+11° / +7°C WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 No 8 (146) www.astanatimes.com World’s best humanities textbooks ADB forecasts 3.2 translated into Kazakh percent Kazakh GDP growth Growth in the Central Asian re- By Yerbolat Uatkhanov gion is forecast to slow to 4.0 per- cent in 2018, picking up somewhat ASTANA – The Asian Develop- to 4.2 percent in 2019, according ment Bank (ADB) forecasts growth to the report. of Kazakhstan’s gross domestic GDP growth in Kazakhstan in product (GDP) at 3.2 percent in 2018 was 3.3 percent, according to 2018 and 3.5 percent in 2019. It the previous forecast of the ADB, is expected that inflation will slow published in mid-December. (The to 6.8 percent this year and will be Kazakh government statistics put the 6.2 percent in 2019, provided ex- growth last year at 3.8 percent.) The change rate stability remains. Asian Development Outlook is the The report specifies that follow- main annual publication of the ADB. ing a strong pickup in growth last year, the country is projected to slow to 3.2 percent this year but Growth in the Central bounce back to 3.5 percent in 2019 Asian region is as investment quickens, according to the ADB’s Asian Development forecast to slow to Outlook 2018 (ADO) report. A more stable exchange rate al- 4.0 percent in 2018, most halved inflation in Kazakhstan, picking up somewhat taking into account that average in- flation in the region was 9.2 percent to 4.2 percent in in 2017 and 10.6 percent in 2016. At 2019, according that, inflation accelerated in the other seven economies of the Central Asian to the report. region, particularly in Uzbekistan, notices the report. Inflation in the re- gion is projected to settle at 8.5 per- The ADB was established in the cent in 2018 and 7.9 percent in 2019. early 1960s as a financial institution Average growth in the region that would be Asian in character and rose to 4.3 percent from 2.7 per- foster economic growth and cooper- cent a year earlier as the recession ation in one of the poorest regions in ended in Azerbaijan and expansion the world. The bank seeks to reduce

Photo credit: Akorda.kz Photo credit: accelerated in six other economies, poverty in the Asia-Pacific region President Nursultan Nazarbayev meets with teachers and young scholars during the presentation on April 12. particularly in Kazakhstan. through inclusive economic and en- Growth slowed only in Uzbeki- vironmentally sustainable growth, Nazarbayev stressed the pro- “Today’s first intellectual the goals of using advanced tech- stan, where sharp currency devalu- as well as regional integration. The By Aigerim Seisembayeva ject’s important role in the younger tranche includes the best scholarly nologies. ation to unify the exchange rate bank’s headquarters is in Manila, generation’s education. products of advanced countries “Scientific knowledge is the and other economic reforms for- Philippines. The bank’s sharehold- ASTANA – Eighteen of the “The youth should receive knowl- such as the USA, Russia, Great prerequisite for a modern nation’s feited some expansion last year for ers are 67 countries, 48 of which are world’s best humanities textbooks edge that meets top scientific stand- Britain, France and Switzerland. competitiveness. New textbooks future growth. in the Asia-Pacific region. translated into Kazakh were pre- ards. That is why we made a large list Few of our young people had ear- are a true knowledge encyclopae- sented April 12 to Kazakh Presi- of the 800 best textbooks. The Nation- lier been given the opportunity to dia. Today, not only are the meth- dent Nursultan Nazarbayev, re- al Translation Bureau was founded familiarise themselves with them,” ods of education important, but ported the Akorda. The event was and has already started its work. To- he said. also their content. In this regard, held under the New Humanitarian day, we are witnessing the presenta- The head of state stressed the the Ruhani Zhangyru programme Knowledge, 100 New Textbooks tion of the first 18 books,” he said. world’s current development is provides the opportunity to imple- The President noted translation largely determined by the potential Communication ministry in Kazakh project, part of Ruhani ment a five-year programme of na- Zhangyru (Modernisation of Ka- into Kazakh was carried out from of engineering sciences and noted tional education,” he added. zakhstan’s Identity) programme. the books’ original languages. the importance of understanding Continued on Page A2 to pursue 83 percent digital literacy by 2022 Astana to host World Mining Congress The Ministry of Information Simultaneously, there will be try development in Kazakhstan ment into mining projects, where By Meruyert Abugaliyeva and Communication and the Min- By Meruyert Abugaliyeva an exhibition of equipment and and anticipate an increase in investors and subsoil users nego- istry of National Economy have technologies applied in the mining exploration and extraction pro- tiate, discuss investment oppor- ASTANA – The Ministry of In- also specified several levels of ASTANA – The Kazakh Minis- industry and excursions to Kazakh jects, expansion of subsoil us- tunities and the market, and share formation and Communication has digital literacy. The basic level try for Investment and Develop- scientific institutions and indus- ers’ base. knowledge. developed a plan to increase Ka- denotes that a person can use com- ment will organise the 25th World trial enterprises. The event will also help attract More than 2,000 delegates from zakhstan’s digital literacy rate to puter and mobile gadgets and can Mining Congress, a large-scale “Such a large-scale event of financial institutions and investors 50 countries, 368 presenters, 58 83 percent by 2022. obtain information from the inter- event dedicated to mining and global significance is held for the to the Kazakh mining and mineral associations, 62 universities and The goal to better equip the net. The second level involves the metal sector, June 19-21 in Astana. first time in the Commonwealth industry given the investor protec- 220 companies are expected to at- Kazakh public to use information ability to use e-government ser- First held in 1958 in Poland, of Independent States (CIS). Our tion provided within special legal tend the event. technologies in daily life and work vices and make payments, while the World Mining Congress takes country was not chosen randomly regime of Astana International Fi- The speakers will include Global is a central aspect of the national the third level allows a person to place every two-three years and to host the anniversary congress. nancial Centre (AIFC). The oppor- Mining & Metals Advisory Leader Digital Kazakhstan programme. engage in e-commerce, in other unites industry experts and scien- Kazakhstan is rich in mineral re- tunities and nuances within M&A at EY Paul Mitchell, CEO of the “We have identified two ap- words, to buy, sell and promote tists from 49 member countries. sources: there are 99 elements of (mergers and acquisitions) in Ka- Eurasian Resource Group (ERG) proaches: central government goods on internet. The fourth lev- The programme will include the periodic table [in our soil], zakhstan’s mining sector will be Benedikt Sobotka, Global Head of bodies will train professionals el entails use of digital solutions, multiple sessions related to the 5,000 deposits and 60 elements are disclosed. Primary Markets at London Stock and population, whereas local ex- mobile applications and synchro- mining and metal sector, ranging used in production,” said Mazhilis Within the framework of the Exchange Robert Barnes. ecutive authorities will educate the nising several gadgets. Finally, from exploration and production Deputy (lower house of Parlia- congress, there will be Mines & Prime Ministers of Poland Ma- general public,” Minister of Infor- the professional level means that to enrichment, from risk assess- ment) Albert Rau. Money international investment teusz Morawiecki and Australia mation and Communication Dau- a person is capable of program- ment to the attraction of foreign The organisers expect the con- conference, a leading event for the Malcolm Turnbull are expected to ren Abayev announced recently. ming on his own. investment. gress to positively impact indus- attraction of capital and invest- attend as well. Training professionals and the Kazakh population will be the Approximately eight responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry million people will of Labour and Social Protection, Ministry of Healthcare and Minis- be taught the basic Kazakhstan resolves all Central Asian try of Agriculture. skills needed to use “These ministries will organise so-called concomitant trainings. e-government services For instance, the Ministry of Na- and engage border issues, announces President tional Economy is holding large- We started from delimitation, then On the sidelines of the multistate of cross-border rivers of Central scale trainings for entrepreneurs, in e-commerce. which will also include sessions on Staff Report demarcation of the border with meeting, the Kazakh and Tajik Asia is of great mutual impor- digital skills. The same will apply Uzbekistan followed, then the tri- presidents also discussed hydro- tance to every state. Kazakhstan during the qualification upgrading “To date, the basic level of digi- ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s nation- point area between Turkmenistan, power cooperation and the impor- and Tajikistan have a uniform po- trainings for teachers organised by tal literacy is observed among 77 al borders with all bordering Central Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan was tance of Syr Darya and Amu Darya sition on this issue,” Nazarbayev the Ministry of Education,” noted percent of population. We plan to Asian nations have been legally de- properly formalised. All of the cross-border rivers. said. Abayev. increase the indicator to 78.5 per- lineated and all border issues have documents are signed; there are “There are two rivers Amu “Tajikistan is reaffirming its Trainings on digital skills are cent by the end of the year. We been resolved, Kazakh President no unresolved border issues,” said Darya and Syr Darya, 70 million commitment to international planned to involve approximately have prepared recommendations Nursultan Nazarbayev announced Nazarbayev. people live in their basin. They agreements reached in the hydro- 385,000 professionals. on methodology, eligibility cri- after a recent meeting with the lead- The heads of state also agreed heavily depend on those rivers. power sector. We support close and Approximately eight million teria for training applicants and ers of five Central Asian states. to regular meetings of their coun- Mutually favourable partner- constructive cooperation between people will be taught the basic four training programmes entail- “The key point is that Kazakh- tries’ security councils to maintain ship, negotiation and resolution the countries in all areas of use of skills needed to use e-government ing basic digital skills, information stan finally finished the agreement a consistent approach to resolving of all issues are very important water resources,” added Tajikistan services and engage in e-com- and transaction skills, e-commerce on demarcation of our borders. cross-border issues. for all our nations. Beneficial use President Emomali Rahmon. merce. skills,” said Abayev.

