with regulators cial institution business in both 5G commercial network Oct. 24 on in the Asian region to promote jurisdictions. The arrangement the Altel network at Astana Hub, cross-border information sharing demonstrates the willingness and an international technology park of and cooperation on matters relat- commitment of both authorities to

IT start-ups, becoming one of only primeminister.kz. Photo credit: ing to financial services. We are facilitate regulatory cooperation. several operators in the world to provide such service.

Kaspi.kz earned 363 billion tenge (US$960 million) during the first nine months of 2019, reported profit. Italian investors launch renewable energy project in Aktobe Region kz Dec. 23. Revenues increased 34 to the investor in the construction Kazakh construction companies 48 megawatts to expand the wind world’s first wind farm launched percent compared to the same pe- By Yelena Levkovich of the second phase of the wind were involved in the work. Fif- farm. Two months later, it took the by our company. We are fully riod of 2018 and the net profit mar- farm in 2020,” said Urazalin. teen additional jobs will be gen- 50-megawatt auction for the solar committed to the idea of develop- gin increased from 30.8 percent to NUR-SULTAN – Italian inves- He added local officials are tak- erated. power station project in the Turke- ing renewable energies and intend 37.1 percent. The number of active tor Eni launched Kazakhstan’s ing all necessary measures in step Within the next few years, Eni stan Region. to spend $1.5 billion on imple- mobile app users increased by three largest wind power production with President Kassym-Jomart intends to implement additional “Eni company is taking its first menting these sources through- million to 5.4 million, or approxi- renewable energy projects in the steps in Kazakhstan. This is the out the world during 2019-2022 mately one in three Kazakh citizens. project Dec. 18 in the Aktobe Re- Tokayev’s instructions to attract gion. The $100-million effort is foreign investments and transition country. In September, the compa- first renewable energy project in under our four-year plan,” said Due to losses, Pavlodar Interna- also supported by Kazakh Invest to a green economy. The pilot re- ny won the tender for an additional the Aktobe region, as well as the Vignathi. tional Airport is seeking an inves- and General Electric. newable energy project, with a ca- tor, reported inbusiness.kz Jan. 6. Italian Ambassador in Kazakh- pacity of 48 megawatts, is an im- Two scheduled domestic flights to stan Pasquale D’Avino, regional portant step towards the region’s Almaty and Nur-Sultan, as well Akim (Governor) Ondassyn continued development. as international flights to Minsk, Urazalin, Eni Executive Vice Pres- The wind farm is expected to , Novosibirsk and Tur- ident for the Central Asia region produce approximately 200 giga- key, pass through the airport. Of Luca Vignathi and Kazakh Invest watt hours (GWh) annually. Ac- these, only the latter operates on Deputy Chair Birzhan Kaneshev cording to experts, it will reduce a regular basis. A Turkish compa- participated in the opening cer- carbon dioxide emissions into the ny has expressed interest and the emony. atmosphere by more than 172,000 necessary package of documents “Our goal is to create comfort- tonnes per year. has been forwarded, according to able conditions for doing business “Kazakh Invest has provided airport Deputy Chair Dinara Mus- in the region, which will obviously all the needed assistance to the salimova. In her opinion, there is allow attracting new investors into foreign investors in passing the a need to rely on cargo transpor- priority sectors of the economy. I approval procedures. Our task is tation rather than new air routes, believe Eni company’s $100 mil- not only attracting new investors, although work is continuing in this lion investment in the region’s but stimulating the existing ones direction. Cargo routes would re- growth is the result of great sup- to reinvest in the new industrial quire at least three kilometres of port given to the promising project branches,” said Kaneshev. runway and the airport currently by the authorities. We are eager to According to company repre- has 2.5 kilometres. provide comprehensive assistance sentatives, 480 employees and 14 old.elorda.info. Photo credit: A6 EDITORIAL&OPINION