INSIDE NATION ECONOMY&BUSINESS EDITORIAL OPINIONS NATION&CAPITAL Kazakhstan has ‘zero tolerance’ policy Mazhilis approves foreign currency regulation Kazakhstan’s diverse history contributes BEER: Belt and Road Initiative: One Vision Spina Bifida Public Association: raising on torture, officials tell European bill A4 to a united present A6 of Justice A7 awareness and breaking stigma B1 parliamentarians A2 Kazakhstan participates in major Middle East DE BRABANDER: Kazakh engineering Baikonur – small town of major Officials briefed on Estonia’s IT success A2 investment forum, prioritises transnational capabilities, Dutch expertise support major importance B6 company cooperation A5 developments in Kazakhstan A7

US$ 1 = 325.80 KZT € 1 = 397.83 KZT 1 = 5.29 KZT A2 NATION

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

format, and incoming data is checked for authenticity and registered. The e- NATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF government of Estonia has also intro- Kazakhstan has ‘zero Officials briefed on duced an electronic taxation system that makes default calculations and Burabai Summer Fest, an inter- allows filing tax returns with the click national children’s and youth TV of a mouse. The country is also work- festival, will be held June 22-July tolerance’ policy on torture, Estonia’s IT success ing to use digital tools to improve 3 in the Shchuchinsk-Burabai re- Tech businesses make up 6.8 per- healthcare. sort zone north in Astana, said By Elya Altynsarina cent of Estonia’s GDP, constitute 14.2 The Kazakh delegation visited Tal- Akmola region culture and art de- percent of exports and allow Estoni- linn IT College, which is one of eight partment head Abil Zholamanov. officials tell European ASTANA – Kazakh officials were ans to do business with more than 120 universities and 14 business accelera- Children aged 10-16 can take part briefed during a meeting in Tallinn at countries. tors where companies and investors in the competition, which consists the end of March on Estonia’s digiti- During the meeting, Estonian Min- cooperate on high-tech projects. of three qualifying rounds. “The sation successes. ister of Internal Affairs Andres Anvelt It is introducing IT into its indus- mission of the festival is to sup- parliamentarians Estonia is considered a leader in IT- briefed Kazakh Deputy Prime Minis- trial sector with its Industry 4.0 pro- port talented children and young The government is also building based logistics and business services ter Askar Zhumagaliyev on Estonia’s gramme. The programme seeks to people, to develop and strengthen Staff Report glass-walled interrogation rooms and the meeting came as Kazakhstan electronic population register, state allow entrepreneurs to use IT from international cultural ties and to equipped with video cameras in embarks on its national digitisation border register and crime register sys- the business planning stage to final increase interest in performing arts ALMATY – Kazakh officials law enforcement buildings to make programme. tems. product delivery, including electronic and the history of the country. The briefed European parliamentarians, interrogations more transparent. Ap- Estonia is ranked first in Europe in Ninety-eight percent of Estonia’s customs. city and regional selection rounds representatives of non-governmen- proximately 700 such rooms have the Global Index on cyber security, population have electronic IDs and The Kazakh delegation headed by are being held nationwide,” he tal organisations (NGOs) and the been equipped throughout the coun- second globally in terms of legislation more than 33,000 business people use Zhumagaliyev also met with Estonian media April 16 on the country’s ef- try. on information and communication smart cards to sign contracts, receive Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and Minis- said. fort to prevent domestic torture and As a result, in 2017, complaints technologies and fifth in global cyber financial services and manage their ter of Economic Affairs and Commu- protect citizens’ human rights, Al- against police decreased 25 percent, security index rankings. businesses. The cards, say Estonian nications Kadri Simson. The Kazakh Manufacturing In- maty Internal Affairs Department accusations of illegal investigation Estonia has invested in IT over the officials, create a safe space for online Kazakh officials also met with dustry Union will continue devel- reported. methods decreased 50 percent and past 25 years resulting in approxi- services. Director-General of the Estonian Tax oping domestic production with the government, said Atameken Senior representatives of the Ka- illegal arrests decreased 200 percent, mately 3,700 IT and tech companies The sides also discussed Estonia’s and Customs Board Valdur Lyde, Co- National Chamber of Entrepre- zakh ministries of internal affairs it was noted. operating in Estonia, from start-ups to X-Road project, a communication Chairman of the Kazakh-Estonian neurs board deputy chairperson and foreign affairs, as well as Pros- “Victims of torture have an ad- transnational corporations working in and database system that links the Parliamentary Group Denis Borod- Kuanysh Bishimov at an April 17 ecutor General’s Office and National ditional right to receive free legal game development, finance, e-com- public and private sectors to electronic ich, President of the Estonian Infor- briefing. “We held a survey among Anti-Corruption Bureau told the aid and access to social, medical, merce, green technologies, trade and support services. In X-road, outgoing mation Technology College Pieter 1,500 regional enterprises in the gathering that since Kazakhstan’s and psychological services. Crisis e-government. data is signed and encrypted in digital Lawrence and business leaders. manufacturing sector. Almost 63 accession to the United Nations’ centres have been established and percent of imports contribute to Convention against Torture and its are functioning in all regions of Ka- domestic consumption in the ma- Optional Protocol, much work has zakhstan, providing various services chine building and food industries. been done to create a national sys- for victims of torture and cruel treat- There is still a lot of work to do. tem to counter torture. ment. The government is working to There is a need to provide subsi- They said the government has a fully rehabilitate and compensate the Gov.kz launches robot consultant dies and preferences, to reduce zero tolerance towards torture, in- victims of torture. The correspond- taxes and to introduce non-tariff vestigates accusations and upholds ing Law ‘On the Compensation regulatory measures,” he said. torture victims’ rights. Fund for Victims’ was adopted in “The Constitution and the cur- January this year. In addition, torture to streamline services A steel pipe manufacturing plant 1414 processed more than 4.3 mil- and describes himself as a smart rent legislation of the Republic of is classified as a grave crime, and the with a 100,000-tonne annual ca- By Aigerim Sadykova lion requests from eGov.kz portal and friendly virtual robot. He is pre- Kazakhstan proclaim a total ban penalty for it was toughened with a pacity of high quality items will be on the use of torture, violence and maximum term of imprisonment of users last year. They receive 14,000 pared to discuss family, education, ASTANA – The electronic govern- to 16,000 calls from all regions of real estate, registration and business constructed in the Almaty region, other cruel or degrading treatment 12 years. Persons who commit tor- reported the Kazakh Invest press or punishment. All measures taken ture are not to be relieved from crim- ment service eGov.kz has launched Kazakhstan every day, according to development issues and responds to its first consulting robot, Kenes, from NIT data. inquiries about eGov.kz password service. Asia Steel Pipe, a China by Kazakhstan are aimed at creating inal responsibility due to the expiry National Petroleum Corporation an atmosphere of zero tolerance for of the period of limitation or under the Kazakh word for advice, in test- “Kenes is designed to recognise recovery and certificate of address. ing mode. Kazakh and Russian speech, as well The electronic government service subsidiary, will invest $50 mil- torture in the society and in govern- an amnesty,” said Zhakupov. lion in the project, creating more mental bodies. This principle is the Kazakh officials noted the gov- Kenes answers calls to Single as mixed Kazakh-Russian words. is not the first to employ artificial Contact Centre number 1414 and The robot is a virtual assistant for intelligence: National postal service than 300 jobs in the region. “The basis for many reforms carried out ernment has introduced mechanisms plant will be put into operation in in recent years. In accordance with to monitor judges and prosecutorial consults on the most popular public online consultation of eGov.kz and Kazpost opened a digital office with service requests, according to head www.1414. kz web users,” Turysov two robots in Astana in December. December. The active construction the instructions of the head of state, procedures to safeguard the rights of the National Information Technol- added. Kazpost’s robot Saule is an elec- phase is currently underway. We a considerable reform of the crimi- of those in the criminal justice sys- ogies (NIT) public-private company As of today, Kenes advises on tronic intelligence with a special are closely collaborating with the nal legislation aimed at its consist- tem. Kazakhstan has also reduced Aset Turysov. property tax payments, criminal re- screen. Another robot, Kuanysh, local administration and ministries. ent humanisation has been carried the time suspects are detained to 48 “As world practice shows, con- cord certificates, pension contribu- provides help to Kazpost customers We plan to expand production up to out; criminal legislation has been hours and detention as a preventa- tact centres are introducing special tion certificates and registered rights by answering 100 questions, and can 150,000 tonnes per year,” said Asia brought in line with the norms of in- tive measure is limited, except in robots to optimise their work. The or encumbrances on real estate cer- recognise clients’ faces. ‘My name Steel Pipe communications adviser ternational law, new criminal proce- cases of grave crimes, they said. robot processes frequently asked tificates. The robot helps search for is Kuanysh, I’m a real live robot,’ he Radzhan Nurmukhambetov. dural and penal enforcement codes Following the briefing on the questions and sends them to call licenses and permits, electronic digi- introduces himself to visitors. have been adopted,” said Deputy country’s anti-torture measures, the centre operators in necessary cases. tal services (EDS) and compulsory “Kuanysh is aimed at entertain- The first anti-corruption project Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid European visitors including mem- The mechanism not only reduces health insurance. Citizens can also ing our visitors who often come office opened April 17 at Al-Farabi Zhakupov. bers of parliaments from Poland, timeout, but also lightens the work of apply to check or be put on waiting with children. The robot can remem- Kazakh National University in Al- The officials also noted that the Romania and Spain, together with the operators,” Turysov wrote on his lists for kindergartens, check fines ber your name and call you, asking maty, reported Kazinform. Almaty Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs NGO representatives from Italy and Facebook page. for certain road traffic regulations ‘How are you?’ the next day. He Akim (Mayor) Bauyrzhan Baibek has created a helpline for victims to the Czech Republic, were briefed The numbers of calls and requests and inquire about the service centre’s can also answer questions about the and university rector Galymkair file accusations of torture and the on the investigation of a number of decreased 15 percent in the two work schedule. weather, help with the coordinates Mutanov, who attended the event, government has placed boxes acces- criminal cases and visited detainees months since launching Kenes in NIT plans to make Kenes consult of your location, and provide an up- signed the charter. The office aims sible for convicts in all institutions of under investigation at the Almaty February, stated Turysov. The 113 citizens on all requested services. dated password for Wi-Fi,” said head to eradicate bribery in education Kazakhstan’s penitentiary system. Pre-Trial Detention Unit No. 1. operators at Single Contact Centre Kenes is an animated character of Kazpost Saken Sarsenov. and create an environment where the rule of law prevails. “We need to eliminate academic dishonesty and to introduce new anti-corrup- tion mechanisms in this sphere. The project office will cooperate Intensive cultivation, World’s best humanities not only with students, but also with colleges, schools and pre- school institutions,” said office co- ordinator Karlygash Usseinova. In gardening trends discussed textbooks translated into the past three years, 687 corruption cases have been investigated in the education sector.

in Almaty Kazakh The Kostanai-based Sar- (US$74,000), depending on the cial participation of 15 percent. Continued from Page A1 in full. Textbooks that are planned yarkaAvtoProm car plant has By Zhanna Shayakhmetova technology. It is possible to plant This amount can be provided as for translation next year should started MAN truck and bus serial from 2,500-4,333 seedlings per a preliminary advance payment Nazarbayev noted there are few be selected and analysed on time. assembly as part of the memoran- ASTANA – AgroCredit will hectare according to the planting from the state. When the garden is examples in the world of imple- Second, one of the important tasks dum signed between the Allure provide more support to develop scheme,” said company manager commissioned, we send it as pay- menting such comprehensive pro- is the effective implementation of Group and UzAvtoSanoat, an Uz- intensive gardening nationwide, Birzhan Yerzhigitov. ment or reimburse the previously grammes. these textbooks in the education bek manufacturer, according to the according to an announcement at Approximately 100 large and financed property. Today, we have “New textbooks are an exclusive process. The disciplines studied Association of Kazakhstan Auto- the Apple Day: How to Transform small companies in the Almaty about 400 hectares of gardens in humanitarian library. They will be in these textbooks should be intro- mobile Business. Plans indicate Apples into Profits and Smiles available to all people in three for- duced into educational programmes the plant will assemble up to 3,000 seminar held April 7 in Almaty. Approximately 100 large and small mats: in the form of paper books, in the new school year. Third, I or- vehicles annually and the company The session was aimed at in- electronic online versions and as a der systematising the terms used in intends to produce more than 50 creasing horticulture productivity, companies in the Almaty region, and more than video library of open lectures from scientific practice and publishing units in this year’s first stage. “The bringing competitive advantages the best lecturers. Our young peo- a new dictionary of humanitarian test model has already been pro- to the Commonwealth of Inde- 100 in the South Kazakhstan and Zhambyl ple living abroad will also have ac- and economic terms,” he said. duced. The transport vehicle type pendent States (CIS) and Europe regions, are engaged in fruit production. cess to it when the books are pub- He also instructed authorised approval was obtained. The truck and improving production effi- lished in Latin script,” he said. public agencies to ensure the ap- superstructures that constitute a propriate high-quality control ciency. All are seeking to increase volumes. Kyrgyz The President noted the Ruhani considerable part of the total price needed to implement the project. Advice Consulting Srl, an Ital- Zhangyru programme is being ex- have already been produced,” said “Fourth, textbooks should be ian company with experience in entrepreneurs are also interested in apple ecuted to enhance young peoples’ published in the form of ordinary the press release. futures. intensive gardening and storage gardening. books. At the same time, we need facility and warehouse construc- “In this regard, it is very impor- to develop online education. Devel- Almaty City Pass, a single tour- tion, shared its technology for tant that the younger generation is oped countries have virtual univer- ist card, has been launched, ac- region, and more than 100 in the operation. There is a great deal of growing apples. actively involved in its implemen- sities today. The Open University cording to the Kazakh Tourism “Italy is one of the world’s South Kazakhstan and Zhambyl interest,” said AgroCredit board tation,” he said. of Kazakhstan [openU.kz] should press service. The 5,990 tenge leaders in the apple market. We regions, are engaged in fruit pro- chairperson Narmukhan Sary- Noting the importance of adher- receive comprehensive support. We (US$18) pass offers visitors the offer plants, equipment and the duction. All are seeking to in- bayev at the event. ing to tri-lingualism, the head of need to pay special attention to high- chance to spend three days seeing whole system from planting to crease volumes. Kyrgyz entrepre- The mechanisms, developed in state also instructed translating sev- quality control of the open lectures’ the top attractions. “The pass cards marketing. New technologies are neurs are also interested in apple cooperation with the Kazakh As- eral foreign textbooks into Russian. video library, as well as textbooks are available in the world’s largest based on intensive gardening. gardening. sociation of Gardeners, will be Nazarbayev ended the meeting prepared on its basis,” he noted. cities and tourist centres includ- Additional supports are needed “The Ministry of Agriculture is completed in May. Second-tier by giving a number of specific in- “Fifth, the 100 New Textbooks ing Amsterdam, Berlin, Copen- for the plants. The plants have a changing its approach to invest- banks and leasing companies will structions to the government and project plays an important role in hagen, London, New York, Oslo, weak root system and they grow ment subsidies. The subsidy pay- provide financing. National Translation Bureau. the development of scientific trans- Paris and other cities. The first city faster. This project will pay off ment will amount to no more than In 2017, AgroCredit financed “First, there is a need to en- lation. Therefore, there is a need pass was launched in Astana. We within the next three-four years. 25 percent of the investment’s three fruit garden projects meas- sure further quality translation to systematise and develop experi- also intend to initiate this project The cost of intensive gardening cost. These payments can be used uring 170 hectares and a produc- and publication of 30 books that ence, knowledge and professional in the Shchuchinsk-Burabai resort per hectare is from 30,000 eu- as an initial contribution. This tion capacity of 8,600 tonnes in are planned for 2018. Financing skills in the field of translation,” zone,” said Kazakh Tourism CEO ros (US$37,000)-60,000 euros facilitates the mandatory finan- the Almaty and Zhambyl regions. should be allocated on time and said Nazarbayev. Rashid Kuzembayev. A3 EURASIA&WORLD

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

as laid out in the state-of-the- EXTERNAL nation address “New Opportuni- NEWS IN BRIEF ties for Development in the Con- Kazakh FM visits Turkey, ditions of the Fourth Industrial During his first visit to Kazakh- Revolution” and the recent appeal stan, International Anti-Corruption on “Five Social Initiatives.” The government of Kazakhstan Academy Dean and Executive Sec- discusses presidents’ summer meeting is working to strengthen the stabil- retary Martin Kreutner met with port and transit potential of the two ity of legislation, protect foreign in- Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Ab- By Almasbek Zhumadilov countries. vestors and improve the conditions drakhmanov to discuss education- The ministers discussed prepara- for doing business in the country, related issues in the fight against ASTANA – During a two-day tions for the summit of the Coop- he said. Abdrakhmanov called at- corruption. Abdrakhmanov noted official visit to Ankara April 19- eration Council of Turkic-Speak- tention to opportunities connected Kazakhstan’s anticorruption legisla- 20, Kazakh Foreign Minister ing States (Turkic Council), as with the Unified Energy System, the tion meets international legal norms Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with well as the activities of the Astana- implementation of China’s Belt and and best practices in the field. He Turkish President Recep Tayyip based Turkic Academy. Road initiative, as well as the launch also welcomed strengthening coop- Erdoğan and other top officials to During the talks, the interlocu- of the Astana International Financial eration between the Vienna-based discuss preparations for the meet- tors also supported the further Centre, the International Centre of academy and Kazakh Academy of ing of the two countries’ leaders continuation of the Astana process Green Technologies and Investment Public Administration. in the summer and ways to boost on Syria. “In the conditions of the Projects and the International Tech- Kazakh-Turkish cooperation. ongoing conflict in Syria, Astana nology Park of IT Startups. Twenty-two Kazakh businesspeo- Abdrakhmanov conveyed greet- remains the only effective plat- Within the framework of the vis- ple have travelled to Germany to ings on behalf of President Nur- form for achieving the cessation of it, Abdrakhmanov also met with the learn about the country’s corporate sultan Nazarbayev and noted how bloodshed in Syria. The guarantor heads of the leading political cen- culture, ways to develop and pro- much appreciated Erdoğan’s role states have established a tripartite tres and observers of the Turkish mote business and master business in strengthening Kazakh-Turkish mechanism to monitor the cessa- media, where he exchanged views negotiation skills, reported 24.kz. strategic cooperation is in Kazakh- tion of hostilities, a working group on the geopolitical situation in Cen- The opportunity to attend trainings Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov (L) and Turkish President stan, the Kazakh ministry’s press Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on April 19. for the exchange of detainees, the tral Asia and the Middle East. and workshops was provided by the service reports. transfer of bodies of the deceased Federal Ministry of Economy and Through joint efforts, the lead- tors of Kazakhstan’s economy. the world arena. According to and the search for missing persons, In 2017, trade Energy programme aimed at boost- ers of Kazakhstan and Turkey an- The most active investors are Erdoğan, Astana process guar- and signed a memorandum on the ing economic cooperation between nounced the launch of the so called Yildiz Holding, Eczacibasi Hold- antor countries Iran, Russia and establishment of de-escalation turnover between the countries. The Kazakh entrepre- Islamic rapprochement process in ing, Abdi Ibrahim, Anadolu Hold- Turkey will seek to stabilise the zones. Today, the Astana process neurs also planned to visit German the Islamic world, and while Tur- ing, Aselsan Elektorinik and YDA situation in Syria, as agreed during needs not only continuation, but Turkey and enterprises in Berlin, Dresden and key chaired the Organisation of Holding. At present, work is un- the meeting of their presidents in also