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 With reforms on the way, Turkestan becomes centre of coming decade looks investments and business activity Now in Turkestan, many infrastructure and Staff Report tourist facilities are under construction. Like, for example, the visitor centre, the Great Silk positive for Kazakhstan More than a year and a half has passed since Road Handicraft Centre, the Rixos Turkestan he increase in tensions in needs, concerns and ambitions of the the First President of the Republic of Kazakh- Hotel, the international airport, the Yassawi the Middle East is not just Kazakh people. This wider engage- stan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree es- Museum and others. worrying for the region ment with civic society is seen as tablishing a new region (oblast) with an admin- In addition, in 2020 there are plans to com- but the whole world. The key to accelerating the creation of a istrative centre in Turkestan. Today, ancient mission the Yassawi Museum, Uly Dala Eli Tfervent hope must be that dialogue modern, responsive state – the next Turkestan is turning into a modern city, while Centre, congress hall, drama theatre, airport, can bring about a de-escalation of stage in the country’s remarkable maintaining its historic appearance. Turkestan city amusement park, etc. the crisis. development. has long been a centre of trade due to its geo- At the same time, the main goal is to pre- It is not just, of course, events in Nor have we had to wait long to graphic location along the Silk Road. All this serve the historical appearance of Turkestan the Middle East which have shown see the action on popular priorities creates favourable conditions to develop the during construction. Therefore, we are very the vital need for dialogue and with measures to strengthen the regional economy and increase the tourist flow. pleased that on July 4, at the 43rd session of collective action. The devastating criminal justice system, accelerate Deputy Akim (Governor) Meirzhan Myr- UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Sci- bush fires in Australia are a terrible political reform and ensure oppor- zaliev, who oversees developing entrepre- entific and Cultural Organisation) in Baku reminder of the potential impact of tunity is extended to all. Tougher neurship and tourism, investments and en- Meirzhan Myrzaliev (Azerbaijan), a project for the improvement rising temperatures on the world. penalties have been introduced for vironment, spoke about the region’s biggest of the territory adjacent to the Yassawi Mau- As we have said before, no coun- sexual and domestic violence to achievements over the past year in an exclu- soleum was approved. We are doing every- try alone can hope to overcome the increase protection for women and sive interview with Kazpravda.kz. from zero to 23, a total of 294 million tenge thing right, and this is confirmed by interna- threat of climate change as is the bring Kazakhstan into line with (US$762,000). tional experts. case with many other of the most other developed nations. Given the history and entrepreneurial Along with this, Kentau Transformer Plant We hope that these measures increase the pressing global challenges. It needs Jail sentences for human traffick- population of the Turkestan region, how are and Gazprom Neft – Bitumen Kazakhstan LLP tourist flow. Annually, the mausoleum is vis- all nations to agree and act together ers have also been increased to un- small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) received credit insurance in Kazakh Export for ited by 1.5 million tourists. This shows how if the right solutions are to be agreed derline Kazakhstan’s determination developing right now? At the beginning of the 908 million tenge (US$2.4 million). great the tourism potential of Turkestan is. The upon and put in place. to stamp out this evil trade. Growing year, Elbasy – Leader of the Nation launched In parallel with the support of existing ex- plans are to increase the number of tourists to It is why President Kassym- public worries over the accidents the programme to develop the simple things port industries, we are actively working on the five million people by 2025. We are pursuing Jomart Tokayev’s commitment to and injuries caused by drunk driv- economy industries. Could you tell us about implementation of export-oriented investment the goal of increasing recognition and popu- continue promoting dialogue and ing have also led to stronger prison the preliminary results of this programme? projects. larisation of the Turkestan region; for that, ten cooperation on the international terms. That’s right. Life has been always active In the coming year, we plan to continue this routes and dozens of various ad videos were stage is as critical in this new decade But at the same time as toughen- here. Our people are hardworking and en- work with the active involvement of the re- created. We also connect embassies and Ka- as ever. The trust and good relations ing jail sentences, including for trepreneurial. Therefore, SME development sources of the Regional Council for Export zakh Tourism to the development of tourism Kazakhstan has forged with nations, selling drugs to children, President is one of the pillars of the region’s economy. Development and the project office based in the region and expect them to be promoted big and small, gives the country an Tokayev is making the moratorium Today, the region is a leader in the number of on the Atameken Scientific Production En- and advertised. important role, as has been the case on the death penalty permanent. operating SMEs. terprise. In total, imports reached $345 mil- In today’s world, young people absorb in- in the past, in bringing countries He has instructed the government During tze year, this indicator increased by lion; exports, $574 million. These figures formation through the Internet and social net- together. to begin the process of signing the 12 percent, while the national average is 7.8 indicate that the export potential of the re- works; in this regard, videos will be posted on On the domestic front as well, International Treaty on abolishing percent. Per these statistics, the region has a gion is developing; if earlier imports always social networks. This event will have a multi- Kazakhstan’s President is show- capital punishment. big drive to do business. outstripped exports in terms of turnover, then plier effect and will serve as a good informa- ing the importance he attaches to We have seen as well an accelera- Our region is also No. 1 in developing the today, it is clear that exports are showing tional and advertising move for the Turkestan dialogue with the country’s citizens. tion of political and social reforms. economy of simple things. There are 316 pro- growth dynamics. region. The new National Council of Public Women and younger people are jects worth 61 billion tenge (US$158.1 mil- Trust is just one way that he is to make up 30 percent of party lion) in the piggy bank, 104 projects worth 15 How attractive is the region for investors Unfortunately, with the onset of cold delivering on his promise to develop candidates to ensure more diverse billion (US$38.9 million) have been approved nowadays? What is being done to attract in- weather, photos of smog over Turkestan be- a “Hearing States” that can meet the voices in national and regional to date and 70 projects have been funded for vestors? During the period since the region gan to appear on the network. This is a seri- politics. Regulations over organising 12.3 billion tenge (US$31.9 million). was established, what has been done on this? ous problem that can scare off foreign tour- Kazakhstan’s President and attending peaceful rallies are We can achieve this thanks to the coordi- Ancient Turkestan is turning into a beautiful ists and investors who are concerned about being relaxed and made clearer. The nated work of the governor’s office, second- modern city today while maintaining its his- the environment. How does the governor’s is showing the membership threshold for register- tier banks and a branch of Agrarian Credit torical appearance, which attracts tourists and office plan to resolve this issue? ing political parties is being halved Corporation. We have built work with finan- investors from all over the world. So, today the Smog is one of the serious issues. The main importance he attaches while political debate will also be cial organisations in the “manual” mode with rate of investment in fixed assets has grown reason is the lack of gasification. Today, there to dialogue with the helped by de-criminalising defama- a discussion of each project. Moreover, due to by 25 percent compared to the same period in is a gasification project for the region and it tion. President Tokayev is acting on the lack of full-fledged branches of second-tier 2018 and external investment amounted to 46 is being implemented. I note the region is 46 country’s citizens. his promise to accelerate political banks in the region, we consider potential par- billion tenge (US$119.2 million), which ex- percent ready for gasification. Of the 78 set- reform and pluralism. ticipants at weekly meetings with the participa- ceeds all our expectations. tlements, 30 have already been connected, 48 The new National There has been action, too, on ex- tion of programme operators to improve meas- For investors, we have created a special eco- have developed road maps and by the end of Council of Public tending opportunity and increasing ures and optimise the processes for obtaining nomic zone with a total area of about​​ 4,000 the year, there are plans to connect 20 settle- support to those who need it most. soft loans. hectares and the new Turkistan industrial zone. ments. The remaining 28 are planned for con- Trust is just one way Along with additional investment To provide social support to large fami- In the industrial zone, international experience nection before the end of next year. By 2025, to improve health care across the lies and young entrepreneurs, some special is applied in the construction of ready-to-use we plan to gasify 95 percent of the region. that he is delivering country, new rehabilitation centres programmes called Kasіpker Ana and Zhas sites for investors on preferential terms. This As for the city of Turkestan itself, it is on his promise to to help those with disabilities are be- Kasіpker were developed for 2019 with a year, we expect the completion of two such gasified by 26 percent – this is about 20,000 ing built. Children from low-income rate of 1 percent and up to two million tenge buildings. consumers. The gasification project of the develop a “Hearing families are to receive a guaranteed (US$5,184). To provide investors with a one-stop-shop, city includes 11 stages, seven of which were States” that can meet social package, including free school Also, in view of the emergency in the city the Turkistan Invest regional agency provides completed by the end of 2019. On the streets meals and transportation to and from of Arys, the Kamkor programme was adopted investors with support on all stages of project that are ready to connect, there are residential school. University scholarships are the needs, concerns with the same one percent interest rate for busi- implementation. This work is carried out in buildings and business facilities; gasification being increased to develop the rich ness entities affected by the explosions. Under close cooperation with the regional represent- coverage is expanding every day and respec- potential of the country’s younger and ambitions of the the programme, 70 businesses overall received ative office of Kazakh Invest. tively, the amount of smog is decreasing. Very generation. 400 million tenge (US$1.05 million). A successful example is the launch of an soon, we won’t have this issue. Kazakh people. This It is a packed agenda. The new Thanks to measures taken by the governor’s investment project for the construction of an We connect to the gas and we carry out the decade promises to be an exciting wider engagement with office to support SMEs, during the 11 months industrial greenhouse in the Keles District, work; but at the same time, the citizens also one for the citizens of Kazakhstan the volume of their products has grown by 35.2 where Eco-Culture Agro-Industrial Hold- need to be active in collecting and submitting who can look forward to their priori- civic society is seen as percent compared to the same period of 2018. ing, a large agricultural holding from Russia, the necessary documents. ties being met through responsive At the same time, together with the regional brought $1.3 billion. In addition, to protect the environment we key to accelerating the services and targeted investment. The Department of the State Revenue Committee, Overall, this year 18 investors were attract- are building a green belt around the city – wider, open dialogue, which is al- creation of a modern, we are also working to bring the businesses out ed to the region, including 16 foreign compa- about 300,000 seedlings have been planted ready underway, is critical to finding of the shadows by providing 100-percent im- nies, with projects worth more than 832 billion so far and this is only the beginning. The total responsive state – the right solutions. On the interna- plementation of online cash registers and usage tenge (US$2.2 billion). In addition, through planting area exceeds 7,700 hectares, which tional stage as well, it is dialogue of POS (point of sale) terminals. 2024, we have compiled a pool of 374 pro- will accommodate 3.5 million trees. This will the next stage in the – no matter how difficult the environ- jects for 3.4 trillion tenge (US$8.8 billion), of help the city cope with the negative conse- ment or deep the divisions – which is country’s remarkable What is being done to support exporters? which 70 projects were implemented in 2019 quences of rapid urbanisation and significant- the only way forward to global peace, Are there companies in the region whose in the amount of 123 billion tenge (US$318.9 ly improve the ecology of Turkestan. I want development. stability and prosperity. products could compete in the foreign mar- million), creating 2,600 jobs. to note that, on behalf of the governor of the ket? At the same time, I would like to note the Turkestan region, a set of measures is being Approximately 224 exporting companies potential of investing in tourism of the region. developed to improve the environment. I hope work in our region with an export basket of We have already begun implementing projects that next year eco-activists will not have that more than 200 types of products. We are in such as Kaskasu Ski Resort and Caravansarai. many complaints against us. At the same time, contact with them and aware of their activities These will be two powerful anchor projects in taking this opportunity, I want to invite eve- and needs. tourism. ryone to our region to see for themselves that The main measures of export support are here there are the most favourable conditions mainly concentrated at the central level of state Let’s talk about tourism. Big bets are being for entrepreneurs, investors and for those who companies such as Kazakh Export, Kazakh- made on the development of tourism. In this may want to live here. stan Industry and Export Centre, Qaz Industry, regard, the Turkestan region is very lucky – etc. Our task here is to ensure the timely and there are a huge number of places interest- What are your plans for 2020? full involvement of our enterprises in obtain- ing to tourists. But even with all this, we need In short, we plan to continue implementing ing support from the region’s exporters. At the special conditions. What work is being done investment projects, begin the launch phase of same time, aiding in solving problematic is- in this direction? those projects that are planned for 2020, ex- sues on entering foreign markets is sometimes Right, and that is why now a lot of work is pand the base of export companies and attract also critical for exporters. underway in the region to develop infrastruc- more tourists. As you know, First President The state provides various types of support ture and attract investments. It should be noted Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Turkestan, got to the exporters; the companies receive privi- here that the city of Turkestan is included in acquainted with the progress of construction leges and preferences. Thanks to the informa- the top 10 tourist sites of the National Tourism and set new tasks. One of them is to hold the tional and explanatory work of the Turkistan Development Programme for 2019-2025. summit of the heads of Central Asian coun- Invest Export Development Centre, within In addition, one of the subzones of the Turk- tries. This suggests that all tourist facilities two months from when the rules for the reim- istan industrial zone with an area of 297​​ hec- should be ready to receive a large amount of bursement of part of the costs came into force, tares has a tourist destination and investors visitors. I will be able to speak on this more we could increase the number of applications there receive tax and customs preferences. only after some time, when we have results.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 MOST Business Incubator supports Future Capital Central Asian, youth startups Technologies creates first payroll service jobs are being reduced. Also, after By Yerbolat Uatkhanov analysing we found out that peo- ple are used to taking loans from NUR-SULTAN – Future Capital banks and microfinance organisa- Technologies has launched Pay- tions just to buy basic necessities. Day, a service that allows employ- As a result, they are losers due to ees to receive their salary any day huge percentages, fines and penal- of the month. The new programme ties. One explanation for the ex- will help ease individual debt bur- istence of such a practice is that den and reduce companies’ salary workers in Kazakhstan do not have budgets. any access to advance salary pay- The firm creates and implements ments or the process of receiving IT projects that provide simpler such payments is very complicated and more efficient solutions for the and time-consuming,” he added. obsolete and complex processes currently in use in Kazakhstan and the Commonwealth of Independ- “Our team is obsessed ent States (CIS), said Director Ta- with solving the merlan Kokush. “The goal of our company is to most complex and identify business processes and to modernise and simplify them. pressing issues. At the moment, we have launched Today in our country, the revolutionary PayDay service, The participants of the Jastar Business, a youth entrepreneurship development programme. which is not like other salary man- the development agement services and which will of e-commerce is Some 1,300 people completed the Eleven startups that reached the can apply for further financing of allow company employees to re- By Zhanna Shayakhmetova training course and received cer- finals of the ImpactTech Accelera- up to $200,000. ceive their money for the period relevant. ” tificates from MOST’s online pre- tor Programme were awarded cer- The Central Asia Impact Fund worked at any time. Our team has NUR-SULTAN – Jastar Busi- acceleration programme. tificates. (CAIF) announced plans to sup- developed a system that will al- ness, a youth entrepreneurship After the training, selected “The audience liked the unique port the successful startups and to low the employer to save the sal- The company is planning to ex- development programme, and the startup entrepreneurs took part in format of the Startup Social Al- provide financing from $100,000 ary budget,” he said, according to pand to Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Rus- Central Asia ImpactTech Accelera- a three-month acceleration pro- maty, according to the positive to $500,000. Forbes.kz. sia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in the tor Programme were named among gramme. Fifty teams out of 105 ap- feedback. We are pleased that More than 150 applications The concept is fundamentally near future. the best projects initiated by the plications were selected, and seven more than 100 entrepreneurs from from Kazakhstan and other coun- different from those of banks and “Our team is obsessed with solv- MOST Business Incubator in 2019, teams attracted investments worth Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Karaganda, tries were registered for the accel- microfinance organisations, be- ing the most complex and pressing the company recently announced. 25 million tenge (US$65,520). Shymkent and other cities attend- eration programme. Only 13 teams cause of its unique nature and lack issues. Today in our country, the The MOST Business Incubator, Last December, the MOST Busi- ed our event. We plan to organise passed the selection, among them of competition in the market. development of e-commerce is rel- Citi Foundation and the YBI inter- ness Incubator completed its 10th more events in the future,” director entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, “People in the United States and evant. We have already begun to national organisation implemented Central Asia ImpactTech Accel- of the MOST Business Incubator Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. the U.K. are already using similar develop a platform for online dis- the Jastar Business project to draw erator Programme. The project was Alim Khamitov told attendees. Founded in 2015, the MOST services that Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos tribution and integration of mar- more startup companies and entre- implemented with the Asian De- The project included Startup Business Incubator has conducted and Mark Zuckerberg have in- ketplaces. In the future, plans are preneurs in Kazakhstan to MOST. velopment Bank (ADB) with the Huddle Almaty, a series of local 10 acceleration programmes, four vested in. I sincerely hope that in to create a remote transmission of The company conducted a survey support of QazTech Ventures. Its events during which more than mentoring programmes and three the future, due to the use of such energy through microwaves. Most of business people, startups and in- objective was to identify the most 200 entrepreneurs presented their online courses. Every year, more financial technologies, the debt people are skeptical about our ide- vestors at the beginning of the year promising startups in Central Asia projects and received feedback than 1,000 young entrepreneurs burden on people from banks and as, but after their implementation to assess prospects for the develop- in four areas: “Financial Inclu- from investors, government offi- participate in MOST projects. microfinance organisations will they are shocked. Thanks to imagi- ment of youth entrepreneurship and sion,” “TravelTech,” “AgriTech” cials and independent experts. Over the years, MOST has attract- decrease,” he noted. nation, team cohesion and the reli- the country’s investment climate. and “HealthTech.” The ADB Ventures fund al- ed more than $2 million in invest- “I found that the government ability of partners, I am sure that Four startup competitions with At the end of the programme, the located grant financing of up to ments. In 2019, the company at- spends almost four trillion tenge we will achieve great technologi- the participation of 500 people entrepreneurs presented their pro- $15,000. After the Acceleration tracted approximately 130 million (US$10.5 billion) on salaries of cal progress, as well as provide an were held in the capital and in jects for potential investors at the Programme, startups assessed as tenge (US$340,705) for startup civil servants and that this figure is incentive for a new generation,” Almaty from February to March. Startup Social Almaty. having the most growth potential development. increasing from year to year, while said Kokush. AIFC Court, IAC consider Baiterek Holding creates venture capital fund, five cases in 2019 pursues long-term construction projects in 2020 were implemented quickly and di- Continued from Page A1 press service. The total size of the of innovations and venture financ- By Yerbolat Uatkhanov rectly between the AIFC Court and fund is $150 million. ing. Over the past five years, Asia’s national enforcement authorities. “DBK provides loans to en- San Francisco-based 500 Start- VC (venture capital) indicators have NUR-SULTAN – The Astana In- This case was managed 100 per- terprises, then direct investment ups is interested in working with increased by almost 14 times,” the ternational Financial Centre Court cent electronically from initiation funds included in the structure of QazTech Ventures to create a sepa- Baiterek press service said. (AIFC Court) and International Ar- to completion. KCM provide equity financing in rate thematic fund focused on Ka- Baiterek has received “offers from bitration Centre (IAC) considered IAC recently received its first ar- the form of a contribution to the zakhstan. a number of venture management five cases in 2019. The achieve- bitration case and hosted three me- capital of the project company. “The signing of the package of companies in Singapore, Malaysia, ment was significant compared to diation cases. All were managed Private equity funds are usually documents, we believe, will cer- Thailand, Korea and the United the experiences of similar common quickly in accordance with the included in the project for a period tainly lead to positive results. In States” since the beginning of 2019. law financial centre courts and in- best international standards of case of five-seven years. At the end of particular, investments of a lead- The holding chose 500 Startups after ternational arbitration centres at management and without charge to this period, the project applicant ing venture company in Kazakh “an analysis of the compliance of the this stage of their operation. the parties. redeems its share,” he said. projects will increase the attrac- proposals of venture management “2019 has been a very produc- The AIFC Court and IAC par- On Dec. 23, Baiterek became tiveness of our country’s venture companies with the preliminary cri- tive year of achievement for the ticipated in meetings this year with the first financial institution in Ka- market and attract other key play- teria established by the investment AIFC Court and IAC. Ahead of senior lawyers and executives at zakhstan to receive the ESG rat- ers. In addition, Kazakh projects regulations,” he added expectations for our type of new corporations in the country, the ing that assesses the sustainable Aidar Arifkhanov will have the opportunity of inter- Established in 2010, 500 Start- court and arbitration centre, we Central Asian region and globally, development of an organisation’s national acceleration and access to ups has created 21 funds – five ment management practices and have received and managed sev- signing approximately 1,300 busi- activities. advanced competencies and expe- global funds investing in startup the quality of non-financial infor- eral cases and achieved quick en- ness contracts for future dispute “The rating agency experts rience,” said Arifkhanov, reported projects around the world and 15 mation disclosure. forcement of our first case at the resolution purposes. have confirmed a high level of the press service. thematic funds focused on individ- It was also scheduled to create AIFC Court. We have developed Both entities also launched their commitment to the principles of Later QazTech Ventures also ual international regions. The latter Kazakhstan’s first venture capital and launched the very best digital eJustice systems to enable parties social responsibility, corporate signed a memorandum with Quest are purposefully invested in Bra- fund. QazTech Ventures, the hold- technology. We have hired the best to have their commercial disputes governance and business ethics. Ventures Foundation, a leading ven- zil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Mexico, At the same time, experts noted ing’s subsidiary, and 500 Startups, ture capital fund in Singapore, as well the Middle East, Singapore, South Kazakh national registry staff and resolved electronically and with- the need to consider environmen- the leading U.S. venture capital as a tripartite memorandum with the Korea, Thailand, Turkey and Viet- trained them to international stand- out charge using the most up-to- tal principles in the framework of fund, signed an agreement Dec. 10 National Agency for Innovation of nam, among other countries. ards with our partners in London date digital technology. The AIFC project activities, including en- adding the Kazakh branch to the V Thailand and Baiterek Holding. Baiterek Holding manages 11 and Singapore,” said AIFC Court Court initiated new international vironmental risk management,” Global Fund. “The countries of Southeast Asia state development institutions, fi- and IAC Registrar and Chief Exec- standard services for judicial me- according to the holding’s press The document envisions Qaz- were able to make a significant nancial organisations and national utive Christopher Campbell-Holt. diation and IAC started a special service. Tech Ventures’ $10-million partic- breakthrough in the development of companies. It attracted approxi- “We have launched outstanding arbitration-mediation or “arb- Considering the rating results, ipation in the V Global Fund “with their economies thanks to the recent- mately $2.95 billion in foreign new services and raised regional med” procedure. Baiterek has developed measures further financing of Kazakhstan ly adopted and successfully imple- investment from 2016 to the first and international recognition with The two organisations signed to improve sustainable develop- startup projects,” said the Baiterek mented strategy for the development half of 2019. 17 cooperation agreements signed. cooperation agreements with lead- Our dispute resolution is quick, ac- ing dispute resolution centres, law cessible, cost effective, impartial societies and business associations and, above all, incorruptible. We in Kazakhstan, the U.K. and Asia, have exciting plans for 2020 and significantly raising their profile look forward to our continued suc- and international recognition. cess as we strive to be the number More than 300 Kazakh law stu- one choice for commercial dispute dents, lawyers and academics stud- resolution in Central Asia,” he ied at the AIFC Court and IAC to added. ensure they have the common law Earlier this year, the AIFC Court dispute resolution skills necessary considered its first litigation and to represent clients at the organisa- gave judgment in a small claims tions. For this purpose, they part- contract non-payment dispute in- nered with Cambridge University, volving an AIFC participant and leading attorneys from London foreign party. All enforcement and its Centre for Effective Dis- measures available in Kazakhstan pute Resolution. The Aktau seaport on the Caspian Sea is one of the strategic projects funded by Baiterek Holding through DBK. A8 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Shymkent to launch third Law on Cinema to increase country’s industrial zone in 2020 attractiveness with support centre, 30-percent rebate, unified cinema ticket in recruiting a film crew from lo- released for general rent,” she said. By Aidana Yergaliyeva cal movie makers. It is cheaper and Russia has been using such a better,” she added. ticket for the last five years and NUR-SULTAN – The Law on The centre is attempting to cre- “has been having a big leap up.” Cinema which Kazakhstan adopt- ate a single national commission The app can show nearly 160 pa- ed as of Jan. 3 has brought many that will help manage foreign sets. rameters of Russian movie-goer’s positive changes to film industry Shooting “Marco Polo” in Ka- habits and preferences, which management. Kazakh movie mak- zakhstan was “a sad experience,” made it possible to “collect ap- ers have waited for the law for she recalled, as 15 of 25 locals proximately $12 billion just in its many years, said National Cin- recruited to be the part of the film own market,” she noted. ema Support Centre Chair Gulnara crew were translators. “I hope next year, we will have Sarsenova. “We have many movie compa- the same system in Kazakhstan… “For me as an independent film nies where 30 percent are speaking In the beginning, (we will try to) billion are being implemented in producer, these are very big chang- in English. Ideally, I’d like to have persuade, then the penalty system By Zhanna Shayakhmetova the Ontustik and Tassay industrial es that can make the big break- 100, or at least 70,” she said. and then we will attract fiscal au- zones. The zones employ nearly through possible of our Kazakh There is plenty of room for im- thorities. Hidden income is first an NUR-SULTAN – Zhuldyz, 4,000 and collect 16 billion tenge cinema in an international film in- provement in the Kazakh film administrative, then a criminal of- Shymkent’s third, 306-hectare (US$42 million) in taxes. Foreign dustry,” she told The Astana Times Gulnara Sarsenova industry, a situation that the Cin- fence,” she added. industrial zone, will be launched investors contributed $2.5 bil- in an exclusive interview. ema Support Centre must address. Kazakh film distributors will next year, reported Akim (Mayor) lion to the projects, including 15 The changes include a 30-per- Movie theatres revenue has long Yerlan Aitakhanov at a Dec. 25 investment projects implemented competitive, as well as introduce also be exempt from corporate cent rebate system for foreign film been a shadow economy, as they taxes in dispensing national films. press conference in the city. A with American stakeholder partici- production companies, with the its breath-taking locations. hide actual income and report few- The “national film” certificate will 136-hectare agro-industrial zone pation. Kazakh government prepared to She expects major movies to in- er visitors. That is one of the ma- free an author from the 20 percent will also be opened. “We met with investors from subsidise 30 percent of the expens- crease tourist flow in Kazakhstan jor reasons why big businesses are corporate income tax. “I think it is China, Russia, Turkey, the UAE es incurred by foreign movie mak- along the lines of what “Lord of cautious in entering the market, a big motivation for the distribu- (United Arab Emirates), Singa- ers who choose to shoot their films the Rings” and “Game of Thrones” said Sarsenova. tors,” said Sarsenova. Greenhouses on a pore, South Korea and Uzbekistan. in the country. The figure repre- did for New Zealand and Croatia, National Cinema Support Cen- 14-hectare site were A spinning mill was launched this sents substantial financial support. respectively. tre, therefore, plans to introduce The cinema support centre, December with the participation of “(The rebate is) the most power- The cinema support centre plans a unified cinema ticket, or unified combined with the new law, will also commissioned Uzbek investors. There are plans ful leverage of stimulating foreign to register with the Association automated monitoring system. The now also partially or fully fund this year, expanding to produce 60 tonnes of cotton by companies to come to the terri- of Film Commissioners Interna- ticket would allow tracking the ac- independent film production com- the end of this year and up to 6,000 tory of our country for shooting, tional. Membership should intro- tual numbers of movie goers and, panies and independent film pro- the total area of tonnes of raw cotton next year. because everyone wants to spend duce Kazakh landscapes to foreign possibly, providing more informa- ducers if they develop socially sig- Textile products will be exported a little less money on movie mak- movie makers as the commission tion about their genre preferences nificant projects. city greenhouses to to China, Italy, Russia, South Ko- ing,” she said. “conducts four or five location ex- and gender, among other details. “Next year we have the 175th rea and Turkey in the future,” he Sarsenova noted seven film pro- hibitions a year,” she said. The system should guarantee mov- year anniversary of Abai (Kunan- 183.5 hectares in added. duction companies, such as Ca- “In the territory of Kazakhstan, ie theatres pay taxes and provide bayev, Kazakh poet and writer), Two dormitories accommodat- conjunction with a nal+ (France), TNT (Russia) and it is possible to find a location for valuable audience analytics for our great enlightener. We have a ing 350 and 200 people were built Premier media-service provider, as up to eight planets. We have Mars, movie makers. budget to make full length movies 708-hectare orchard as part of the Five Social Initia- well as a few Chinese and Indian the Moon and Jupiter. We can “(It would be activated) in any about the artistic disclosure of this tives. A dormitory for 2,500 is ex- and berry area. film production companies, are shoot anything. We can do science cinema at the moment one buys a theme. There will be 100-percent pected to be constructed next year. fiction movies,” she noted. “We financing.,” she said. A per capita financing system prepared to bring $26 million into ticket. In a simple app, a user who have a unique location… We wait National Cinema Support Cen- Investors intend to implement 20 was introduced in educational in- the Kazakh economy. is a producer, a director and any- for a big boom.” tre will also support co-production nutrition, construction, metallurgy, stitutions for the new academic National Cinema Support Centre one interested can see that and say “But for that boom, the invasion projects filmed in the country. medicine and engineering projects year, which resulted in opening is also one of the “after the law” ‘Yay! A ticket was sold to my mov- in the industrial zone worth more 11 private schools with 5,000 stu- products which the Ministry of of foreign production companies, ie!’ This everyday report can help Such funding is possible provided than 20 billion tenge (US$52 mil- dents. Local authorities financed Culture and Sports founded in May we should also get prepared, be- to see, analyse and understand the the filmmakers have already at- lion). Twenty projects worth 109 construction of nine schools for as a non-profit joint stock compa- cause foreign movie companies box office of a movie. Box office is tracted at least 50 percent of the billion tenge (US$286 million) 5,700 students. Five schools have ny. The centre’s main concern is not only bring their own actors and the results of the sale, the commer- proposed budget through foreign and creating 1,000 jobs will be ex- been commissioned and private in- to ensure the country’s movies are crew, but they should be interested cial result for which the film was support. ecuted in the agro-industrial zone. vestors will build 10 schools in the Greenhouses on a 14-hectare next three years. site were also commissioned this Investors will also construct a year, expanding the total area of new airport terminal to be com- city greenhouses to 183.5 hectares pleted in 2020. The railway station Company launches electronic government, in conjunction with a 708-hectare will be rebuilt next year. orchard and berry area. A 1.5 bil- Major repairs were completed lion tenge (US$4 million) ap- on 43 streets. Asphalt works will ple orchard is also planned for a cover 80 streets in 40 remote vil- private sector document exchange service 152-hectare tract. Approximately lages and public transport will be The system is currently used Organisations are automatically Chamber of Entrepreneurs. Busi- 2.9 billion tenge (US$7 million) launched in 2020. By Nurdana Adylkhanova mostly by small and medium- connected to Doculite once they ness owners can apply for the cer- in subsidies were issued to support Aitakhanov also noted positive sized businesses involving ap- submit an electronic application. tificate electronically using a digi- rural entrepreneurs. dynamics in healthcare. The ma- NUR-SULTAN – The Doculite proximately 12,000 individuals The system allows entrepreneurs tal signature and are not tied to a Industrial production increased ternal mortality decreased by 63.6 cloud system now offers Kazakh and 7,000 organisations. To date, to send outgoing emails with specific location. The new system by 16.4 percent, agricultural pro- percent, cancer mortality by 4.6 entrepreneurs the opportunity to more than 250,000 letters have digital signatures to all govern- has reduced the wait time from duction by 5.5 percent, commis- percent and tuberculosis deaths by exchange documents directly with been sent between companies ment bodies and track document two weeks to one day. sioned housing by 15.3 percent 6.6 percent. government bodies in electronic within the country. execution and status by entering Documentolog, a leader in the and retail trade by 7.1 percent in “A three-year development plan legal form. The service, introduced Doculite significantly reduces the unique code assigned to the IT sector in the domestic market, the first 11 months of 2019, noted has been adopted to improve health- in November, is available to all entrepreneurs’ time and costs, as document. Quasi-state companies was named best IT company in Aitakhanov. care. Approximately 100 vehicles companies regardless of their size there is no longer the need to sub- are able to receive electronic mes- Kazakhstan at the 2018 Digital “Population and business activ- were purchased to update the fleet and scope of activity. mit hard copies of documents. sages sent by government agencies Bridge Awards. This year, the firm ity, as well as economic power, of ambulance services. A single call The system was created by Doc- “To make an exchange with through egov.kz, the electronic announced its entry into the Rus- have increased since Shymkent centre will be launched to improve umentolog that has been develop- government bodies, there is a government portal. sian market. became the country’s third city of the quality of services. Two major ing and implementing electronic need, at the request of the elec- Entrepreneurs can also use the “Recently, we launched the national significance. Industry is projects were implemented through document management solutions tronic government gateway, (to Doculite website to check counter- doculite.ru service in test mode for of great importance for the sustain- public-private partnerships. The in the Kazakh market for more have) mandatory encryption for parties for reliability and evaluate Russian companies… of course, able development of the economy. Mediker medical centre was built than 12 years. Doculite has been all data, so that no one can read cooperation security. we expect Russian companies This year, seven projects worth 26 for 20,000-30,000 people. A clinic integrated into the government’s you or hack you or see the con- In addition, the service allows to exchange between Russia and billion tenge (US$68 million) were in the Kaitpas-1 micro district will unified electronic document man- tents of the document,” said Doc- companies to receive an ST-KZ Kazakhstan,” said Documentolog implemented and 389 jobs were be commissioned in January. A hos- agement system, facilitating elec- ulite development department certificate, an export and industrial Deputy Director General Madina created,” he said. pital with 1,000 beds will also be tronic exchange between compa- head Bakhtiyar Alimbayev in an document for Kazakh citizens is- Dusmagambetova in the same in- Sixty-seven projects worth $42 built,” he said. nies and government agencies. interview with 24.kz. sued by the Atameken National terview. AIFC issues license to captive insurer firm, signaling support for companies relocating operations, assets to Kazakhstan (AIFC) acts. “The transfer of to AIFC regulations, the trans- ance business within the company erate the nation’s economic growth business. This is a good oppor- By Yerbolat Uatkhanov incorporation of the Kazakhstan fer allows KERC to continue to and Samruk Kazyna Sovereign and has implemented a regulatory tunity and we are pleased to take Energy Reinsurance Company to have all the property, rights and Wealth Fund, its parent holding regime that allows attracting capi- advantage of what this jurisdiction NUR-SULTAN – Astana Finan- the AIFC gives a clear message privileges and be subject to all company. tal, including repatriating assets, offers. This is not our first transac- cial Services Authority (AFSA) is- that the legal framework of the the liabilities, restrictions and KERC’s shareholder is Coopera- to the country. KERC has been tion on this platform, but we took sued a license Kazakhstan Energy AIFC supports Kazakh compa- operating in Bermuda since 2004 advantage of the opportunity to Reinsurance Company (KERC), a nies willing to relocate operations and the incorporation transfer or transfer company incorporation captive insurer firm, setting a prec- and assets to Kazakhstan through Transferring KERC’s incorporation to the re-domiciliation to AIFC will al- to the AIFC jurisdiction for the edence for the nation’s companies the AIFC, where a regulatory re- low it to transfer all legal rights first time. We hope that the AIFC to transfer operations and capital gime is well placed for doing fi- AIFC marks a positive process of relocating and liabilities to the new entity, will continue to be a flexible and to the country. nancial services business and the Kazakh capital and assets from foreign which is the same legal entity as convenient platform for business,” A captive insurer is a licensed protection of investments,” said the original overseas-incorporated said KazMunayGas Managing Di- insurance company created by a AFSA Acting Chief Executive jurisdictions. company, as well as become the rector/Financial Controller Aigul parent company to provide cover- Officer Mukhtar Bubeyev. subject of tax preferences and le- Beknazarova. age for itself. As a captive insurer, Transferring KERC’s incor- gal regulation in accordance with AFSA, AIFC’s independent reg- KERC will conduct the regulated poration to the AIFC marks a debts that it had before the in- tive KazMunaiGaz U.A., which is international standards. ulator, was established to manage activities of effecting and carry- positive process of relocating corporation. registered outside Kazakhstan. As “We believe that the AIFC opens the centre’s financial services and ing out insurance under Astana Kazakh capital and assets from KERC, an affiliated company of part of the country’s investment new opportunities for large com- is legal entity and statutory body International Financial Centre foreign jurisdictions. According KazMunayGas, carries on insur- reforms, AIFC is working to accel- panies conducting international of Kazakhstan. B Nation&Capital