greater international support Kazakhstan, its largest Leipzig to gain insight into high Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Sep- derway to bring new Turkish com- Ankara April 4. The Turkish leader in order to improve the situation technology development and set tember 2017, its first Summit on panies to Kazakhstan. also thanked Nazarbayev for Ka- on the ground. At the same time, trading partner in up business contacts. To date, more Science and Technology was held In 2017, trade turnover between zakhstan’s contribution to render- we must all fully support the Ge- than 11,000 specialists from 19 in Astana. Erdoğan expressed con- Turkey and Kazakhstan, its larg- ing humanitarian assistance to the neva platform under the auspices Central Asia, grew countries are programme alumnus. fidence that the upcoming meeting est trading partner in Central Asia, Rohingya people. of the UN as a platform for a po- 28 percent compared of the High-Level Strategic Coop- grew 28 percent compared to the Before meeting Erdoğan, Ab- litical settlement,” the Kazakh dip- Kazakh investment opportunities eration Council in Ankara chaired previous year and amounted to $1.9 drakhmanov had bilateral talks lomat emphasised. to the previous year were presented at the Annual Invest- by himself and Nazarbayev would billion. Abdrakhmanov spoke about with his Turkish colleague, For- Abdrakhmanov also met with ment Meeting (AIM) in Dubai, the boost cooperation between the two initiatives to modernise the Kazakh eign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkish Parliament Speaker Ismail and amounted to $1.9 world’s leading platform gathering countries. economy, as well as the Rukhani where they agreed to finalise the Kahraman in Ankara on issues of billion. the international investment com- Turkey remains a priority in- Zhangyru (Modernisation of Ka- coordination of the agenda and inter-parliamentary relations and munity and experts to discuss cur- vestment partner of Kazakhstan. zakhstan’s Identity) programme. draft documents to be signed dur- interaction of the two countries To date, the Turkish business rent trends in investment-related The two governments are working Erdoğan proposed a new goal of ing the official visit of Nazarbayev in international parliamentary or- community has invested more issues. The Kazakh delegation, to implement agreements reached increasing trade turnover to $10 to Ankara in summer. In addition, ganisations. than $2 billion into the economy composed of heads of 15 large com- during Erdoğan’s visit to Astana billion. He was also interested in a number of economic contracts The Kazakh foreign minister of Kazakhstan, and the volume of panies, state bodies and national last September. The parties im- Kazakhstan’s transition to a Latin are being finalised. The most also held a roundtable conversa- Kazakhstan investments in Turkey companies, greeted visitors at the plement the New Synergy joint alphabet. Erdoğan noted the im- promising areas of cooperation are tion with representatives of major is about $1 billion. Honorary con- national pavilion along with other economic programme. Thirty-two portance of the Astana process on transport, agriculture, small and Turkish companies and honorary sulates of Kazakhstan are open in 146 countries-participants. AIM projects worth $1.4 billion involv- Syria, supported by Nazarbayev, medium business development consuls of Kazakhstan in Tur- the Turkish provinces of Adana, President Dawood Al Shezawi wel- ing Turkish investors have been which, in his opinion, increased and tourism. Kazakhstan is also key where he spoke about Naz- Bursa, Nevşehir, Mersin and the comed Kazakhstan’s participation in established in non-primary sec- the authority of Kazakhstan in interested in developing the trans- arbayev’s economic initiatives city of Alanya. the forum and noted the history of bilateral relations between Kazakh- stan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A Kazakh delegation led by Vice Minister for Investment and Devel- Astana announces support for inter-Korean summit opment Arystan Kabikenov visited Kang thanked Kazakhstan for ners in East Asia, and the state Kazakhstan was the first Cen- lenges regarding Kazakhstan’s ef- Seoul to meet with leading South By Elya Altynsarina supporting disarmament on the Ko- visit of President Nursultan Naz- tral Asian nation to establish rela- forts to participate in the Fourth Korean companies and facilitate rean Peninsula, particularly within arbayev to Seoul in November tions with South Korea in the early Industrial Revolution laid out by economic cooperation. The repre- ASTANA – Kazakh Minister Kazakhstan’s position on the Unit- 2016 opened a new page of our 1990s. The relationship was el- President Nazarbayev in a recent sentatives met with Korean Energy of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan ed Nations Security Council. partnership,” said Abdrakhmanov. evated to a strategic partnership in state-of-the-nation address. and Mineral Resources Vice Chair Kairat Abdrakhmanov expressed “The unique voice of Kazakh- Bilateral trade in 2017 increased 2009, said Kang, was strengthened Economic cooperation details Sung Woon Khan to gauge poten- support for the upcoming summit stan that voluntarily renounced the 2.5 times compared to 2016, by Nazarbayev’s 2016 visit. were discussed during the April tial areas of collaboration. He noted between the Republic of Korea and nuclear armament must be heard amounting to $1.7 billion. The sides also agreed to increase 19-20 Kazakh-Korean Business the organisation has been actively North Korea at an April 17 joint to share its story of success after Both sides agreed relations can cooperation in information and Forum in Seoul with participation working with the Kazakh Embassy press briefing here with his Korean such a decision,” said the Korean be developed further and Abdra- communication technologies and of the Kazakh Ministry for Invest- in Seoul and KazGeology and hoped colleague Kang Kyung-wha. minister. khmanov suggested strengthening digitisation. The agreements fol- ments and Development along the two sides will find interesting Abdrakhmanov said he hopes The two ministers also discussed cooperation in infrastructure and low significant success in those ar- with Kazakh companies. projects in the Kazakh mining sec- the April 27 summit provides a economic and security cooperation. logistics development, given the in- eas by Korea and the launching of While in Astana, the Korean tor. The delegation also held talks breakthrough for the de-nucleari- “The Republic of Korea is one volvement of Korean companies in a national digitisation programme minister was received by President with Highvill, Noroo Kiban and sation of the peninsula. of Kazakhstan’s key strategic part- building the Great Almaty Ring Road. in Kazakhstan as well as the chal- Nursultan Nazarbayev on April 17. POSCO ICT, South Korea’s largest transnational companies.

Nearly 30 companies from the five Central Asian countries recently briefed Latvian company representa- Kazakhstan, UNDP organise seminar for Central tives on cooperation opportunities in the transport, logistics and food sec- tors in an effort to expand collabora- tion with the Baltic region. The trade Asian journalists and political scientists at UN mission was organised for the first met with permanent representa- time in the Baltic region by the Unit- By Almasbek Zhumadilov tives from Afghanistan Mahmoud ed States Agency for International Saikal, Kyrgyzstan Mirgul Moldo- Development (USAID). USAID NEW YORK – The Kazakh isaeva and Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Senior Regional Trade Adviser for Ministry of Foreign Affairs organ- Ibragimov. Central Asia Ryder Rogers marked ised a seminar April 9-13 in New “Central Asia is now constantly the growing interest in the region York to acquaint journalists and being told in New York (that the among Baltic countries due to “simi- political scientists from Central West is) interested in the opinion lar language, common past and good Asia with the work of the United of this region, listening to and dis- understanding of each other.” Nations Security Council (UNSC) cussing its position. It is important and Kazakhstan’s activities as a that this attention is not caused by Almaty Youth Jazz Band, one non-permanent member of the conflict situations. Our region is of Kazakhstan’s few jazz schools, council. interesting as an independent sub- represented the country at the Inter- Kazakhstan organised the event ject. Kazakhstan played a very im- national Jazz Festival in New York with the UN Secretariat and the portant role in creating this image, performing classic compositions of UN Development Programme. It thanks to its global initiatives and famous jazz figures including Duke was meant to strengthen humani- membership in the UN Security Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Gor- tarian ties between Central Asia Council. The most important thing don Goodwin. Led by Tagir Zaripov, and the United Nations and was is that this republic represents not the young musicians shared the attended by representatives from only itself but also the whole re- stage with representatives of the best Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajik- gion on the international arena,” jazz schools from California, Con- istan and Uzbekistan. said Asia-Plus journalist Liliya necticut, Florida and Pennsylvania. The event follows a political Gaisina from Tajikistan. address to the council by Kazakh visited world media branches at the out about all that is happening at UN Office of Counter-Terrorism “For successful integration and Kazakhstan provided nearly President Nursultan Nazarbayev UN. UN Under-Secretary-General the UN and to report on the ways Steven Siqueira and the leadership strengthening of the role of the $500,000 in humanitarian aid to in January 2017 in which he stat- for Global Communications Ali- this organisation continues to of the Security Council Report, an Central Asian region, we see the Rohingya refugees April 18 in the ed Kazakhstan’s intention to pro- son Smale briefed the group on the make a difference in the daily lives international non-governmental urgency of further joint actions to Bangladeshi border town of Cox’s mote the interests of Central Asian activities of UN information cen- of many,” she said. organisation. solve common development chal- Bazar. The Kazakh government an- states. tres around the world. The group also attended emer- Kazakh permanent representa- lenges, strengthening the partner- nounced in December it would send “We will work to ensure Cen- “The United Nations will con- gency UNSC meetings on the tive to the UN Kairat Umarov also ship of the expert community. It humanitarian assistance to Rohing- tral Asia’s stability and security, tinue to be a firm supporter of Middle East and briefings on Af- briefed the delegation on Kazakh- is also necessary to involve young ya refugees in Bangladesh, which effectively countering regional independent journalism and press rica and met with UN Assistant stan’s priorities for its UNSC mem- people in the integration process- has welcomed since August more challenges and threats, strengthen- freedom and will continue to ad- Secretary-General – UNDP Di- bership and the results of Kazakh- es, which will positively affect the than 700,000 refugees fleeing neigh- ing cooperation and promoting its vocate for the safety of journalists. rector of Regional Bureau for Eu- stan’s January UNSC presidency, development of the region,” said bouring Myanmar after they were growth and development,” he said I encourage journalists to work rope and the Commonwealth of including a UN Security Council Iskender Ormon Uulu, head of the subjected to brutal violence from the then. closely with the UN information Independent States (CIS) Cihan delegation’s visit to Afghanistan. Serep Analytical Centre in Kyr- Myanmar’s militias. The Central Asian delegation centres in their countries to find Sultanoğlu, Deputy Director of the The Central Asian delegation also gyzstan. A4 ECONOMY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

ECONOMY Mazhilis approves foreign currency regulation bill NEWS IN BRIEF The growth of social and econom- businesspeople. This is not accept- ic indicators of Astana and new ap- Staff Report able in a market economy,” he said. proaches to tax administration allow Akishev also reported about the city to occupy a leading position ASTANA – The Kazakh Mazhi- the simplification of information in ensuring the growth of the state lis, the lower house of the nation’s transfer procedures. budget, 24.kz reports. According Parliament, recently ratified the “Complicated registration re- to the State Revenues Department draft bill intended to strengthen gimes and notifications will be of Astana, the figures exceeded foreign currency operations prone cancelled. A uniform registration the forecast by 7.4 billion tenge to withdrawing capital from the base of foreign currency con- (US$22.7 million) to 227.2 billion country. tracts will replace it. The total tenge (US$696.3 million) in the first In presenting the bill to the sum and subject of the agreement quarter. Of this, 175.6 billion tenge Mazhilis deputies, Kazakh Nation- will serve as criteria. With that in (US$538.2 million) went to the na- al Bank Chair Daniyar Akishev place, banks do not have to decide tional budget and 51.6 billion tenge noted it identifies a list of capital on which currency regulation re- (US$158.1 million) was provided outflow-related operations. gime, registration and notification to the local budget. The forecast “This includes residents lend- applies to a particular currency was exceeded by 6.2 billion tenge ing to a non-resident that does operation. This will cut the period (US$19 million). These figures not envision payment of the loan within which banks complete the were the result of comprehensive to a bank account registered in currency payments,” he added. measures to create conditions sup- Kazakhstan; residents obtaining The document also recognises porting economic growth in the city, a loan from a non-resident that foreign organisation offices as res- increasing the collection of state rev- does not stipulate transfer of pay- idents who, according to the cur- enues and effectively counteracting ment to a bank account in the au- rent legislation, are non-residents. the shadow economy in Astana. thorised banks in Kazakhstan and The changes, however, will not residents granting an interest-free affect companies whose activities Bank card activity in Kazakhstan loan to an unaffiliated non-resident operations, residents must submit National Bank the right to transfer do not ensure comprehensive con- are regulated based on agreements keeps increasing, as the number of for a period exceeding 720 days. a permit to transfer information to information on currency opera- trol over the capital withdrawal. signed on behalf of the state. active cards grew 20 percent over a The list also includes export and currency regulating bodies, said tions subject to banking secrecy to This could be done through ille- “This allows them carry out year and reached 9.9 million units at import deals with a 720-day term Akishev. the state revenue committee of the gal means or under the disguise foreign currency operations in the end of February, ranking.kz said. for repatriation (the conversion of The National Bank, he added, Ministry of National Economy. of legal deals. Direct constraining Kazakhstan when dealing with Credit cards are the fastest growing offshore capital back to domestic will strengthen cooperation with “Why does communication be- measures might adversely affect residents. Kazakh companies are segment, increasing 31.9 percent to currency),” he said. state revenue bodies to prevent tween bodies receive special atten- the investment climate and busi- prohibited from doing this,” he 1.4 million tenge (US$4,291). For To be eligible to conduct such capital outflow. The bill grants the tion? Because laws by themselves ness conditions for law abiding said. comparison, debit cards grew only 19.3 percent, as prepaid and debit cards with a credit limit decreased 2.7 percent. The share of credit cards in the total number of active cards increased from 12.9 percent to 14.2 New loan Privatisation programme percent over a year. The government of Kazakhstan is considering the possibility of in- programme to is 76 percent complete troducing a new tax regime: a single cumulative social payment, abctv.kz The list of entities to be priva- strengthening post-privatisation only one participant during the reports. This payment is supposed By Meruyert Abugaliyeva tised includes 71 top priority or- control to ensure the organisation first round. to combine individual income tax, ganisations, such as national hold- preserves its original scope, repays Sales are regarded as failed if mandatory pension contribution, begin this year ASTANA – The national priva- ings. To date, 13 entities have been the debts, maintains existing jobs there are fewer than two partici- deductions from the State Social In- tisation programme for 2016-2020 sold for 95 billion tenge (US$295 and creates new ones. pants at the auction. Therefore, surance Fund and the Social Health Staff Report involving 877 entities is 76 percent million). Although none of the or- “Currently, control is executed the ministry suggests allowing the Insurance Fund. Thus, the govern- complete, as 397 organisations ganisations was sold during the only over state property assets, sole participant in the first round to ment expects to formalise the cat- ASTANA – The National worth 199 billion tenge (US$619 first quarter, plans are to put 40 en- whereas quasi-public companies acquire an entity for not less than egory of so-called self-employed Bank’s 7-20-25 mortgage pro- million) have been sold and 274 tities for sale this year. are not overseen after privatisa- the starting price. citizens who are now in the shadow gramme to provide favourable are set for reorganisation and liq- “In general, the privatisation tion. Therefore, we propose that “Another proposal is to sell en- market. According to the Ministry of loans for Kazakh citizens to buy uidation, reported Kazakh Min- programme is running smoothly national holdings ensure that terms tities belonging to local executive Labour and Social Protection, today, homes will begin in the second ister of Finance Bakhyt Sultanov and its goals and objectives are of sale are satisfied and the further bodies using the private-public approximately 2.7 million citizens half of this year, Kazakh Na- during the April 10 government clearly defined. The ministry con- effectiveness of the privatised en- partnership (PPP) mechanism. are classified as self-employed or tional Bank Chairman Daniyar meeting. stantly oversees the process using tity is maintained,” he noted. Healthcare and transport infra- informally employed. At the same Akishev announced recently. “This year, the plans are to sell the electronic monitoring system,” Sales analyses show the enter- structure objects, for example, time, they refer to people working “We need to change the legis- 265 entities. Ministry data for the he added. prises are often sold during the bear considerable social impor- without an employment contract lation to make it work correctly. first quarter of the year shows that Minister of National Economy second and third round and the tance and are also put on sale in a or without social deductions, un- We will launch the programme 45 organisations were put on sale, Timur Suleimenov proposed sev- price is lowered by 50 percent competitive environment. Taking employed people and a number of on market principles. The banks including 20 entities sold for 19 eral suggestions meant to enhance in each round, which results in into account their importance, we other categories. For several years, involved in the programme are billion tenge (US$59 million) and the effectiveness in executing the governmental losses. There have suggest selling them to public sec- the government has been trying to going to be main operators. All 10 set for liquidation,” he said. programme. One proposal involves been occasions, however, with tor using PPP,” he added. solve the problem of self-employed details are developing to make citizens, since these people remain these banks offer the product without pension savings. Ahead of (mortgage) from the second half clothing production decreased 8.5 the introduction of a compulsory of the year,” he said, adding that percent and girls’ outerwear by 19 medical insurance system, the prob- the National Bank has request- percent. lem of self-employed persons has ed additional information from Clothing manufacturers fail The European Bank of Recon- become once again urgent. government agencies. struction and Development seeks Any citizen with stable in- to convert euros to dollars to sup- Kazakhstan investment week come in the national currency port Kazakh clothing producers by continued in South Korea, 24.kz can apply for the loans at 7 per- to meet demand, says report investing $1.5 million in the sec- reports. Representatives of the Ka- cent interest with a 20 percent only 1-2 percent of the country’s gest clothing producers, including