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

PEOPLE CULTURE SPORTS Young entrepreneurs foster Theatre Golovkin ranks among top 10 cooperation between Kazakh, performs at Astana Opera boxers in world, fights among South Korean medical centres B2 B3 best of decade B7 Kazakh anti-nuclear anthem inspires Three cyber players activists across languages, decades among top 30 most In 2012, after the Tohoku earth- quake, Rymbayeva travelled to Hi- popular in CIS roshima to hold concerts and meet- ings and give lectures. During the were signed up with Russia’s Vir- visit, Rymbayeva performed the Staff Report tus.Pro in December. He is perhaps song with Japanese singer Ryoko. the most popular cyber athlete in “Thanks to the Japanese transla- NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh cyber Kazakhstan. tion, ‘Zaman-ai’ has reached the athletes Dauren (AdreN) Kys- Golubev shared 21st place with hearts of Japanese people as a mes- taubayev, Alexey (qikert) Gol- Dota 2 player Idan (MagicaL) sage… From this song, many Japa- ubev and Abay (Hobbit) Khasse- Vardanyan from Israel. He started nese were able to learn about the nov were among the top 30 most playing for LOG.KZ in 2017, but nuclear testing conducted in Ka- mentioned Commonwealth of quickly moved to AVANGAR. Golubev played for the latter until zakhstan,” Ryoko told The Astana Independent States (CIS) players in 2019, reported Vesti.kz. All are recently, when he and other mem- Times. professional Counter-Strike: Glob- bers were signed by Virtus.Pro af- In November 2016, Ryoko per- al Offensive (CS:GO) players. ter taking second place in August formed the song solo at the welcome Sports portal cybersport.ru com- at CS:GO StarLadder Berlin Ma- reception of Kazakh President Nur- pleted a study last year on the me- jor tournament and winning Mos- sultan Nazarbayev in Hiroshima. dia popularity of cyber athletes. It cow’s BLAST Pro Series 2019 in Two years later, the Ministry of used indicators such as the num- September. He has recorded 186 Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan in- ber of views each player recorded victories, including 13 first place, vited Ryoko to perform the Japanese on his/her website and twitch.tv four second place and eight third translation of “Zaman-ai” at the Ru- broadcasts, reader activity and au- place tournament finishes. hani Kazyna Festival in the capital, dience activity on social networks, Khassenov, who took 28th place the first culture and art festival dedi- as well as the number of search in the rating, joined Russia’s Win- cated to celebrating the Day of Cul- queries about the athlete. strike Team in October. He started ture and Art Workers in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Tomiaki Kurokawa. Tomiaki Photo credit: Kystaubayev, who began his cybersports career in 2015 Distinguished artists of Kazakh- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev visits Hiroshima in 2016. his career in 2012, shared 19th and has won 175 games, with six stan and authors of the song “Za- place with Dota 2 player Artem gold, four silver and seven bronze man-ai” Ulugbek Yesdaulet and (fng) Barshak of Belarus. He has tournament finishes. Khassenov distant region of Central Asia, hear- Amina Kassymbekova, performed Tulegen Mukhamedzhanov thanked amassed 400 victories, including was the PGL Major Kraków 2017 By Nurdana Adylkhanova ing the cry of the souls of those who “Zaman-ai” Aug. 6 at the riverside Ryoko for her beautiful song perfor- 15 gold, six silver and 17 bronze tournament champion in 2017 as had suffered from nuclear weap- of the Peace Memorial Park in mance at the festival. finishes and with Khassenov was part of Gambit Esports, where he NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh ons… all the people there were shar- Hiroshima. Three years later, Sul- “They [Yesdaulet and Mukhamed- a PGL Major Kraków 2017 tour- played the longest in his career. anti-nuclear protest song “Zaman- ing their sorrows from the bottom tanova and two Kazakh students zhanov] told me that music creates nament champion. Kystaubayev The top 30 list crowned Russia’s ai” has been inspiring activists for of their hearts,” said Vice Director introduced the Japanese version of peace. I totally agree. Even if you was also part of AVANGAR, the Roman (RAMZEs) Kushnarev in decades. Most recently, it was re- of HiroSemi Chieko Kobatake in an the song to the public for the first speak different languages, you can Kazakh-based multi-gaming e- first, Russia’s Alexei (Solo) Bere- corded and released by Japanese interview for this story. time. Since then, the song has been communicate with music,” said Ry- sports organisation, in 2019 when zin in second and Ukraine’s Iliya singer Michida Ryoko in Japanese Kobatake heard the song for the performed by Kazakh students ar- oko. it placed in the Berlin and Moscow (ALOHADANCE) Korobkin in and English last year. first time Aug. 29 1999, when she riving in Hiroshima every year. It was her first visit to Kazakhstan. tournaments and he and Golubev third. “Zaman-ai” was translated into arrived with 11 other delegates from In 2009, Roza Rymbayeva, fa- “I fell in love with this country and Japanese and English in 2003 at the Hiroshima in Semipalatinsk. On that mous Kazakh national singer and its hospitality! People of Kazakhstan initiative of leaders of the Hiroshima day, thousands of local people and the original performer of “Zaman- are very kind and friendly; the food Semipalatinsk Project (HiroSemi), hundreds of nuclear victims launched ai,” performed the song in Semei, here is very delicious,” she added. a Japanese civil group that provides 300 floating water lanterns on Yertis which was broadcast to the world. During Ryoko’s second visit to Kazakhstan’s medical aid to radiation victims in River to commemorate those who “Everyone who heard her singing Kazakhstan Aug. 26, 2019, she reu- the Semipalatinsk region and ac- lost their lives. During Ωthe lantern voice requested her CD and Japa- nited with Rymbayeva in Almaty. cepts Kazakh students to study in floating ceremony, “Zaman-ai” was nese translation,” said Kobatake. According to Ryoko, she had been Japanese high schools. The first CD The demand prompted HiroSemi passport ranks 67th played many times. dreaming of the day she would meet was released in 2010. Kobatake was moved by the to release a CD track of “Zaman-ai” Rymbayeva again. “Zaman-ai” is an anthem of the sound of the Kazakh melody of “Za- based on Sultanova’s and Koba- Ryoko also performed “Zaman- Nevada Semipalatinsk internation- man-ai.” The song helped change take’s translated versions. The CD ai” Aug. 28, 2019, at the 14th En- for visa-free travel al anti-nuclear movement, which people’s minds across borders and cover was made by painter Hiroki vironment, Radiation and Health vides access. Kazakhstan has called for the closure of the Semi- Kawasaki. By releasing the Kazakh Conference in Semei National Uni- time, she added. This brought her to By Galiya Khassenkhanova 76 points, meaning its residents palatinsk nuclear test site in Ka- the idea of translating the song and anti-nuclear song in Japanese, Hi- versity of Medicine. The next day, can freely visit 76 countries, and zakhstan. It was the site of the four roSemi desired to link the power of she participated in a local commem- introducing it in Japan. NUR-SULTAN – Henley & shares its ranking, the same as last decades of weapons testing by the the civil movement that forced the orative peace ceremony to mark the In the following year, in 2000, Partners, a global citizenship year, with Namibia. In 2019, Ka- former . two Kazakh students studying in closure of the test site in Kazakhstan 70th anniversary of the first nuclear and residence advisory firm, zakhstan gained visa-free access t “I can’t forget the shock of hear- Japan through the HiroSemi pro- to the elimination of nuclear weap- test and the 30th anniversary of the has ranked Kazakhstan 67th on o Saudi Arabia and Senegal, while ing this song for the first time. In the gramme, Akerke Sultanova and ons in the world, said Kobatake. last day of testing in Semipalatinsk. its 2020 Henley Passport Index. losing access to Benin and Dji- The report, released Jan. 7, rates bouti. 199 countries on their passports Kazakhstan ranked its highest, according to the number of desti- 64th, in 2014; its lowest, 76th, in 2015. nations holders can access with- Japan occupies the top spot for out a prior visa, reported inform. third consecutive year, as its pass- Burabay, Zerenda among popular weekend kz. ports offer residents access to 191 The rating is based on a point countries. system, giving one point for each destinations, says tour organiser country to which a passport pro- Continued on Page B6 regular customers who travel with travel destinations. Many tourists tains, while Yereimentau’s pink lake By Nurdana Adylkhanova us not only in one direction, but in §from Karagandy Region, Pavlodar is a popular summer destination. different directions,” she added. Region and Russia visit Bayanaul, Last year, the team arranged the first NUR-SULTAN – Burabay Na- The country’s tourism is unique she noted. overseas trip to Uzbekistan, where it tional Park and Zerenda recreation due to its diverse landscapes and This year, the company plans to plans to return in March for Nauryz THINGS TO WATCH & area are among the most popular and nature. organise tours to so-called ethno vil- (the Persian/Turkic celebration of accessible destinations for weekend “Here (in the north), it is moun- lages, where tourists can experience the New Year on the solar astronom- PLACES TO GO tours from the capital, said Kompas tains and lakes; in the south, it is Kazakh nomadic culture by rid- ical calendar). In February, the team Asia co-founder Assiya Seitaliyeva. canyons, mountains. In the west, it ing horses, tasting national cuisine, will accompany tourists to Karakol BARYS ARENA The two locations offer a variety is a semi-desert terrain and dunes,” visiting yurts, listening to national ski resort in Kyrgyzstan. Jan. 16 at 7.30 p.m. HC Barys – HC Metallurg of activities for visitors including said Seitaliyeva. music and wearing traditional cos- The company is led by Seitali- hiking, skiing and skating on the Tourists can experience vari- tumes. Kazakhstan has three ethno yeva, her sister Dana and Zholaman Magnitogorsk, KHL frozen lakes. Tourists can visit Santa ous activities such as hiking in the villages, and Huns ethno village is Anopyanov. The siblings first came Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. HC Nomad – HC Toros Claus’ residence in Burabay, which mountains, rafting and climbing. open year-round. up with the idea of making travel Neftekamsk, VHL also features numerous entertain- Bayanaul National Park, Charyn Kompas Asia organises trips to easier for capital residents and visi- ment opportunities for both adults Canyon, Lake Kaindy and Lake Bayanaul National Park, Balkhash tors years ago, then realised the con- Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. HC Nomad – HC Neftyanik and children. Kolsay are among her favourite Lake and Almaty’s falconry moun- cept last May. Almetyevsk, VHL Families, students and schoolchil- dren are among those who use the Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. HC Nomad – HC Izhstal Izhevsk, company’s services. The tours have VHL also become popular among foreign guests, the majority coming from Russia or Europe. Many internation- ASTANA OPERA al tourists learn about Kompas Asia Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. An Evening by the Fireplace, from friends or colleagues living in concert the capital. “Recently, there were guests from Jan. 19 at 12 p.m. Children Invite to the Opera Dubai. They do not have snow, so House, concert they were glad to see the snow here. It was a bit cold, but they really liked Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. Offering to Ludwig Van the nature,” she said in an exclusive Beethoven, concert interview with The Astana Times. Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. Abai, operatic farsa Kazakh tourism has gained popu- larity and the number of tourists has Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. La scala di seta, opera increased in the last year, she noted. The company organises approximate- ly five or six trips per month. More ASTANA BALLET than 200 people use its services in Jan. 25, 26 at 6 p.m. The Nutcracker, ballet winter and twice as many in summer.