tor and cooperating with 70 textile zakh delegation in the country for down payment and a 25-year Staff Report demand. Glasman, Arlan 777, Azhar, Medi- companies. the event held dozens of meetings loan period. During the first two months of atex-H and Textil Market. With the support of the bank, daily with the heads of major South “Mortgage loans will be pro- ASTANA – Kazakhstan needs to 2018, Kazakh enterprises pro- The next largest share comes Kazakh textile and fashion compa- Korean corporations. Their discus- sions focused on logistics, high vided in tenge. At the same time, increase its domestic clothing pro- duced clothing worth 4.54 billion from the Karaganda region with nies took part in the White Milano technology, agriculture and other banks will not levy any fees and duction to meet national demand, tenge (US$13.89 million), dem- a 16.1 percent share and Almaty exhibition in February, returning areas of the economy where inves- charges related to the servic- reports Energyprom.kz. onstrating a 15.5 percent increase with a 14.6 percent production. to Kazakhstan with several agree- tors from South Korea are ready ing,” he added. In January, domestic manufac- compared to a year before. Knitwear production increased ments to export their products to to invest. Some agreements were The National Bank has also turers matched 19.3 percent of The Almaty region accounts for fivefold, while fur clothing pro- Russia and Europe. It also subsi- already signed: The largest logis- updated its Mortgage Loan Refi- national demand for hosiery and the biggest share at 18.1 percent, duction decreased 8.5 percent and dises up to 50 percent of local and tics corporation of South Korea is nancing Programme which was 16.9 percent for sportswear. Poor which almost doubled compared girls’ outerwear by 19 percent. up to 85 percent of foreign man- expected to help increase the transit put in place in 2015 to assist performance is observed in other to the previous year. The region Knitwear production witnessed agement consultancy services for potential of Kazakhstan through a borrowers who are having trou- segments, where production meets hosts some of the country’s big- a five-fold upward trend, while fur local designers. ble making their payments. The memorandum signed with Kazakh- updates will assist foreign cur- stan’s national railway company. The sides agreed to cooperate to rency mortgage borrowers and construction of dormitories for stu- improve conditions for refinanc- use the capabilities of Kazakhstan’s dents based on PPP as part of the ing loans issued between 2004 terminal in the Chinese port of Li- implementation of the Five social and 2009. anyungang. PPPs have reduced burden initiatives voiced by the President. “A programme for refinancing The akims (governors) of the re- Kazakh and Ukrainian produc- mortgage loans was implement- gions need to pay special attention ers are increasing export capacities. ed in Kazakhstan in 2015. More In the first quarter of 2018, Ka- than 23,000 borrowers received to this aspect,” he said, addressing on budget by $282 million the ministers. zakhstan’s fuel exports to Ukraine the assistance within the pro- Kazakhstan introduced the mech- are set to invest 150 billion tenge grew 30-fold, kazakh-tv.kz reports. gramme. They could save their As the majority of projects do By Assel Satubaldina anism to its legislation in 2006, ($466.5 million) Ukrainian operators imported housing and ease payments on not always reach the final stage, when it endorsed the law on conces- The 66-kilometre road is ex- nearly 36,000 tonnes of natural gas mortgage loans. It is assumed the government is taking steps ASTANA – Kazakhstan is seek- sions. Since then, 212 PPP agree- pected to ease traffic jams in the from Kazakhstan. According to the amount of refinanced loans to ease the procedures and create ing to make greater use of the ments worth 766.4 billion tenge nation’s most populous city by en- them, the product meets the Euro- will increase up to 2026 and more favourable conditions for po- private public partnership (PPP) (US$2.38 billion) have been regis- abling transit trucks and passenger tential investors. pean standards. “According to our may be approximately 40,000,” calculations, since 2010 this is the said Akishev. “Borrowers that mechanism that has commis- tered, while 81 agreements worth vehicles to bypass the urban area Kazakhstan adopted a law late sioned 140 projects since 2006 14.6 billion tenge (US$45.4 bil- through the Ile, Karasai and Talgar last year to further improve and largest amount of imported Kazakh belong to the socially vulnerable liquefied gas. This year, the figure is and reduced the burden on the na- lion) are currently in the registration districts. Construction will begin simplify the PPP mechanism. The group are especially in need of supposed to increase. The contract state support. For most of them, tional budget by 90.6 billion tenge stage. More than 75 percent of those in May. document optimised the proce- (US$281.7 million), reported Min- agreements are in the social sector. Kassymbek also noted the rail- with Tengizchevroil contributed to the only source of income are dures by reducing the number of addressing the shortage in August ister of National Economy Timur Forty-four PPP projects are cur- way bypass line to be built at Al- government payments and ben- required stages from five to three, and September last year. Now, due Suleimenov. To date, 78 more ob- rently being either studied or im- maty station. The cost is estimated efits. And they are forced to pay cutting the approval period and to the supply of Kazakh liquefied off their loans.” jects are being constructed. plemented, said Minister for In- at 96.6 billion tenge (US$300.4 expertise for projects from seven gas, our market has become more The National Bank will also “The experience shows that the vestment and Development Zhenis million) and construction is sched- months to three. predictable,” Ivan Kudinov, analyst allow banks to rent properties use of the PPP mechanism brings Kassymbek. One of the key pro- uled for next year. The law also envisioned guar- of petroleum products market, said. transferred from a borrower, positive results. In the past, if jects is constructing the Big Al- Prime Minister Bakytzhan anteed use for three or more years The demand for gas in Ukraine is with the possibility for the bor- we take into account the 140 ob- maty Ring Road by Turkish firms Sagintayev, who chaired the meet- and an opportunity to plan a stand- estimated at 150,000 tonnes per rower to regain possession. The jects that were commissioned, it Alsim Alarko and and Makyol ing, noted expanded PPP use is of ard PPP project taking into ac- month. Petroleum product market National Bank is also consider- allowed decreasing the budget Construction and South Korean paramount importance to the na- count the specifics of a particular analysts forecast that with this de- ing buying properties in the sec- load by nearly 90.6 billion tenge companies Korea Expressway tion’s growing economy. industry within the national pro- mand, the volume of supplies from ondary market. (US$281.7 million),” he said. and Korean SK. The corporations “The main issue today is the grammes. Kazakhstan will continue to grow. A5 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF Kazakhstan participates in major Middle East investment KMF, a microfinance organisa- tion, and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, signed a forum, prioritises transnational company cooperation memorandum allowing the former port the delegation of Kazakhstan that the business market is very jobs. Construction and installa- projects. Now, we will identify to take a three-year, $82 million By Zhanna Shayakhmetova so that you can successfully hold developed in Kazakhstan and we tion works are underway on six the target companies. Our repre- syndicated loan, the largest in the meetings. It is a great platform to would like to have a business in projects worth $539 million and sentatives abroad will work with history of Kazakh microfinance ASTANA – A Kazakh pavilion attract multinational companies your country. Now we are look- 12 projects will start in the second these projects,” said Kazakh In- organisations. The funds are ear- highlighting the country’s invest- to Kazakhstan. We wish for you ing for business partners around quarter of the year. vest board chairperson Saparbek marked for entrepreneurship de- ment opportunities was presented to achieve maximum results from the world, especially in the Mid- A $15 million extruded mixed Tuyakbayev at an April 6 press velopment, specifically for micro at the Annual Investment Meeting this event,” said AIM President dle East, Italy, Kazakhstan and fodder plant financed by UAE- conference. and small enterprises in rural areas (AIM) held April 9-11 in Dubai, Dawood al-Shezawi. Russia. We are already develop- based Phoenix Commodities is one A major investment conference, and female entrepreneurship, said reported the Kazakh Invest press The delegation included the rep- ing in Dubai and we need to open of the key projects in the Khorgos- AIM serves as an interactive plat- KMF management board chair- service. resentatives of 15 large domestic a business with new partners,” Eastern Gate Special Economic form for the international invest- person Shalkar Zhussupov. The “Kazakhstan and the UAE companies, state bodies and na- said AT WORLD representative Zone (SEZ). ment community. Industry 4.0, syndicated loan was granted by (United Arab Emirates) have a tional companies. Kazakh Invest Mahmoud Shalash. “The collaboration with the public-private partnerships and several financial companies from very long history of relations. officials met with agents of the A recent announcement from transnational companies involves global strategies for attracting in- Belgium, Germany, the Nether- Moreover, we are very glad to largest Middle-Eastern companies. Kazakh Invest noted 67 projects not only presentations and nego- vestment were on the plenary ses- lands, Switzerland and the U.S. meet the Kazakh delegation this “We visited the pavilion of Ka- involving $7.1 billion in foreign tiations. The preparatory work is sion agendas. The forum also in- IFC will provide only $10 million year at the event. The AIM exhibi- zakhstan at the World Trade Cen- investments will be built this essential to identify the key pro- cluded a pavilion exhibit featuring and be responsible for the currency tion management is ready to sup- tre in Dubai because we heard year, creating more than 13,500 jects. We have prepared 50 new 141 countries. risk, as the loan is in tenge.