“There is also a growing flow of @kompas.asia Instagram page. Photo credit: B2 NATION&CAPITAL PEOPLE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

because it is not too expensive for the Korean market and the quality is great,” said Taldybayev. Young entrepreneurs foster cooperation between KMK also collaborates with South Korean government agen- cies, which provide support for its activities. Last year, the company Kazakh, South Korean medical centres received $100,000 for development More than 40,000 patients from countries and, of course, medicine from the Ministry of Small and Me- By Nurdana Adylkhanova Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia is very developed there,” he added. dium Business and Startups. and Uzbekistan go to South Korea The company leaders collabo- “The ministry reviewed our pro- NUR-SULTAN – Young Kazakh each year for treatment, he noted. rate directly with South Korea ject and understood that our com- businesspeople have launched a Approximately 15,000 Kazakhs hospitals. Hanyang University pany promotes tourism in South medical tourism company in South travel to the country annually to Seoul Hospital, Naeun Hospital Korea in Central Asia and there- Korea which provides free consul- obtain medical services. and Nazareth Hospital, its strate- fore, our company remains one of tation services for patients from “Approximately 25,000 Kazakh gic partners, have provided finan- the most promising,” he said. the Commonwealth of Independ- people come to South Korea an- cial investment and offer free pro- The firm also collaborates with ent States (CIS) and strengthens nually as tourists. Of these, more grammes for Kazakh doctors. the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign cooperation between Kazakh and than 50 percent receive either a Last year, Naeun Hospital pro- Affairs and the Kazakh Embassy South Korean medical centres. medical check-up or other medical vided a one-month internship in South Korea. Recently, it began “Two years ago, we became the services. Korea is now a country of grant for a Kazakh neurosurgeon. working with the South Korean first foreign startup in Hanyang advanced medicine,” he added. KMK interviewed candidates and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its University… There is no such tan- Five-six patients per month used selected the best individual, whose Immigration Service. dem anywhere else. We work with the company services in 2018; last training programme, accommoda- In partnership with The Korea different clinics in different direc- year, the number increased to 15- tions and meals were fully covered Foundation, a non-commercial tions,” said KazMediKor (KMK) kazmedikor.com. Photo credit: 20 individuals. by the hospital. organisation that promotes inter- CEO Zhanadil Taldybayev in an L-R: Kakim Danabayev, Kim Seula and Zhanadil Taldybayev. “Our goal is to provide our ser- The business is also aiming to national cooperation between the exclusive interview for this story. vices to all patients who want to provide South Korean medical country and other nations, KMK KMK is led by Taldybayev, CIO ing services, translation services, ant available 24 hours a day and come to Korea,” said Taldybayev. facilities to Kazakhstan. Working has proposed forming a special free Kakim Danabayev and CAO Kim airport shuttles to the hospital or includes a news blog about South KMK is also seeking to provide with local entrepreneur Kairat Ku- treatment programme for Kazakh Seula. The start-up was among hotel and a modem router with Korean medicine where people training for Kazakh doctors in daibergen, KMK plans to open a children who suffer from serious the 30 best two years ago of those complimentary unlimited Internet. find information about new treat- South Korea. branch of Oracle Clinic in Almaty illnesses and cannot afford treat- accepted annually by Hanyang All services are free for patients ment methods and other useful “Previously, you always had to in late February or early March. ment or medical check-ups. University’s Startup Lounge, from CIS countries. health and medicine information. do an internship in America to be- Oracle Medical Group, which has “Many children don’t even know which recognised the project as “Many people think that we Each South Korean clinic has its come a doctor in Korea. Now this a network of 48 domestic and 22 their diagnosis and can’t afford the most successful startup team have a fee for our services and they own Russian-speaking guide who is no longer necessary, because overseas clinics, also produces the medical check-up abroad. We in 2019. One of the unique aspects go to other intermediary agencies can answer inquiries and facilitate Korea is a leading country in the cosmetics and medical equipment. want to give them the opportunity is it is both a Kazakh and South where they overpay. Our services communication between doctors field of medicine. In Kazakhstan, The company is seeking to open at least to pass a medical check-up Korean company and has offices are free, useful and convenient,” and patients. we do not have this practice, but three additional clinics in Kazakh- for free,” said Taldybayev. in Almaty and Seoul with Kazakh he added. “Each major hospital has a Rus- I think it will be implemented stan in the next three years. It is With support from his strategic and Korean staff members. The enterprise is currently work- sian-speaking specialist. This is soon,” said Taldybayev. currently working on registering partners and team members, the The company’s main goal is to ing on a web platform, which can now a must because of the large Privatising Kazakh clinics will Oracle medical equipment to dis- project has become a reality. The offer the opportunity for Russian- be used both by patients and clin- number of Russian-speaking pa- result in the need to send doctors tribute in the country. team will continue working on speaking patients to contact South ics. Patients can contact clinics di- tients,” said Taldybayev. “This ap- abroad for the centres to stay com- “In Korea, their products are various joint projects to provide Korean clinics directly, thus reduc- rectly and doctors are able to im- plies not only to simple hospitals, petitive in the market and have considered one of the top. The the opportunity for patients from ing the cost of treatment. It pro- mediately answer their questions but also to plastic surgery clinics. highly qualified personnel. network of clinics is considered the CIS to obtain affordable and vides advisory services for patients by e-mail and monitor the entire Even in a small plastic surgery “We think that they (doctors) the largest in Korea. Their equip- high-quality medical services and to assist them in finding suitable process through the platform. The clinic there is a Russian-speaking will go to Korea. It is the most af- ment was recognised as one of the contribute to improving healthcare clinics for treatment, hotel book- website provides an online consult- coordinator.” fordable, the closest of all possible most successful in South Korea, in Kazakhstan. Economics researcher Aleph Jewish Ethno Cultural Centre among 100 New Faces organises Hanukkah celebration By Nurdana Adylkhanova years by the sun and months by the and congratulated the Jewish com- ty chair, he teaches free Hebrew By Galiya Khassenkhanova moon. munity. classes on Sundays, professes Ju- NUR-SULTAN – Renat Gabdul- Gorbunov recounted the Hanuk- “May this celebration of light daism and teaches the Torah. lin, associate professor of econom- NUR-SULTAN – The Aleph kah story. More than 2,180 years and renovation bring everyone The majority of Kazakh Jews ics and one of Kazakhstan’s 100 Jewish Ethno Cultural Centre ago, Judea became part of the Se- something new, renew something came to the country during Soviet New Faces, recently discussed the organised a celebration of Ha- leucid Empire of Syria. Its ruler good in us. It is good that we have Union days, to “Raise Tselina,” to country’s positive economic trends nukkah, the eight-day festival of Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded the (Friendship) House. Finally, develop a new region. Others ar- and called on youngsters to work renovation and light, Dec. 29 in Judea, outlawed Judaism and de- we have a house where we can rived during World War II. hard to succeed in today’s highly Friendship House. The centre was stroyed the Second Temple (a celebrate. So much space, a good, “Many are grateful to the Ka- competitive world. kind enough to invite a reporter holy temple for Jews, located on warm house, it is very important,” zakh people for their help during The national project is aimed Renat Gabdullin from The Astana Times to talk a mountain). Antiochus ordered said Chair Oksana Richter. resettlement. People lived poorly, at highlighting the inspirational about the holiday and community. erecting a statue of Zeus on the The table was full of treats made but still shared a piece of bread. stories of a variety of successful The main event was lighting the site and sacrificing a pig (an un- by community members. Sufgani- One of the Greek centre represent- professionals. Gabdullin is a state Gabdullin was awarded the title candles representing each day of clean, non-Kosher animal). This yot, similar to a jelly donut, and atives said that this is why Kazakh scholarship laureate for talented Best University Teacher. Hanukkah. provoked a rebellion, which drove latkes, potato pancakes fried in bread is holy for us,” he noted. young Kazakh scientists and a “Today, we need to look for new “This is the light from heaven Antiochus and his army from oil to commemorate the oil that The community centre, estab- member of the International Infor- innovative teaching methods; we that comes into our lives. In every Judea. burned for eight days, are the tra- lished in 1993 by a group of teach- matisation Academy and the Eura- need to help students develop their generation, every person receives In celebration, one of the rebel- ditional foods of the holiday. ers and other culture workers, was sian Economic Club of Scientists. skills and knowledge using new this light. The light of love, joy, lion’s leaders ordered cleansing Attendees were entertained by one of the first to become part of “Participation in 100 New Faces methods of education,” he noted. happiness, kindness, mercy – all the Second Temple, building a songs in Hebrew and a musical duo the Assembly of the People of Ka- is a new opportunity for me; it is In addition, Gabdullin headed a that our fathers taught us. Let it new altar and lighting a menorah of violin and accordion. The two zakhstan. Aleph was chosen as the an incentive to improve. It moti- grant project on the topic Model of spread it among us, our friends, (or Hanukkah), a candlestick with often perform their varying reper- name, as it is the first letter of the vates me to set higher goals and Managing the Entrepreneurial Re- guests and our country,” said centre eight candles. To do so, they need- toire at Jewish and the Assembly of Hebrew alphabet. improve those indicators that I source of the National Economy of Deputy Chair Nikolai Gorbunov. ed to add clean oil with balms and the People of Kazakhstan events. The centre works on voluntary have already achieved,” he told Kazakhstan. As those assembled chanted dried herbs, which required seven “Last year, we celebrated Ha- basis, operating on donations and The Astana Times. “Not only Kazakh entrepre- “a great miracle happened here,” days to dissolve, yet everything nukkah here (in Friendship membership fees. It is open to all. Gabdullin graduated in 2004 neurs want to open businesses in Gorbunov illuminated the candles has been destroyed. House). We took Kazakh, Tatar “We try to make the people that from Almaty University of Eco- Kazakhstan, but also people from one by one, for each day of the One of the warriors found a and Kurdish music and everybody, come here interested and comfort- nomics World Economics faculty, Russia and other neighbouring holiday. Hanukkah 2019 was cel- small, hidden jug with prepared including other ethno-cultural cen- able. We try to create a home-like majoring in international monetary countries,” he added. ebrated from sundown, Dec. 22 and sealed oil, but it contained tres, danced. What is good about atmosphere,” said Gorbunov. and financial relations. In 2007, he Gabdullin noted the government to sundown, Dec. 30 and Dec. 29 only enough for one day. The oil the Assembly of the People of Ka- “We celebrate all Jewish holi- graduated from full-time postgrad- has done quite a bit of work both at marked the beginning of the last continued to burn for eight days zakhstan is it united us so much we days; we try to show a little of our uate study under state order from the macro and micro levels to cre- and most important day. The ac- until the next solution was ready stick up for each other. All the ste- culture. Any person, not only Jew- the Institute of Economics of the ate favourable conditions for busi- tual dates differ each year, as the and the miracle became the cel- reotypes about other people are to- ish, can visit our cultural centre,” Ministry of Education and Science. ness development. Festival of Lights aligns with the ebration of renovation and light. tally eliminated,” said Gorbunov. said participant Maksim Nikolai- He specialises in economic man- “Now, it is possible to register as Jewish calendar, which denotes Members of other centres visited In addition to serving as depu- chuk. agement and theory and his par- an individual entrepreneur within ticular interests are the problems three hours; all documents can be of scientific and technological submitted online. The tax burden development, innovation, invest- was reduced as much as possible ment, globalisation and the com- for entrepreneurs,” he said. petitiveness of national economies. Gabdullin is constantly improv- Gabdullin was awarded the title of ing his professional and personal Laureate of the Prize in Science competencies. He has been involved and Technology of the Foundation in a number of scientific internships of the First President of the Re- and seminars conducted by leading public of Kazakhstan – the Leader educational and scientific organisa- of the Nation for the monograph tions including Al-Farabi Kazakh “National Economy: Management National University Institute for of Investment and Innovative De- Continuing Education and Further velopment.” Education, Golda Meir Mount Car- He feels confident in the contin- mel International Training Centre ued growth of the nation’s econ- (MCTC), Interregional Academy of omy and progress of the national Experimental Educational and In- education system. novative Technologies (Moscow) “Kazakhstan’s model of edu- and . cation continuously develops; it He is the author of two indi- takes all the best components of vidual and seven collective mono- the Western educational process graphs and has published more and tries to implement them here,” than 70 scientific papers in -lead he said. “Given today’s trends, we ing and highly rated journals. He can be optimistic that Kazakh- combines scientific and pedagogi- stan’s economy will advance in the cal work, supervising undergradu- coming year.” ates and PhD doctoral students and In 2016, by the decision of the passing his experience to young National Selection Committee, Kazakh scholars. B3 NATION&CAPITAL CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Yevgeny Vakhtangov Theatre Alan Buribayev presents performs at Astana Opera Letters from Italy House Theatre Festival prize and special prize at the Spoleto Festi- val. “Uncle Vanya” is produced and directed by Tuminas, with music by Latenas, scenography and cos- tumes by Yatsovkis and lighting designed by Shavdatuashvili. The main roles were performed by Anna Dubrovskaya, Yuri Kraskov, Evgenia Kregzhde, Ly- ubov Korneva, Makovetsky, Mak- sakova, Vitalis Semenovs, Shlyk- ov and Vladimir Vdovichenkov. “Uncle Vanya” premiered Sept. 2, 2009 on the eve of 150th anni- versary of Chekhov’s birth. The

masterpiece is a laureate of the Astana Opera House. service of The press Photo credit: Golden Mask Russian National Theatre Award, International French version of Giuseppe Ver- Theatre Award named after Stan- By Zhanna Shayakhmetova di’s opera “Don Carlos,” which islavsky, Nail of the Season STD is one of his rarely performed RF award, Crystal thea- NUR-SULTAN – Astana Opera ballet scores. The Milanese ver- tre and other prizes. principal conductor Alan Burib- sion of 1884, written in Italian The two plays were well re- ayev presented Letters from Italy and no longer featuring ballet, has ceived by the public in Azerbai- opera and symphony concert Jan. 6 been staged at the Astana Opera. in the capital. The concert is based The ballet music was written spe- Photo credit: The press service of Astana Opera House. service of The press Photo credit: jan, the Baltic countries, Belarus, Canada, China, the Czech Repub- on the stories of famous compos- cifically for the opera’s Paris pre- “What could be better than and lighting designer Maya Shav- lic, France, Georgia, Great Britain, ers through their correspondence miere. By Nurdana Adylkhanova Pushkin, Lermontov, Chekhov, datuashvili. Greece, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, while staying in the European “Today, ‘Don Carlos’ is staged Gogol? With age, you get tired of The main roles were played Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and country, reported the theatre’s everywhere in different versions, NUR-SULTAN – The Yevgeny telling the stories of plays in three by theatre and cinema artists in- the United States. press service. but absolutely everywhere in the Vakhtangov State Academic Thea- acts – you want to return to lit- cluding Leonid Bichevin, Arthur The Vakhtangov Theatre per- The programme featured opera world it runs without ballet. I tre performed for the first time on erature, find a theatre in literature. Ivanov, Irina Kupchenko, Olga formances were held as part of and symphonic works created by wanted to perform ballet music the Astana Opera Grand Hall stage You want to create the play with Lerman, Oleg Makarov, Sergey the Bolshie Gastroli project es- Russian and European composers from the 1867 version, not only in 2020, reported Astana Opera artists based on our experience, Makovetsky, Lyudmila Maksa- tablished by the Russian Minis- performed by Astana Opera solo- to present the rare Verdi, but also press centre. The theatre presented knowledge and culture. Touching kova, Nikolai Romanovsky, Yuri try of Culture Federal Centre for ists including Saltanat Akhmetova, because the ballet music itself has scenes from Alexander Pushkin’s the classics today gives us such Shlykov, Natalya Vinokurova and Support of Touring Activities. Medet Chotabayev and Alfiya Ka- its own interesting story, which is “Eugene Onegin” Jan. 8-9 and An- unexpected revelations in the un- Maria Volkova. The theatre has been a regular rimova and the symphony orches- associated with a unique and fa- ton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” Jan. derstanding of our time that there The “Eugene Onegin” premiere participant since 2014, present- tra. mous jewellery piece, the legend- 10-11. is simply nothing to replace it was staged Feb. 13, 2013. The ing performances in Abakan, Buribayev devised the idea ary pearl called La Peregrina (Pil- The world tour, which started with,” he said. performance is the laureate of the Astrakhan, Baku, Essentuki, while studying biographical and grim),” he said. in the fall in Paris, is dedicated “Eugene Onegin,” with music Golden Mask Russian National Khabarovsk, Kislovodsk, Kom- historical materials to prepare for The programme also included to the theatre’s 100th anniversary. by Faustas Latenas, is choreo- Theatre Award, Crystal Turandot somolsk-on-Amur, Omsk, Petro- his concerts. Leila’s aria from Georges Bizet’s The first programme included the graphed by Angelica Choline with theatre award, MK theatre award zavodsk, Saratov, Tara, Tbilisi, “The art of writing letters, and I opera “The Pearl Fishers.” Russian dramas staged by artistic scenographer Adomas Yatsovkis, and Nail of the Season STD RF Ufa, Ulan-Ude, Vladikavkaz and focus here on the word ‘art,’ is ex- Buribayev served from 2002- director Rimas Tuminas. costume designer Maria Danilova award and winner of the Baltic Vladivostok. actly what people really appreciat- 2007 as music director of Ger- ed and treated as an unusually pre- many’s Meiningen Theatre, then cious skill. In the era before emails from 2006-2011 as chief conduc- and text messages, each letter was tor of the Norrköping Symphony like a small work of art with its Orchestra in Sweden and Brabant own canons… At that time, people Orchestra in the Netherlands. Nur-Sultan hosts Museums of Kazakhstan: were very respectful of such a sim- In 2011, he worked with Rus- ple thing – writing letters,” he said sia’s Bolshoi Theatre on the ope- prior to the concert. ras “The Love for Three Oranges” Italy is a country of art and many by Sergei Prokofiev, “Eugene Global Competitiveness international forum great artists, composers and writ- Onegin” by Tchaikovsky and regional museums. Mukhamedi- cal expeditions. Close cooperation scientific centres of Kazakhstan, ers travelled there for inspiration. “The Magic Flute” by Mozart. By Yelena Levkovich uly noted the museum has achieved has been established with research employing the best scientists of the “For example, we can read in In 2013, he conducted ten per- quite a bit in its first five years. centres in Russia, Germany, Ko- country,” he said. Bizet’s letters that in a short time formances of “Eugene Onegin” NUR-SULTAN – The interna- “We’ve managed to make the rea, Japan and China,” he said. An exhibition titled Treasures he learned a lot here. Or Tchaiko- with the Bolshoi Theatre on tour tional forum, Museums of Ka- museum a sacred place of cul- Professor Myrzatai Zholdasbek- of the Kazakh Altai opened as part vsky was inspired by the Roman at Tel Aviv Opera and the fol- zakhstan: Global Competitiveness, ture, art and science. Approxi- ov recalled the challenges in estab- of the forum. The display features Pinacoteca and the Sistine Chapel lowing year participated in a tour was hosted recently by the Kazakh mately 300 exhibitions were or- lishing the museum due to the lack unique gold products of the early and under the influence of these with its orchestra to Austria, Ger- National Museum and dedicated to ganised throughout the country of specialists. Saka culture from the Eleke Sazy impressions of Italian works, he many and Switzerland. In 2012, its fifth anniversary. and internationally. Under the “I was the board chair, responsi- barrows, found in the Tarbaga- wrote symphonic and opera mas- he staged “Abai” opera by Latif The major theme was demon- Rukhani Zhangyru (Modernisa- ble for the first museum’s concep- tai Region (the East Kazakhstan terpieces that have become part of Khamidi and Akhmet Zhubanov strating best practices in develop- tion of Kazakhstan’s Identity) tion. It was hard to fulfil having region) in 2018-2019 by a Sama- the golden fund of Russian clas- for the first time in Europe at Ger- ing digital museums and exhibition programme, the Kieli Kazakhstan very few resources, but we did it shev-led archaeological expedi- sics,” he added. many’s Southern Thuringia State spaces. The discussion also focused research centre was created here. being backed by many honoured tion. A second exhibit presented Buribayev also wanted to pre- Theatre. He was the chief guest on enhancing contemporary mu- In addition, Kazakh National Mu- people and qualified specialists. scientific reconstruction of the sev- sent something warm and joyful to conductor of the Japan Century seum management, addressing the seum is a scientific centre whose I am pleased to note the National enth Altyn Adam (Golden Man), the audience in January, as Italy is Symphony Orchestra in 2014 and problems of preserving museum ar- employees regularly take part in Museum has become one of the an ancient Saka warrior from the known as a sunny country. named principal conductor of tefacts and maintaining national and global and national archaeologi- most outstanding historical and Eleke Sazy mound. He performed the original 1867 Astana Opera in March 2015. ‘Cinderella’ premieres at Astana Ballet was how impressive and abundant amazing music by Sergei Prokof- The ballet has two sets of solo- “Starting with the first rehearsal, once was a girl who wrote in her By Galiya Khassenkhanova were the decorations and special iev. The ballet here is in two acts ists – the sisters and the stepmoth- my task was to help, to overlook diary. The diary grew to become visual effects used in the produc- instead of Prokofiev’s three. It er, and Cinderella and the prince. if someone missed something or a giant book full of fantasies,” NUR-SULTAN – Astana Ballet tion. All of them made me feel was hard to throw out some pieces “The work was hard; the cho- did not do something. We will try he added. premiered “Cinderella” Dec. 20- like I’m watching a Disney movie of genius music. The ballet takes reography was hard. One of the to show all the magic to the audi- The performance uses soft and 22, a two-act ballet based on the come to life! I can’t describe it in one and a half hours; the first act complications is that Cinderella al- ence. The artists started at 10 a.m. hard decorations, details and music of Russian composer Sergei words; you have to experience all is 35 minutes and the second is 55 most never leaves the stage. Even and the work could go until three small props, noted decoration de- Prokofiev. this by yourself!” she continued. minutes. Our aim was to create during the breaks, the dancers, or five in the morning,” added partment head Zhandos Omarov. “Cinderella” is the second fairy “Cinderella,” staged in the coun- the fairy tale of a kind, poor girl not only Cinderella, do not relax; Prince dancer Kazbek Akhmedi- “Cinderella” is the largest and the tale in the theatre’s repertoire, try as a ballet for the first time, is who madly wanted to go to the they change. Some even change yarov, who is also assisting in the most complex performance in the following “The Nutcracker,” and the work of Russian choreographer ball. It was all possible because of on stage. In addition, we do jumps staging process. theatre’s repertoire, requiring max- tickets sold out a month before Nadezhda Kalinina. our cooperation with and fantasy and rotations and we have to show The orchestra is under the direc- imum technical capabilities. the programme. The ballet per- “We are creating this show from of Sergei Novikov, the production this emotionally, to show the story, tion of Arman Urazgaliyev. “I hope that the fairy tale will formed the work again Jan. 7-8, scratch. Choreography, sets, cos- designer. The scale of decorations to interest the viewer, make him or “A live orchestra in perfor- leave the biggest impression on then tour to Almaty for Feb. 21- tumes, video projection –every- is huge; a huge number of people her immerse into the fairy tale,” mances gives a different feeling, the audience and create the New 23 performances. Tickets may be thing is created, made and sewn change the decorations during the said one of the Cinderella balleri- impression. The musicians’ en- Year atmosphere. It was a big pro- purchased on the theatre’s website, specifically for Astana Ballet. Peo- show,” she added. nas Diana Ten. ergy is transmitted to the stage. ject; we have been working on it https://astanaballet.com. ple want fairy tales and our main The dancers charge on this energy for more than six months,” said “Starting from the theatre foyer, task is to create a spectacular fam- and thus perform differently, more Alexander Sov- all the decorations made the at- ily performance with a modern meaningfully. Performing Prokof- ostianov. mosphere magical; you could feel dance style in which there will iev’s music is incredibly hard be- Kalinina is impressed with the it from the first sight. The ballet be many bright characters and, of cause of his style and sheet music. changes to the theatre. itself was very impressive; all the course, the humour. The genre of Usually, Prokofiev’s pieces are the “The theatre is remarkable. I characters were represented clear- comedy in ballet is rare, because most difficult in any theatre reper- was here in the beginning and the ly and their costumes were amaz- being hooligans on stage and mak- toire. The musicians were able to metamorphosis that has happened ing!” said audience member Leila ing people laugh is much more work through it, though, but not since 2012 – I am exhilarated. Mukhtar. complicated and requires a certain without problems,” he said. When I was here, there were only “I particularly loved the charac- liberation,” she said. As set and costume designer, female dancers and the fact that ter of Cinderella’s stepmother, the Although she has previously Novikov created the giant books it acquired male dancers gave big artist and, most probably, the direc- worked with the ballet, the pres- in the background, the garden and opportunities for productions. The tor of the production demonstrated entation is her first large-scale pro- costumes for the soloists, guests building, the technical capabilities her cunning and flirtatious nature duction. She staged miniatures and at the ball, butterflies and ravens grew tenfold; I can only imagine so beautifully and hilariously! assisted with “Astana,” the first and all the other touches. The book what will happen in the future. Together with the fun part, there national musical. showing that it is all a fairy tale With the pace that it is developing, was also drama, beautiful danc- “I felt the responsibility when I is also reflected in the smaller de- I think in five years or so Astana ing and amazing Cinderella with was invited to stage ‘Cinderella,’ service. Astana Ballet press Photo credit: tails, props and costumes. Ballet will become a leading thea- the Prince! What I liked the most with the most complicated and Nazerke Aimukhametova and Sundet Sultanov as Cinderella and the Prince. “The idea is simple. There tre,” she said. B4 NATION&CAPITAL COUNTRY