Latvian carrier airBaltic will launch direct flights April 29 along the Riga-Almaty-Riga route. The five-hour, 45-minute flights will S. Kazakhstan leads in manufacturing investments, operate three times a week using a new Bombardier CS300 aircraft. A one-way ticket in economy class will start at $196, including taxes, creates supportive environment for SMEs duties and charges; business class and premium tickets will cost at arbayev always pays attention ing new production facilities and young people beginning in school. pies a leading position in business least $246 and $980, respectively. By Zhanna Shayakhmetova to the issues of regional entre- modernising existing enterprises, “We introduced the business entities. airBaltic provides flights from preneurship development. The initiatives set by the head of state, ombudsman institution, an abso- “Last year, 499 projects were Riga to more than 60 destinations, ASTANA – Twenty projects social and economic initiatives contributed to the positive indica- lutely new concept for the country. supported as part of the Busi- including cities in the Common- worth 50 billion tenge (US$151 are aimed at eliminating ad- tors. Its power and authority allow solv- ness Road Map 2020 programme. wealth of Independent States, Eu- million) and creating 2,700 jobs ministrative barriers and sim- “We plan to launch Shymkent ing the problems of businesspeo- About 900 entrepreneurs received rope, the Middle East and Scandi- will be implemented in the South plifying business procedures. Temir, a steel bloom production ple independently from officials microloans worth 4.1 billion tenge navia. Kazakhstan region, reported akim All the conditions are currently plant, and Asyl-Bastau.KZ, a pow- and imperfect laws,” he said. ($12.4 million) due to the Produc- (governor) Zhanseit Tuimebayev created to promote a favourable dered milk and butter production A special student entrepreneur- tive Employment and Mass Entre- Railways platforms and grain at an April 9 meeting of the Cham- business climate and to develop plant, in the first half of 2018. ship course expected to launch in preneurship 2017-2021 initiative. carriers will be manufactured at an ber of Entrepreneurs Council. small and medium-sized enter- These will be import substitute cooperation with the Ministry of Approximately 1,500 people took existing plant in the North Kazakh- Approximately 129.4 billion prises (SMEs) in the region,” he products,” he said. Education and Science will have part in trainings and 300 of them stan region. Facility reconstruction tenge (US$392 million), 2.4 times said. Atameken National Chamber of a positive effect on densely popu- started their own businesses,” he is underway and will enable pro- more than in 2016, will be invest- Industrial output reached 858.4 Entrepreneurs Presidium Chair- lated areas. said. ducing 120 long-base platforms. ed in manufacturing. According to billion tenge (US$2.6 billion), a man Timur Kulibayev, who attend- Regional chamber of entrepre- Ontustik Regional Investment Approximately 300 million tenge these indicators, the region ranks 102.1-percent increase in 2017. ed the event as part of his working neurs head Askar Abubakirov said Centre supported 2,342 projects (US$914,700) in new equipment first in the nation. The annual increase in the sec- visit to the region, noted the need 179,500 SMEs operate in the re- valued at 8.3 billion tenge (US$25 will double production capacity to “President Nursultan Naz- tor reached 105 percent. Launch- to present entrepreneurship to gion. South Kazakhstan also occu- million) and created 4,618 jobs. manufacture 240 railway сarriages annually. The plans are to sell products valued at 23.4 billion kets, traditional banking and fin- tenge (US$71.6 million) this year. tech is crucial. The financial sector has to be in line with the develop- A union of manufacturing com- AIFC discusses perspectives of ment of new technologies. panies has been established in The world economy is going Kazakhstan. Members include through a range of changes and machine companies and six in- needs to be adjusted to current dustry associations composed of cooperation at Boao Forum for Asia trends. Thus, digitalisation became a 243 companies in the pharmaceu- the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), great chance and profound read- signed with Haitong Securities, a highly discussed issue this year. Tra- tical, elevator production, chemi- By Aidarbek Zhumadildayev the largest foreign policy project of justment. Mankind faces many company working in the field of ditional economic barriers are erased cal, light, furniture and paper and his administration. In other words, instabilities and uncertainties. The brokerage, investment banking and digital instruments are widely packaging industries. Member GUEST COMMENTARY it is the revival of the ancient Silk new round of technological and services and corporate finance, and globalising business processes. companies make a significant Road. industrial revolutions brings fresh with Shenwan Hongyuan Securi- In terms of digital globalisation contribution to the national econ- ASTANA – A delegation from Today, economic relations be- opportunity and also presents chal- ties, a large Chinese company that and gaining economic growth, the omy, as aggregate tax expenses Kazakhstan delegation participat- tween Kazakhstan and other Asian lenges.” Thus, digital globalisation provides consulting and brokerage AIFC shared its views and future for the last five years exceeded ed in the annual Boao Forum for states are rapidly increasing. Chi- is the next step. We are witnessing services on securities. plans. Advanced financial technol- 100 billion tenge (US$305 mil- Asia (BFA) in Hainan Province, na’s trade with Kazakhstan for the era when digitisation is not a In Beijing, another group of ogies and digitisation are the main lion). The union was set up with China, earlier in April. This year’s 2017 amounted to $9.2 billion, challenge, but a tool to develop.” memorandums were signed with growth points for the AIFC. the goal of representing manu- topic was “Open and Innovative which reflects an increase of 39.2 The purpose of the Kazakh del- three leading banks, Bank of Chi- Both Kazakhstan and China facturers’ interests in the non- Asia for a World of Greater Pros- percent compared to 2016. egation’s visit was to hold bilateral na, China Construction Bank, and treat each other’s economies with extractive sector and formulating perity.” The stable growth of the Asian meetings with representatives of Industrial and Commercial Bank curiosity for the continuation of a single stance on strategic direc- region in general positively effects the Chinese business sector, con- of China, as well as with CITIC the cooperation in various sectors. tions for industry development. Yesterday: the global economy on a large duct roadshows of national com- Securities, which provides under- Today, the Shanghai Stock Ex- The companies united to provide restoring ancient scale. Such indicators are always panies planning to launch their as writing, investment advice, bro- change (SSE) is a strategic partner access to key modernisation driv- achieved due to dialogues and IPOs and sign bilateral memoran- kerage services, asset management and shareholder of the Astana In- ers, namely technology and fi- Silk Road general meetings in resolving eco- dums of cooperation. and capital management. ternational Exchange (AIX). Ka- nance, and reduce entry barriers Today, humanity faces a policy nomic issues, finding consensus The delegation from the Astana During his visit, Kelimbetov zakhstan’s stock market will be led into local and foreign markets, of confrontation and resistance to and filling gaps. International Financial Centre gave speeches at sessions devoted to the best world practice and will according to management board change. Such an attitude is traced (AIFC), headed by its Governor to the BRI. The AIFC governor gain its confident pattern. AIX and chairperson Marat Bakkulov. in all spheres, including the econo- Kairat Kelimbetov, joined the dis- and leaders of Chinese financial other institutional bodies of the my. Nevertheless, a national econ- Today: revolutionary cussion concerning the potential banks and research institutions AIFC will be supplied by all the A smart district will be built in omy is not considered as an issue development of the BRI. discussed the strategic develop- latest fintech instruments in order Astana using private investors’ of the single state anymore. On change Special attention was paid to to provide a full range services for The small town of Boao was full ment of the initiative. Another funds. The site, surrounded by the contrary, for seeking economic the topic of innovations, which session visited by the AIFC gov- its participants. Barayev, Kravcov, Tashenov and growth and stability, states under- of sessions and impressive talks of highlighted such topics as block- The organisation’s level of com- politicians and experts in the pe- ernor was “Financial Risks: Black Khussein streets in Zhastar city take various actions. Cooperation chain, new trade and the future of Swan, Grey Rhino & the Minsky petence and recognition are deter- district, will be equipped with 10 in international organisations and riod from April 8-11. About 2,000 production and communications, mined by its partners and those delegates, including governmental Moment.” These three concepts different technologies to ensure making conversations globally are which are also important in the were discussed as the main objects who trust in it. Thus, in addition to comfortable facilities such as heat- among the measures. sector, business, industrial and sci- work of the AIFC. China’s financial institutions, the entific circles, visited 60 different to go through analysis in predict- ed pavements and roads and smart The Asian region has a rich and At his interview with China ing a financial crisis. The governor AIFC has signed a number of part- planning systems for drivers and dense history of nations, states, sessions. Global Television Network, Ke- nership documents with giants in BFA has been held since 2002 mentioned the three main obsta- pedestrians, lightning and water wars and borders. Due to a num- limbetov stated that “International cles at avoiding a financial crisis. the financial sector such as NAS- drainage and eco-friendly waste. ber of historical and current geo- in China’s southern Hainan prov- trade will motivate competition, DAQ, WAVES platform, Euro- ince. The forum is also known as First, there is the inefficiency of The district will also include smart political factors, Asian states have while competition will always spur the depth of capital markets which clear, Thomson Reuters, Bloomb- bus stops, parking lots, children’s decent preconditions today. The the “Asian Davos,” because just technological development and in- erg, Microsoft and others. as for the annual World Economic are relatively small. Secondly, the playgrounds, comfortable ramps, Silk Road is worthy to be treated novations. We believe BRI is not rule of law is difficult in terms of These and other organisations Wi-Fi, smart gardens and benches. as a definite source of analysis of Forum, representatives of different just a land or maritime bridge, but will gather in Astana on July 5 states gather around the table to implementation. And lastly, the Astana Innovations is responsible historical processes not only be- also [means] digital Silk Road de- Fintech sector seems to be chal- during the Astana Finance Days in for the know-how, which will be tween Kazakhstan and China, but reach common goals. BFA is dedi- velopment.” order to discuss the most essential cated to triggering Asian states to lenging. On the one hand, there is used as a benchmark during con- also throughout Asia and the East. Meanwhile, Lin Guijun, need to determine the kind of reg- matters for the economy of Ka- struction. Historical roots are the source and reach a consensus concerning inte- the chief editor of the BFA an- zakhstan and its partners. Astana gration in the spheres of econom- ulation and monetary authority to support for the development of bi- nual report, in joining the inter- design the framework of potential is about to become a new regional Saraishyk, the first Kazakh en- lateral cooperation of neighboring ics, society, finance and the envi- view stated that “Now, we have and international platform where ronment. risks. However, on the other hand, terprise specialising in goat culti- states and their peaceful coexist- economic integration in an institu- Fintech is a new reality. every participant gains economic vation, will use Saanen goat milk ence. However, states’ collabora- The forum broadcast such mes- tional sense. For a long time, com- growth and prosperity. to produce ice cream, butter and tion is never considered apart from sages as the importance of trade munication between East and West It is important not just to iden- baby food. Using Italian and Ser- economic essence. and investment liberalisation, has been done through the ocean Tomorrow: in line with tify the impact of Asian states to- bian equipment, the Atyrau re- China is the state with the sec- more open economic integration on cargos. Today with the devel- wards each other, but also the role gion plant will manufacture 180 ond largest economy after the and innovation and promoting a opment of the BRI on land, com- technologies which Asia can play for the rest of tonnes of milk and 140 tonnes U.S., contributing 25 percent of prosperous Asia in a flourishing munication will be a revolution- Such big companies as Google the world. Thus, win-win coopera- of milk products. The company the world’s economy. For 2017, world. Kazakhstan has tradition- ary change. The new substantial and Alibaba are already partly tion is key for growth and prosper- has purchased 450 goats with the foreign trade turnover increased ally participated in this high-level change will accelerate economic replacing their work with instru- ity. The lifestyle and work of each goal of increasing production ca- by 13 percent, including exports event. integration.” ments of fintech. New fintech tech- human in Asia has an effect on all pacity and now plans to also gen- by 8.5 percent. Xi, in his speech at the open- Kelimbetov also met with the nologies substitute the traditional three interrelated elements, which erate 21 tonnes of yoghurt, 15 China announced its intention ing ceremony, underlined the representatives of Chinese fi- banking system. Regulating all the include private interests, regional tonnes of cheese and four tonnes to become a major player in the positive reflection of the state’s nancial institutions and signed outlines of fintech is very impor- execution and worldwide devel- of goat meat. The farm also has region in September 2013, when opening-up policy and mentioned memorandums of cooperation. tant. The AIFC will be based on opment. Such collaboration of all sheep, camel and horse herds and Chinese President Xi Jinping dur- that “The world is undergoing a During his visit to Shanghai, mem- English common law. At the same elements are key answers for the meat processing facilities. ing his speech in Astana presented new round of major development, orandums of understanding were time, balance between capital mar- challenging issues. A6 EDITORIAL&OPINION