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Kazakhstan exempts Almaty institute develops plan to micro and small modernise thermal electric station Staff Report treatment facilities and construct- sion that suits all parties. We will new thermal power station or just ing a new station. The main goal focus on the environment,” said change the design. Some inves- NUR-SULTAN – Experts from is to reduce the pollutant concen- Almaty Akim (Mayor) Bakytzhan tors suggested installing filters businesses from taxes the Almaty-based KazNIPIEner- tration in flue gases to European Sagintayev during the meeting and other solutions. We are open goprom Institute are develop- Union (EU) standards. with Samruk Energy management to any suggestions and propos- ing a feasibility study to gasify Environment issues are among and public figures. als. We are ready to work together the Almaty energy complex and the most pressing for Almaty resi- City Public Council members with the Samruk Energy company for three years modernise Thermal Electric Sta- dents. As fossil fuel plants cause Beknur Kisikov and Sergey Pon- to develop some specific propos- use special tax regimes such as tion number 2 with minimised one-quarter of emissions, one so- amarev and other public figures als,” he said at a Nov. 29 press By Galiya Khassenkhanova simplified declaration. environmental effect, reported the lution to reduce pollutants is to suggested the proposed version of conference. The new law defines micro city akimat (administration) press transfer from coal to gas. the project be reviewed by an in- The city administration also NUR-SULTAN – President business as individual entre- service. “It is important for us today to dependent auditor. plans to plant one million trees Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed preneurs with no more than 15 Preliminary project results will decide on modernisation issues; Earlier, Sagintayev noted ther- within three years as part of the a law exempting micro and small employees and with annual in- be available in March. Several then, we will discuss these issues mal power plants cause 27 percent landscaping programme and ex- businesses from taxes for three comes up to 30,000 Monthly options are under consideration in cooperation with experts and the of emissions; cars, 60-64 percent. pects to create more parks and years Dec. 28. Calculation Indices (MCIs), including transit to gas, using gas public to come to a balanced deci- “It is too expensive to build a squares. The law, “On introducing which amounts to 79.5 million amendments and additions to tenge (US$210,000). Small busi- some legislative acts of the Repub- nesses are defined as individual lic of Kazakhstan on improving entrepreneurs and legal entities the procedures for rehabilitation with up to 100 employees and and bankruptcy, budget, tax leg- an annual income up to 300,000 Corruption call centre islation and legislation on railway MCIs, which is 795 million tenge transport,” frees certain taxpayers (US$2.1 million). of their tax burdens starting Jan. 1 Not all businesses can take ad- until Jan. 1, 2023. vantage of the change, as certain runs round the clock According to the Kazakh Min- fields are excluded. They include literacy and the effectiveness of One result is a director of the a 40,000 tenge (US$100) bribe istry of National Economy, the production and wholesale of ex- Staff Report preventive measures in combating Almaty secondary school No. 98, from a citizen for not bringing exemption targets micro and cisable products, auditing, pro- corruption, as well as providing a who in September was fined 1.3 the man to administrative respon- fessional work in the stocks and small businesses. More than 1.2 NUR-SULTAN – The call cen- timely response. million tenge (US$3,300) and de- sibility. The officer received a 1.2 million micro and small busi- bonds market, credit bureaus, se- tre launched by the Kazakh Anti- “Today, the call centre oper- prived of the right to hold civil ser- million tenge (US$3,100) fine ness entities will be eligible for curity, foreign economic activity, Corruption Agency, where citizens ates around the clock, including at vice positions for life for receiving and was deprived of the right to income tax exemption, allowing banking or certain types of bank- are asked to dial #1424 to report all night and on weekends. The cen- a 50,000 tenge (US$130) bribe for occupy civil service positions and the businesses to save over 380 ing operations and activities in billion tenge (US$1 billion) in the insurance market (except for cases of corruption, is demonstrat- tre’s employees give citizens legal transferring a student. special ranks for life. three years and channel those insurance agents). Grain storage ing results. advice, as well as immediately On Nov. 2, Almaly District Investigations in criminal cases funds instead into business de- at grain receiving points; coal, oil “Call centre 1424 of the anti- transmit reports to the regions of Court No. 2 fined Almaty Depart- in Turkestan Region are ongo- velopment. and other mineral sales; subsoil corruption service calls on citizens crimes being prepared and com- ment of State Architecture and ing. A Zhetisai district secondary Income tax includes corporate use; retail gasoline; and diesel to take an active part in improving mitted,” it added. Construction Control Chief Spe- school director is suspected of re- income tax for legal entities, in- fuel and fuel oil sales are on the the anti-corruption policy, make The call centre is relevant, es- cialist B. Bolatayev nine million ceiving a 100,000 tenge (US$260) dividual income tax for individual list of excluded types of activities suggestions and recommendations pecially in criminal law environ- tenge (US$23,500) and deprived bribe from a citizen to be em- entrepreneurs, unified land tax for as well. It also includes activities and promptly report corruption ment. The bulk of citizens’ appeals him of the right to hold civil ser- ployed as an English teacher. A farms and social tax for entrepre- related to narcotic drugs and psy- cases. Number 1424 is available are social in nature, which helps vice positions for life for an at- Sairam District Akimat (govern- neurs operating on special tax re- chotropic substances turnover, lot- from both mobile and landline prevent domestic corruption. tempt to receive a 400,000 tenge ment administration) Department gimes. All other taxes and fees, teries, gambling, activities related phones and the call is free,” report- “In just the current year, 56 pre- (US$1,000) bribe. of Employment and Social Pro- such as pensions and medical in- to circulating radioactive material, ed the agency. trial investigations were launched Atyrau Court No. 2 convict- grammes chief specialist is also surance, remain. and activities related to circulating The agency is constantly im- on such appeals and 18 have al- ed Administrative Police De- under investigation for receiving a The tax exemption applies only military and civilian weapons and proving the call centre’s goal of ready been sent to court,” said the partment Senior Inspector D. bribe to transfer benefits to large to micro and small businesses that their ammunition. increasing the population’s legal agency. Kalbayev Dec. 19 for receiving families. B5 NATION&CAPITAL SOCIETY

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Kazakhstan to increase social sector support in 2020 rights and improve their quality of cases was opened, nearly 700 work By Assel Satubaldina life. permits were withdrawn and 500 “Different countries have dif- foreign workers were deported. NUR-SULTAN – The govern- ferent approaches. For example, Next year, the government ment hosted a press conference in Canada, if a company does not plans to reduce the quota for hir- Dec. 25 to share the country’s comply with the quota, it is not al- ing foreign workers from 49,000 plans for next year, including in- lowed (to receive) public procure- to 29,000, strengthen employ- creasing support for entrepreneurs ment. There is another experience, ers’ administrative responsibility and the social sector, reported the in Germany and Japan, when the and ensure regular inspections at prime minister’s press service. government says either fulfil the companies employing more than Deputy Prime Minister Berdibek quota, hire a person with a dis- 30 foreign workers. The measures Saparbayev, Minister of Health- ability or pay compensation,” he will add to the country’s gradual care Yelzhan Birtanov and Minis- added. effort to replace foreign workers ter of Labour and Social Protec- Rehabilitation centre construc- with local specialists. tion Birzhan Nurymbetov were in tion will begin in 2020 in Almaty, Birtanov also spoke about the attendance. Kokshetau and the capital. The recently adopted State Health- The government has attended government is considering devel- care Development Programme more than 500 meetings with citi- oping a chain of centres as part of for 2020-2025. The introduc- zens nationwide, including in re- a public private partnership (PPP) tion of a mandatory social insur- mote areas, at the instruction of with the national insurance fund. ance system as of Jan. 1, 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, An online social services portal, will increase spending for one Photo credit: Kazakh Prime Minister press service. Kazakh Prime Minister press Photo credit: said Saparbayev. Citizens made 70 where people with disabilities can person by 57.5 percent, from Kazakh Deputy Minister (C), Minister of Labour and Social Protection Birzhan Nurymbetov (R). suggestions and the ministers re- select their rehabilitation means 55,000 tenge (US$144.50) to sponded to 2,500 questions. and services, is currently operating 87,000 tenge (US$228.50). It He noted the country’s growing Kazakhstan also plans to index Enbek, in place since 2017, will 424,000 are of working age, and in pilot mode. Additional measures will also enhance the medical social sector expenditures. 2.2 million pensions by 7 percent undergo several changes in 2020. of the 224,000 who can work, include the approved list of diseas- infrastructure and increase the “In general, it is increasing eve- and state allowances by 5 percent New programmes, such as First 106,000 work. We set ourselves es enabling a person to receive a level of medical equipment by ry year. For example, in 2018, it and increase allowances by at least Job and The Contract of Genera- the task to take measures to in- disability document for five years, 70 percent. was 43 percent [of the budget]; in 30 percent for the 132,000 citizens tions, will allow employers to sub- crease their economic activity. comprehensive assistance road- Employers contributed nearly 2019 – 45 percent and in 2020 – 50 receiving three types of allow- mit applications for short-term One of the problems is that people map for children with disabilities 275 billion tenge (US$722.5 mil- percent. This shows that the course ances from the National Insurance professional staff training. with disabilities are not hired. We and measures to strengthen moni- lion) to the system in the first 11 of policies is towards social sec- Fund. The government will ease loan have the legislation which says toring employers’ compliance with months of 2019. The ministry ex- tors that are improving the welfare The Enbek state programme requirements for large and low-in- that local executive bodies can set the quota to employ persons with pects annual contributions of at of our people,” he said. reached 623,000 citizens with come families in an effort to stim- a quota for enterprises (to hire peo- disabilities. least 500 billion-700 billion tenge Saparbayev also reaffirmed the measures to promote employment ulate their entrepreneurial activity. ple with disabilities), which is now The recent ministerial/Pros- (US$1.3 billion-$1.84 billion) nation’s plans for a 25-percent and entrepreneurship, includ- The interest rate will be reduced from 2 percent to 4 percent. The ecutor’s Office inspection of 95 once the system becomes effective pay raise for 500,000 teachers, ing 416,000 who gained jobs and from 6 percent to 4 percent and the quota has 14,500 units, but it is not companies employing more than Jan.1. 30-percent pay raise for 215,000 131,000 who received training. term increased to seven years from fulfilled,” he noted. 30 foreign workers each revealed The government is seeking to doctors and 20-percent pay raise The nation allocated 176 billion the current five years. The government will allocate in excess of 1,000 violations of develop a PPP mechanism and at- for 215,000 nurses. The 34,000 tenge (US$462.4 million) to pro- People with disabilities will re- 400 billion tenge (US$1.05 mil- the Labour and Migration Code, tract private investments to 127 citizens working in culture, arts vide 46,000 grants and microloans ceive additional support, said Nu- lion) to pay allowances and ensure including more than 500 cases projects worth 59 billion tenge and archives and 25,000 social and relocate 9,000 people from the rymbetov. technical rehabilitation services. of disproportional salaries. A (US$155 million) and seven large workers will see 30-percent salary overpopulated south of the country “There are currently 690,000 A recently adopted national plan 100-million tenge (US$262,728) projects worth 440 billion tenge increases. to the north. people with disabilities, of whom through 2025 will ensure their investigation of 400 administrative (US$1.1 billion). Amendments to Almaty special Country makes healthcare, status law give more autonomy payment and salary changes to local government to social sector for 2020 tary one. Those not covered by in- tional payment has been introduced By Nazira Kozhanova Staff Report surance will be able to visit a local for psycho-emotional and physical therapist, take a minimum of tests, stress on employees of organisa- NUR-SULTAN – Changes to NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s be examined and treat a number of tions providing special social ser- the Almaty special status law in ar- list of social changes for 2020 in- diseases deemed life-threatening. vices in hospitals, semi-hospitals, eas including architecture, city plan- clude implementing a mandatory All emergency medical care will home care and temporary stay fa- ning, land use, environmental regu- health insurance system, new so- remain free. cilities. lation, entrepreneurship, communal cial payments, salary increases, re- Families with four or more mi- A ban was established on issu- property management and transport strictions on loans for low income nor children or full-time students ing loans to citizens with incomes were made recently, Almaty Deputy citizens and decreased foreign under the age of 23 started receiv- below the subsistence level. Banks Akim (Mayor) Mukhit Azirbayev worker quota. ing social payments starting Jan. 1. will be prohibited from charging announced at a press conference. The compulsory social health in- The allowance will be assigned in commissions for late payments on “To ensure the development pro- surance system took effect Jan. 1. differentiated amounts regardless loans for more than three months, cesses of social, transport and other Employers will now deduct 1 per- of family income: four children – or 90 days. infrastructure in urban development cent of accrued income from each 42,496 tenge (US$111); five chil- Starting Jan. 1, the quota for at- of suburban areas, the city has ex- employee’s salary and transfer it to dren – 53,127 tenge (US$139); six tracting foreign labour has been re- panded the powers to coordinate and the Health Insurance Fund. At the children – 63,757 tenge (US$167) duced from approximately 49,000 implement urban planning of subur- Mukhit Azirbayev same time, employers will contin- and seven or more children – in 2019 to 29,000 in 2020. All en- ban areas. In order to preserve and ue to make 2-percent deductions 74,388 tenge (US$194). terprises with more than 250 on protect the green fund of the south- also be aimed at developing the emerge – both residents want more, ern capital, functions are provided city, creating a high-quality urban and urban communities want more, for hired personnel in 2020-2021. Salary increases cover teach- staff and which hire in excess of 30 for the development and approval of environment, improving living and the city administration wants The payments will entitle Kazakhs ers (25 percent), culture industry foreign workers will receive regu- their own rules for the maintenance conditions for citizens, developing to do more. Therefore, the new law to a medical services insurance workers (35-50 percent) and social lar inspections, with the Ministry and protection of green spaces, business,” said Azirbayev. helps to achieve the goals of building package that is more comprehen- services employees (30-60 per- of Labour and Social Protection which will include norms for com- “First of all, from my point of view, a quality city,” said Smailov. sive than the former complimen- cent). Beginning Jan. 1, an addi- monitoring possible violations. pensatory planting, rejuvenation, the law really does reflect the needs of Not all recommendations are re- sanitary pruning of green spaces, as the city, citizens, effective urban gov- flected in the amendments, but there well as the development of instruc- ernance,” said Yerlan Smailov, mem- is the possibility of further changes tions on technologies and green care ber of the Board of Trustees of the Ur- in the practice of applying the law. work plantings,” said Azirbayev, ac- ban Forum Kazakhstan and a member “The legislative process is a cording to tengrinews.kz. of the Public Council of Almaty. complex process. Not all proposals The law now allows the akimat are reflected in the law; there are (administration) to increase park- The success of the some restrictions on the part of na- ing fees in busy areas of the city. tional legislation and mechanisms Other changes will allow deputies changes will depend that complicate decision-making. of the maslikhat (local assembly) to You need to understand that in a approve the design code of Almaty, on their successful unitary state everything will not be the tariff policy for rail transport, application by the solved in one law. But at the same urban development plans for the time, there is an opportunity to ob- city and urban planning regulations akimat and the serve the practice after a while and without confirmation elsewhere. maintenance of an initiate subsequent changes,” said Environmental policy changes in- Smailov. clude allowing the local government equal dialogue with The success of the changes will set its own rules regarding maintain- depend on their successful applica- ing and planting greenery, reports the city community. tion by the akimat and the mainte- zakon.kz. Also, special conditions nance of an equal dialogue with the will be provided to stimulate the Smailov discussed his work on city community. development of the green economy. the working group on rules for green “The law in itself is an instru- Particularly, using water resources, spaces, which came up with rules ment, and a lot here depends not waste and air pollution payment will reflecting Almaty’s interests that only on the existence of the law, be implemented, as well as lower- turned out not to comply with na- but also on how efficiently the city ing the payments for companies that tional urban regulations established administration, the akimat of the implement new technologies that by the relevant ministry. The new city, and the city administration decrease waste and pollution. amendments to the law will help to will work… Efficiency in decision- Other changes to the law affect solve the problem of uniform rules making of everything related to the transport, employment policy and that are not suitable for all cities. city – transport, planning, culture, medical services. “My second thesis is that, of course, urbanism, the social sphere, social “Along with the core competen- it’s right that the law was amended, infrastructure, ecology – can be cies, the law also provides for de- as the law had a limited framework. achieved only in dialogue with city velopment opportunities in matters It was out-dated because the city is communities, activists, NGOs, ex- of transport, employment policy, developing very fast economically, perts. It is very important to study improving the quality of medical socially, culturally. Changes in ap- the opinions of citizens… The key services, which will accordingly proaches to environmental planning to success is an equal dialogue.” B6 NATION&CAPITAL TOURISM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Lonely Planet names Central Asia 2020’s best travel region of nearly 90 countries and has in- “Nur-Sultan is the symbolic By Aidana Yergaliyeva troduced affordable electronic vi- brainchild of President Naz- sas for others. arbayev and the face of post-Bo- NUR-SULTAN – Lonely Planet, The online service stresses the rat Kazakhstan. The constantly the Australian-based travel guide, beauty of Bukhara, Samarkand evolving city got a huge boost has chosen Central Asia as best and the Pamir Mountain ranges. from the 2017 World Expo and an travel region in 2020. The online “In addition to the Uzbek cities emerging restaurant scene makes service ranked the area at the top of the Silk Road, mass tourism has visiting the city a pleasure, not as it has become more open and not yet managed to penetrate into just a curiosity,” adds the descrip- accessible. Central Asia, which gives each tion. “A region once made rich by trip a genuine sense of discovery. Turkestan’s Khoja Akhmet Yas- trade and travellers, the Cen- Add to this the inner charm of a saui Mausoleum, “a beautiful tral Asian Silk Road is again at forgotten region, slowly turning building and a rare architectural the centre of global interest. The into a geopolitical reference point, gem,” is also included among the ancient cities, bustling bazaars and you will get one of the most top destinations. and wild landscapes of Central exciting hidden corners of Asia,” “It’s also one of the best places Asia are drawing increasing num- writes Lonely Planet. to get a sense of Central Asian bers of visitors looking for adven- The region has also greatly im- Sufism and meet local pilgrims as ture along one of history’s most proved transportation and infra- they pray, picnic and tie wishes to storied travel routes,” according to structure as part of China’s Belt trees surrounding the holy shrine. its website. and Road Initiative. For the most atmospheric ap- Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uz- The architecture of the Kazakh proach, get here on an overnight bekistan have granted travellers capital is fifth among the region’s train from Almaty or Tashkent,” from many countries either visa- top attractions. suggests Lonely Planet. free access or e-visas. To date, Ka- “Kazakhstan’s custom-built The additional top ten tour- zakhstan offers a visa-free regime capital rises from the steppe like ist regions are Le Marche (Italy, for 57 countries. Central Asia is a mirage to reveal some of Asia’s second place), Tōhoku (Japan, also considering creating a region- most audacious and cutting-edge third), Maine (the United States, al Silk Road visa. modern architecture,” the website fourth), Lord Howe Island (Aus- Uzbekistan has played a big role notes. tralia, fifth), Guizhou (China, in the increased tourist attraction. It suggests visiting Khan Shatyr sixth), Bahia de Cádiz (Spain, Since 2016, the country has insti- shopping mall, the world’s largest seventh), Northeast Argentina tuted a number of reforms creating tent designed by Norman Foster, (eighth), Kvarner Bay (Croatia, an open economy. Uzbekistan of- lonelyplanet.com. Photo credit: and the Palace of Peace and Har- ninth) and Brazilian Amazon fers a visa-free regime for citizens The Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan. mony’s glass pyramid building. (tenth). Chinese, Indian citizens may Pavlodar akimat launches guided tour buses seum and the Chief’s Museum cost of the tour taking into ac- zakhstan, where tourism devel- By Nazira Kozhanova house. count the programme and visit- opment is underway, regional transit visa-free for 72 hours “Anyone can contact the de- ing museums. We are counting on Tourism and External Affairs Ad- NUR-SULTAN – The Pavlodar partment of entrepreneurship of everyone – guests and residents ministration head Marat Kabakov akimat (administration) launched the city; there is a specialist there of the city who want to learn told inobusiness.kz. In particular, two and a half hour guided tours and he will include everyone on something interesting, unique. the region has invited experts from in six airports Dec. 6 that visit seven locations the list. At 12 p.m. every day un- The main thing is that people the Asian Development Bank to eign airlines can use the 72-hour by bus, reported pavlodarnews. til Jan. 15, this bus will run for have an interest, but in our city, determine development priorities. By Nazira Kozhanova visa-free regime to stay on the ter- kz. free in test mode. After the pilot there is something to show,” said “We are working to attract for- ritory of the republic,” added the The project is in pilot mode regime, we will determine for Deputy Akim (Mayor) Arystan eign experts to form a package of NUR-SULTAN – Starting Jan. statement. until Jan. 15, with tours hosted ourselves the main stops, work Kenzhegalinov. recommendations on the develop- 1, Chinese and Indian citizens The rule, which applies to state by the region’s history museum out the route and determine the Pavlodar is in the eastern Ka- ment of winter tourism through may transit through Kazakhstan and private airlines, is clarified in employees. Pavlodar State Uni- the Asian Development Bank. for 72 hours without the need to the government decree “On the versity students would eventu- Within the framework of this pro- obtain a visa, reported inbusiness. approval of the rules for the en- ally serve as guides to fulfil their ject, we are planning to study in- kz Jan. 9. try and stay of immigrants in Ka- credit-bearing internships. ternational experience in creating “There is a 72-hour visa-free re- zakhstan, as well as their departure The pilot tour includes stops a tourism cluster, including ef- gime for entry, stay and departure from Kazakhstan, and the rules for at the Blagoveschenski Cathe- fective measures of state support from the Republic of Kazakhstan the implementation of migration dral, with nine bells, the largest for the industry, with a detailed for citizens of the People’s Re- control, as well as registration of weighing 1,024 kilogrammes, reflection of the basic principles, public of China and the Republic foreigners and stateless persons imported from Moscow, Rus- approaches and recommenda- of India who transit through the illegally crossing the state border sia; Goose flight paleontologi- tions for use in our field. Also, international airports… At check- of the Republic illegally staying in cal site, which was discovered in [we want to complete] an analysis points, stamps will be affixed to Kazakhstan, and also persons who 1928 and has the remains of more of the current situation, assess- the passports of transit citizens are prohibited from entering the than 60 types of animals from ment of the uniqueness of natural of China and India, indicating the territory of Kazakhstan.” the Miocene and Pliocene eras resources, determination of de- time of crossing the state border of According to the latest industry and Mashkur Jusup Mosque. The mand, dynamics and potential for Kazakhstan,” said the Ministry of data, passenger transit through final locations are the Pavlodar increasing tourist flow, tourism

Industry and Infrastructural Devel- Kazakhstan exceeded one million central embankment, Yertys Mu- pavlodarnews.kz. Photo credit: income and so on,” he noted. opment press service. passengers in 2019, representing The Aktau, Karaganda, Shym- an 11-percent increase compared kent and Taraz airports were added to 2018. to the existing international air- Eleven Kazakh airports – Aktau, ports in Almaty and the capital that Almaty, Karaganda, Kokshetau, are part of the arrangements. The Nur-Sultan, Pavlodar, Petropav- Qatar Airways to launch direct flights rule will continue through 23:59, lovsk, Semey, Shymkent, Taraz Dec. 31, 2020. and Ust-Kamenogorsk – intro- “Thus, the citizens of China and duced an open skies regime Nov. India traveling in transit through 1, reported the press service. The from Doha to Nur-Sultan and Almaty the airports of Nur-Sultan, Al- open skies regime allows more ways,” said a representative of the aircraft in its regular flights, while vice. The open skies regime allows maty, Shymkent, Aktau, Karagan- foreign carriers and more flights By Nazira Kozhanova Press Service of the Civil Aviation Boeing-787 Dreamliner will be more foreign carriers and more da and Taraz on Kazakh and for- to operate at the airports. Committee at the Ministry of In- used for two inaugural flights. The flights to operate at Kazakh airports. NUR-SULTAN – Qatar Airways dustry and Infrastructure Develop- tickets will be sold starting Jan. 16. Qatar Airways, the national air- will launch flights March 30 be- ment on Jan. 13 . Eleven Kazakh airports of Nur- line of Qatar, is one of the larg- tween Doha and Nur-Sultan. Qa- Qatar Airways will conduct six Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktau, est in the world. The aircraft fleet tar Airways will also launch from regular passenger flights per week Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk, consists of 233 aircraft. The main Kazakhstan’s passport ranks Doha to Almaty April 1, according in Kazakhstan. The Doha – Almaty Pavlodar, Kokshetau, Taraz, Pe- transit hub of the airline is Ham- to inbusiness.kz. flight will operate twice per week, tropavlovsk and Semey adopted an ad International Airport in Doha. “The opening of the flight will while Doha – Nur-Sultan flight open skies regime Nov. 1, reported As of the end of 2018, the airline allow Kazakh passengers to travel will operate four times per week. the Ministry of Industry and Infra- transported about 29 million pas- 67th for visa-free travel to 160 destinations of Qatar Air- The airline will use Airbus 320 structural Development press ser- sengers. Continued from Page B1 “The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the Singapore is second with 190 world’s passports according to points and Germany and South the number of destinations their Korea share third place, providing Mandatory registration abolished holders can access without a prior visa-free entrance to 189 nations. visa. The ranking is based on ex- Russia, ranked 51st, is highest clusive data from the International among the Commonwealth of In- Air Transport Association (IATA), for tourist visits up to 30 days dependent States (CIS), as its pass- which maintains the world’s larg- uals, to notify the migration office “When analysing the market, as a source of corruption. “If we re- ports provide access to 118 coun- est and most accurate database of By Assel Satubaldina about the person’s arrival within we studied the needs of a tourist ally want to increase the investment tries. Kazakhstan is second among travel information, and enhanced three working days. Notice is made and we made a review of all com- and tourism attractiveness of the CIS countries. by ongoing research by the Henley NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan at vmp.gov.kz, the online visa and plaints, negative feedback and largest cities and the entire country, The final three spots on the list & Partners research department,” has cancelled mandatory registra- migration website operating since posts. The previous system en- we should get rid of such anachro- are given to Syria, Iraq and Af- according to henleypassportindex. tion for foreign tourists staying 2014, where citizens can submit visioned the mandatory registra- nisms as compulsory registration of ghanistan, with 29, 28 and 26 com. in the country up to 30 days, as an electronic notification using an tion of foreign citizens, except for foreigners at migration offices,” he points respectively. The index, begun in 2006, has President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev electronic signature. The service is several countries, within five days said at the time. The United Arab Emirates continued to keep track of each signed the law Dec. 30. free of charge and requires only 15 and also envisioned an administra- The government also extended (UAE) is highlighted as demon- country’s passport history and rat- Foreign citizens were previously minutes. tive responsibility in case of a vio- the 72-hour transit visa-free re- strating one of the rating’s most ings change throughout the year required to register at the migration In 2019, 250 hotels used the ser- lation of terms of stay, including gime for Chinese and Indian citi- remarkable advancements. In the as nations’ visa policies change. office within five days of crossing vice to notify the office of 110,000 fines and removal from a flight,” zens until the end of 2020. The last three years, the country has as- Website visitors can see not only the border. Those staying more than foreign citizens. he said. regime is applicable to individu- cended from 62nd to a spot in the the rating, but also the country’s 30 days will need temporary regis- Kazakh Tourism Chair Yerzhan Tokayev raised the issue of man- als from both countries transiting top 20. The UAE now holds 18th individual ranking history, the list tration. Yerkinbayev noted the law was a datory registration during an Oct. through airports in Aktau, Almaty, place with 171 visa-free destina- of nations where they have access The law obliges the invitee, in- “big win for the development of in- 29 extended meeting in Almaty, Karaganda, the capital, Shymkent tions. and a diagram of its passport. cluding hotels, hostels and individ- bound tourism.” where he described the procedure and Taraz. B7 NATION&CAPITAL SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Golovkin ranks among top 10 boxers in world, fights among best of decade which he also should have won, the record for being a top 10 boxer, By Galiya Khassenkhanova according to others,” it added. reported nur.kz, as he was one of Alvarez, of Mexico, is ranked the best boxers in the world for NUR-SULTAN – U.S. website number one in the list, followed by 249 consecutive weeks. Business Insider ranked Kazakh- Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Golovkin’s fights were also stan’s Gennady Golovkin ninth on Usyk, both of Ukraine. named among the best. Boxing its list of the 15 best boxers in the Writers Association of America, world right now. The list was re- Golovkin’s fights were The Ring website and boxing- leased Dec. 25. news24.com named his latest fight “Before Golovkin turned pro- also named among with Derevyanchenko one of the fessional, he was a wildly deco- best of 2019. rated amateur fighter with a 2003 the best. Boxing His second fight with Alvarez World Amateur Championships Writers Association was also ranked among the top gold medal and a silver at the 2004 five of the decade, according to the Olympic Games. He turned pro of America, The Dec. 17 edition of British magazine two years later, won his first (inter- Boxing News. The September 2018 im) world title four years after that Ring website and rematch following the 2017 draw and quickly developed a reputation boxingnews24.com was named fourth, with the first be- because of his punching power,” tween Anthony Joshua (the U.K.) according to the website. named his latest fight and Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine). It also noted Golovkin’s recent with Derevyanchenko “Rarely, particularly in the mod- win over Ukrainian Sergei Derevy- ern era, have two fighters of such anchenko, where he gained the one of the best of obvious quality stood and traded International Boxing Federation with barely a backward step for (IBF) and International Boxing 2019. 36 minutes. In this rematch of Organisation (IBO) middleweight their 2017 draw, Canelo was a rev- champion titles. Business Insider ranked the elation, exhibiting supreme upper “The only blemishes on fighters on a pound-for-pound body movement as he drew mis- Golovkin’s record are a 2017 draw basis, where talent, achievements takes from Golovkin. But GGG against (Saul) ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and quality of victories are more was also impressive and at the end which some say he should have important than weight class. of 12 breathless rounds, it could won, and a loss in the rematch, Earlier this year, Golovkin beat have gone either way,” it wrote. inbusiness.kz. Photo credit: Astana Pro Team’s Gorka Zarina Diyas wins ITF tournament in Hong Kong Izagirre wins three races She is the third best female tennis took first place Nov. 24 in the CX Sanchez was declared for the race, already brought it victories. The By Galiya Khassenkhanova player in Kazakhstan, after Yulia By Galiya Khassenkhanova Garai Bizkaia Championships in but did not participate. Spain championship took place Putintseva (34th in the WTA rank- Basque Country, overtaking his Izagirre also won the Dec. 2 Jan. 10-12. NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh tennis ing) and Elena Rybakina (37th). NUR-SULTAN – Astana Pro younger brother, Ion, by 44 sec- Abadiñoko Udala Saria in Spain. Astana Pro Team, officially UCI player Zarina Diyas won the Inter- Diyas’ doubles WTA ranking is Team rider Gorka Izagirre won onds. Jonathan Lastra, from UCI Ismael Esteban, who finished 25 World Team Astana (the term used national Tennis Federation (ITF) 452; her highest so far was 89 in the Basque Country Cyclocross (Union Cycliste Internationale) seconds after the leader, took sec- to name a cycling team of the high- tournament held in Hong Kong 2015. The WTA website estimates Championship Dec. 29, reported Professional Continental team ond and Kevin Suarez, who ar- est category in professional road Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, reported pros- her prize money over her entire ca- prosports.kz. The top finish com- Caja Rural–Seguros RGA, came rived 19 seconds later, took third. cycling) was formed in 2006 after ports.kz. This is her first victory of reer amounts to $2.7 million. plimented his two previous wins in in third. Izagirre’s most recent win was in the dissolution of Liberty Seguros- the 2020 season. the last six weeks. Astana Pro Team member Omar his birthplace. The brothers joined Würth team. Alexandr Vinokurov In the final match, Diyas beat Izagirre, a native of Spain, Freilé finished sixth. Luis Leon Astana Pro Team in 2019 and have (known to fans as Vino), a former Chinese player Zhu Lin, who oc- professional road bicycle racer and cupies the 72nd place in the Wom- currently the team’s general man- en’s Tennis Association (WTA) ager, received assistance from First ranking. The match ended with President Nursultan Nazarbayev to a 6:4, 7:5 score, making Diyas create the new team. the winner of the tournament’s Astana Pro Team will enter its $25,000 prize. This is the fourth 15th season in 2020. In the past 14 time the two women have faced seasons, it has achieved 37 wins off, and the third time Diyas has 24.kz. Photo credti: and is ranked fifth in the world. defeated her rival. Diyas started her career in 2007 The team presented its 28 official To get to the finals, Diyas beat and won her first ITF title in 2008 members for the upcoming season Dasha Lopatetskaya (6:1, 6:2), in Astana. She studies psychology on Dec. 14. Zheng Wushuang (6:2, 6:0), Eka- through a remote university pro- “Today, we are starting our 15th terine Gorgodze (6:0, 77:62) and gramme. Diyas is now playing in season. We have gone a long way Sachia Vickery (6:3, 6:2). the Shenzhen Open Tournament in so far and we have achieved many This is Diyas’ 10th singles tour- China, which started Jan. 4. She big goals, but I am sure that many nament victory – she holds eight met Duan Yingying for her first great and amazing things are still ITF titles and one WTA Interna- match Jan. 7. Zhu Lin will also lying further ahead. We are start- tional title from Tokyo in 2017. participate in this tournament. ing the new season completely She has played 23 tournaments The ITF governs global com- ready and highly motivated for overall. petitive tennis. Founded in 1913, something more. I would like to Diyas had been ranked 77th in it includes 211 national and six congratulate Astana Pro Team on the WTA rankings, but her new regional associations. WTA is an the very beautiful and success- victory will push her higher. Her organising body for women’s pro- ful season we had in 2019 and I’d highest ever WTA ranking was fessional tennis. It was founded like to wish the guys to reach even 31st, and this is her third consecu- in 1973 to facilitate equality for bigger successes in the upcoming tive year ranked among the top female tennis players and a better

Photo credit: prosports.kz. Photo credit: year,” said Vinokurov. 100 players in the world. future for women’s tennis overall. Men’s sitting volleyball team to hold joint training camps pate there. We are preparing for it from Kazakhstan and the Vektor By Nurdana Adylkhanova now,” he said. team from Moscow, Russia were “In April, there will be the World among the participants. NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s Cup in China. We are also prepar- Five games were held during the men’s sitting volleyball team par- ing for that tournament. After cup, where four teams competed ticipated in a joint training camp these two competitions, it will be for the prize in the finale. The Ka- Dec. 16-22 in Riga, Latvia. The decided whether we will go to To- zakh teams received first and sec- athletes also plan to participate in kyo or not,” he added. ond place medals, with the Lithu- training camps in Egypt, Germany anians taking third. and Kazakhstan to prepare for the Five games were held “Latvians are very friendly and Tokyo Paralympic Games quali- hospitable people. The hotel, sau- fiers, said national team coach during the cup, where na and other facilities were great; Bauyrzhan Takhauov in an exclu- four teams competed they (the organisers) created all the sive interview with The Astana conditions for us,” said Takhauov. Times. for the prize in the The rules for classic and sitting The last men’s Paralympic qual- finale. The Kazakh volleyball are nearly identical, with ification tournament will be held the only differences in the height March 16-21 in Edmond, Okla- teams received first and of the net and the size of the court. homa (U.S.) and the Sitting Vol- For men’s sitting volleyball, the net leyball World Cup will take place second place medals, height is 1.15 metres (rather than April 21-28 in China. The athletes with the Lithuanians 2.43 metres) and the court is smaller. need to train quite a bit to prepare In January, the team will have for the upcoming world champi- taking third. 10-day joint trainings in Germany, onships, which will determine the then continue training at its site in final list of participants at the 2020 Preceding the training camp in the capital. Summer Paralympics, he noted. Riga, Kazakh athletes participated The International Paralympic “After coming back from Egypt Dec. 13-15 in the Friendly Cup Committee will make the decision in February, we will go to the qual- 2019 international tournament in on the final list of Tokyo partici- ification tournament in America… Livani, Latvia. Seven teams from pants after the world champion-

About 12-14 teams will partici- Latvia, three from Lithuania, two ship results are announced. National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan. Photo credit: B8 NATION&CAPITAL CAPITAL

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 Healthcare Minister inspects compulsory social health insurance implementation cal care after the implementation the City Polyclinic No. 2 launched hospital administration to smooth By Nurdana Adylkhanova of the system. in January 2020. It provides social, the flow of patients and finish the According to specialists at City psychological and medical support repair of the surgical building. NUR-SULTAN – Minister of Polyclinic No. 2, approximately for disabled people, a new type of From Jan. 1, Kazakhstan began Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov and 440 people visit the clinic daily service in Kazakhstan. Both adults providing medical care in two Health Insurance Fund Chair Ai- and more than 60 percent of them and children can receive the treat- packages – a new model of the batyr Zhumagulov recently as- have insurance. ment in the hospital. guaranteed volume of free medical sessed the work of Nur-Sultan’s Birtanov said at least 80 percent Since July 2019, a rehabilitation care and a package of compulsory hospitals and their practical imple- of population should be insured, department has operated in the clin- social health insurance. Emer- mentation of the new compulsory according to the ministry’s esti- ic for children with central nervous gency and primary health care in- social health insurance system. mates. He added children, pen- system disease, delayed psycho- cluding basic diagnostic services Among medical institutions the sioners, disabled people, pregnant speech development, Down syn- remain free for all citizens, oral- minister visited were the Central women and students are included drome and autism. According to mans (ethnic Kazakhs who have Railway Hospital, Perinatal Cen- in 15 privileged categories for the head physician of the clinic, the immigrated to Kazakhstan since tre No. 3, the Dermatovenerologic which the government makes con- centre was opened first among all independence) and residents of the Dispensary and City Polyclinic tributions to the Health Insurance medical organisations. country. Consultative and diag- No. 2. The minister evaluated the Fund. The minister also visited the nostic assistance and treatment in work and the integration of medi- The minister also added the Central Railway Hospital, which day hospitals and round-the-clock cal information systems and noted inform.kz. Photo credit: compulsory social health insur- has completed repairs of two build- hospitals is provided free of charge Yelzhan Birtanov (L) inspects one of the medical facilities. the classification of patients by ance system increased funding ings for the relocation of hospital only to insured citizens and pa- insurance status and the registra- for rehabilitation assistance by 12 departments. Birtanov noted the tients with major chronic diseases tion of citizens who have not yet Birtanov said all technical gaps dressed in favour of the patient and times, and it is expected that more expanded emergency room area such as diabetes mellitus, arterial become participants of the health in the compulsory social health the population should feel an im- people will now use such services. and the optimisation of unneces- hypertension, cancer, tuberculosis insurance system. insurance system should be ad- provement in the quality of medi- The rehabilitation department of sary rooms. He also instructed the and hepatitis. Administration accepts Nur-Sultan ambulance to have modern emergency applications for targeted vehicles, more effective contact centres “Increasing the number of ve- “In order to improve the quality Polyclinics No. 2, 6 and 9 intro- By Aidana Yergaliyeva hicles by half allows us to unload of medical care and create working duced an electronic queue at the re- social assistance calls, reduce the time of arrival of conditions, we carried out large and quest of patients, which the akimat NUR-SULTAN – Akim (Mayor) the ambulance to 10 minutes and in- important work,” he noted. plans to integrate into all medical ments that were made before De- Altai Kulginov and Healthcare Min- crease the number of teams to 20,” A single mobile application, facilities by the New Year. It is also By Zhanna Shayakhmetova cember 31, 2019, are suspended. ister Yelzhan Birtanov reviewed the said Kulginov, reported the akimat which all medical institution heads planning to construct a new medical Family income will be calculated Capital Ambulance Station’s work- (city administration) press service. were required to install in October, facility in the Saryarka district next NUR-SULTAN – The Nur-Sul- based on the previous one, which ing conditions during a Dec. 25 The majority of the new cars are has reduced processing time from year through a public private part- tan city administration is accept- is the fourth quarter of 2019. business visit to the facility. The ser- reanimobiles that provide intensive five-six days to one-two days. nership. ing applications for targeted so- Deputy Prime Minister Berdibek vice will more than double the num- care and in-car monitoring while “Together with the healthcare de- As part of the national digitisation cial assistance at the city’s family Saparbayev called for more re- ber of emergency cars by the New transporting patients. The vehicles partment and the iKomek109 con- project, the iKOMEK Support Cen- support institute, its employment search into new approaches to so- Year and enhance its contact centres are equipped with defibrillators, tact centre, we analysed the work of tre launched the pilot iKOMEK112 centre and four district admin- cial assistance. with iKOMEK112 dispatch service. a complete heart rate monitoring state medical institutions and identi- Unified Call and Dispatch Service istration offices. People can get “It is necessary to explain the The station will increase the system, modern lung ventilation fied four systematic problems. These in April. The service was introduced more information at the Yessil rules on the appointment of social number of its emergency vehicles apparatus, oxygen cylinder and were problems with making an ap- to reduce false, inquiry, repeat and District akimat, reports Elorda. assistance and benefits for large from 64 to 138. Fifty-two addi- heart-lung machine, said capital pointment with a doctor, queues in other non-important calls to emer- info. families and to create favourable tional vehicles currently circulate Akimat Emergency Ambulance Di- clinics, unethical behaviour of medi- gency dispatch services. The “by Starting in January, targeted so- conditions. If people have addi- within the city and 22 more joined rector Murat Orazbayev, reported cal workers and there were also prob- mistake” calls comprise 81 percent cial assistance in the new format tional questions, it is necessary to after Jan. 1. the press service. lems of incompetence,” he added. of all contacts to emergency servic- will be assigned quarterly. The as- attract specialists from other state es 101, 102 and 103. sistance is intended to bridge the bodies and solve these issues im- “iKOMEK112 ensures coordi- gap between per capita income and mediately,” Saparbayev said dur- nated interaction of all emergency the national poverty line. ing his visit to the Yessil District services, reducing the time for joint “The poverty line today is set akimat Jan. 5. incident response, etc.,” said Kulgi- at 24,258 tenge (US$63). Previ- This year, a guaranteed social nov. ously, a guaranteed payment of the package has been introduced for The akimat is working to ensure poverty line for children was as- children from one to six years 20-minute accessibility for primary signed and the difference between old and from six to 18 years old. health care rooms. per capita income and poverty Children from low-income fami- “Doctor at Home facilities have line was assigned to parents,” said lies will be provided with school been opened on the ground floors head of the assignment of benefits uniforms, school supplies and of new residential complexes; in department of the Yessil district one-time hot meals at school. addition to police strongpoints, chil- Samal Akhmetova. The social package for children dren’s centres, rehabilitation centres Targeted social assistance is pro- also provides a 50 percent re- and clinics are also provided. This vided as conditional or uncondi- imbursement of public transport year, 700 station employees under- tional cash assistance. Conditional travel costs. Guaranteed social went training on international stand- cash assistance is provided for assistance for each child per ards of resuscitation and safe driv- families that include a working- month is 4,710 tenge (US$12); Photo credit: Nur-Sultan akimat press service. akimat press Nur-Sultan Photo credit: ing,” he added. age family member. This family assistance for hygiene products member should be ready for fur- for each child from one to six ther employment. years old is 1,774 tenge (US$4) “Upon refusal of employment, quarterly. within six months, targeted social assistance will be terminated for City adds electric buses to public transportation fleet all family members. Social assis- Starting in January, to recharge mobile phones. The all of them will be operating in the from $503,000 per bus), Lion’s tance is not provided for families targeted social By Aidana Yergaliyeva new electric buses should also sig- capital. City E buses from Germany’s who have provided false informa- nificantly reduce the interval and SaryarkaAvtoProm manufactu­ MAN Truck Lion’s City E bus tion within six months from the assistance in the NUR-SULTAN – Fifteen addi- waiting time for buses at stops. res 27 to 32 percent of each bus, ($635,000) and German Mercedes date of provision,” she added. tional electric buses began making In February 2019, the city fleet including the electric motor, sus- eCitaro buses from Mercedes Approximately 30 to 40 peo- new format will be the rounds in Kazakhstan’s capi- tested a domestically made electric pension parts and interior parts. ($558,000). ple visit specialists per day at the assigned quarterly. tal with the start of the New Year. bus during the lowest winter tem- The plant assembles one Yutong The akimat purchased its buses Yessil District administration. Nur-Sultan Akim (Mayor) Altai peratures of -38 degrees Celsius. ZK612BEVG bus for 146.71 mil- through DBK Leasing as part of Benefits are not provided for The assistance is Kulginov checked the technical The akimat purchased 100 lion tenge ($383,137). a state programme to upgrade the families who have more than one intended to bridge condition and features of the new electric buses from a joint ven- The Nur-Sultan akimat also con- fleet with domestically produced home registered or who have a car, buses Jan. 2. ture between China’s Yutong and sidered buying GX 337 electric equipment. The seven-year lease excluding families with children the gap between per The buses produce zero amount Kazakhstan’s SaryarkaAvtoProm buses from France’s Heuliez Bus has an interest rate of 7 percent with disabilities. of harmful emissions into the at- company. By the end of the spring, GX 337 Electric buses (they start per year. Potential recipients should apply capita income and the mosphere. Their maintenance will using an identity card. All neces- national poverty line. also be cheaper than those ones sary information will be requested running on diesel fuel. from the information systems of “Electric buses are also funda- government agencies. A written Families with four or more chil- mentally different in maintenance. request will be sent to the relevant dren will receive benefits regard- There is no gearbox, you will not state agency in the absence of in- less of their income. These benefits need to change oils, liquids. Sav- formation. vary by the number of children and ings in operating costs will be up All applications are being ac- range from 42,500 tenge to 73,000 to 80 percent. If diesel costs per cepted in the new format. All pay- tenge (US$111-191). day are up to 22,000 to 25,000 tenge ($57.50 to $65.30), then electric costs are four to five times less. The design itself allows you to charge the bus only once a day at night… during the day there is no need to charge the bus, there is enough electricity for the whole day,” Astana LRT Deputy Board Chair Baurzhan Seitov said, the Nur-Sultan akimat (city adminis- tration) press service reported. The new buses are equipped with an intelligent surveillance system, ramps and special places for people with disabilities and

passengers with children. The bus- Astana Akimat press-service. Photo credit: es have USB ports near the seats Electric buses in Nur-Sultan.