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 Kazakhstan’s diverse Central Asia must build history contributes relationships, seek solutions to a united present from inside out hen commentators identify Kazakh- most significant was the creation of the Assembly Moreover, Central Asia should stan’s achievements since inde- of the People of Kazakhstan, which is drawn from By Mukhit-Ardager Sydyknazarov work together on issues of compre- pendence, the focus is often on the and represents all the ethnic groups living in the hensive assistance to Afghanistan. economy and growing international country. Central Asia sees a new reality Peace and tranquillity in this coun- Wstatus. These are, of course, both areas which Since it was set up in 1995, the assembly has unfolding. Central Asia itself must try is the basis of regional security deserve to be celebrated. acted as both a watchdog and sounding board to progressively build its new regional and stability. In this issue it’s time The record of economic growth is strong and help promote diversity and social cohesion. It identity. Up until now, it has been for Central Asian countries to show sustained and has seen living standards trans- examines new government initiatives to ensure built from the outside. a clear and unambiguous regional formed. On the global stage, Kazakhstan has set they strengthen rather than weaken inter-ethnic The region had a socio-politi- personality. its own course and won wide admiration for the harmony. Where necessary, suggestions are made cal, cultural and economic order An interesting situation has de- emphasis placed on championing peace, nuclear to ensure they comply with the strong constitu- for these processes, which is, by veloped in the economic, military disarmament and dialogue. tional protections of equal treatment and respect. the way, over 20 years old, for the and technical spheres of Central But in some ways, the country’s success in It looks, too, at how to improve co-operation be- warming of relations between the Asia. Three states of Central Asia forging a stable and harmonious society from a tween state institutions and civil society. Its role is new independent states of Central After all, figuratively speaking, each are not members of the Eurasian population made up of so many different ethnic further strengthened by the fact that since 2007 the Asia sharing cultural, linguistic, eth- train has two locomotives. Economic Union (EAEU): Uzbek- and religious backgrounds is even more remark- assembly has acquired a constitutional status and no-confessional and historical ties. Thus, in 2017 alone, Kazakhstan istan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. able. After all, as we continue to see today across has delegated nine members of the Majilis (lower A common future not only based and the Republic of Uzbekistan Three states of Central Asia are the world, such a mix can be a recipe for resent- house) of our Parliament who actively work to on beautiful and pompous words signed 27 new bilateral documents members of the Collective Security ment, division and, sadly, violence. promote relevant policies within this key legisla- about brotherhood, unity, but based of various levels, new agreements Treaty Organisation (CSTO): Ka- This exceptional diversity is a product, as we tive body. on the fact that pragmatism of mod- amounting to $1.2 billion; 400 zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajik- have said before, of both Kazakhstan’s geogra- But as well as being a ready source of sound ern international policy justifies mu- companies entered mutual markets istan. Uzbekistan withdrew from phy but also a challenging history. Positioned at advice for the government, it also actively cham- tual, pragmatic, mutually beneficial through active business forums. The the CSTO membership in 2013 crossroads between Europe and Asia and the Mid- pions and strengthens diversity across the nation. bilateral and multilateral economic target is set to bring Kazakh-Uzbek when Islam Karimov was the presi- dle East, our land has long attracted people from The assembly, and its regional counterparts, relations. trade to $5 billion by 2020 and to dent. Three states are World Trade across the region and beyond to settle here. takes the lead in preserving, promoting and, in More importantly, we need soli- reach $2 billion by the end of 2018. Organisation (WTO) members But it is also true that, in more recent times, some cases, reviving the languages and tradi- darity both regarding common exter- As is known, this year is a “mir- (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ta- many were moved here against their will. In the tions of the country’s different ethnic groups. nal affairs (proximity to an unstable ror” year for Uzbekistan and Ka- jikistan), the other two are not. But darkest days of the Soviet Union, not just individu- With its support and encouragement, a wealth of Afghanistan, the growth of extrem- zakhstan: March 15 marked the as one can see, with political will, als and their families but entire populations found new organisations and centres are now helping ism, risks of terrorism), and exclu- launch of the Year of Uzbekistan in these issues cannot and should not themselves uprooted and exiled. Many thousands keep alive cultures which, in the past, had been sively internal ones – water agenda Kazakhstan, and 2019 will be the become watersheds in bilateral and of people of Korean, German, Polish, and Chechen actively suppressed. and water and energy problems, Year of Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan, multilateral relations. extraction, for example, were forcibly deported to There is nothing, however, backward-looking trans-boundary rivers and water dis- respectively. With all things considered, I Kazakhstan. about its role. Over the last 23 years, the assembly putes, the Aral Sea, environmental The new Kyrgyz leader, Sooron- would like to emphasise that Central The result was that on independence our country has built up an impressive depth of knowledge in issues, transport and logistics, unfin- bay Jeenbekov, also started his pres- Asia is absolutely not exclusive as a was home to more than 100 different ethnic groups the area of ethnic and religious harmony. It was ished demarcation and delimitation idential tenure with clear signals region on the political and economic and people of nearly 20 different faiths. In the this experience and expertise which has seen it of borders, building regional rela- to Astana and the region about the map of the world. The problems that modern world, such diversity, of course, should be become increasingly prominent in helping combat tions with key neighbouring pow- readiness for constructivism. it faces are also not exclusive. a strength, but all too often it has proved a curse extremism and radicalism from beyond Kazakh- ers, Russia and China, as well as The crisis situations, which un- Similar agendas were faced by the with people of different backgrounds set against stan’s borders. with Iran, India and Pakistan, as all fortunately took place between Ka- countries of Eastern Europe – Po- each other. President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who will ad- the Central Asian countries have al- zakhstan and Kyrgyzstan at the end land, the Czech Republic, Slovakia It is the Kazakh people, as we have said before, dress the assembly’s major annual session this most similar main vectors and tracks of last year, are, on the one hand, an and Hungary. They established an who deserve the most credit for building a society week, has also made clear he sees it as a key of interaction with them. indicator of the growth of relations, effective four-sided format of the where such divisions have not occurred. Instead partner in the continued modernisation of the As for Kazakhstan’s interests, many and ironically, their dynamics, and Visegrad Group, which is unof- Kazakhstan is widely seen as a country where peo- country. Ensuring all groups can benefit from the of its problems are mostly of a trans- on the other, that bilateral relations ficially called the Visegrad Four, ple of all backgrounds are respected and valued. changes being made and opportunities opening up boundary nature, which can be solved require a new pragmatic approach. Visegrad Quartet. The official slo- But along with their good sense and modera- is essential to safeguard and strengthen the unity only by joint, consistently concerted Most importantly, the new Presi- gan of the Visegrad Group: Europe- tion, there have also been formal decisions and and stability of our society. This strong sense of efforts, without unnecessary moves dent of Kyrgyzstan and President of an Quartet – One Melody. This nice structures put in place, which have helped cement national unity and purpose, which we celebrate on from Central Asian partners. Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev slogan reflects the geopolitical focus this stable and harmonious society. Among the May 1, underpins all that Kazakhstan has achieved. All our peoples have a proverb prevented the precedent from turn- on joint solution of external and in- “One does not dig a well by the river.” ing into the norm of bilateral rela- ternal political issues. That is, Central Asia has to find a so- tions. However, this happens all too I believe the expert and analyti- lution and minimize external and in- often, as the international practice cal community of Central Asia and ternal risks by itself. That is why it is shows. Central Asians can negoti- regional foreign offices need to sys- necessary to work proactively at the ate. Central Asia is probably one of tematically study the experience of highest level, and that is what Central the quietest regions of the world that the Visegrad Group. Asian leaders demonstrate, setting the prevented open military conflicts on All five Central Asian countries tone for everyone, to actively increase any of the tracks over 25 years. The sleep under the same patchwork trade turnover, mutual investment, to credit for this should also be given quilt, and although they see different create a truly free space for capital to Central Asian leaders, both acting dreams, they should wake up at one flow, services and labour. and those who have gone to a better time and take up the same things. Here is a contrasting example. In world, in particular, the first Presi- I believe we should fill the gaps of the 25 years of independence, there dent of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. those 25 years, over which we did has been no direct bus service be- In general, we need to shift away not establish a joint expert, scientific tween neighbouring Kazakhstan and from any paternalistic notes in com- and research Central Asian centre, Uzbekistan. And last year finally munication and interstate coopera- in which researchers and experts of saw the launch of the bus service tion. There are no older or younger all five countries and Afghanistan between Shymkent and Tashkent. brothers. There are interstate rela- could now work together on a rota- Whereas Europe, the former social- tions and national interests. Ad- tional basis, adapt to each other. It is ist Central and Eastern Europe, has equate pragmatism will set things high time to establish an Institute of been having direct internal inter- straight. Central Asian Studies. country tourist bus tours such as The state visit of the President Summing up, the format of the Visegrad Tour, Shining Carpathians, of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to consultative meeting, which was Five Capitals for decades. Astana on March 14 also resulted in proposed by the President of Uzbek- Given that foreign ministers of opening new horizons. istan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, supported Central Asian states first met togeth- Turkmenistan, consistently fol- by the leaders of other Central Asian er only on Sept. 2, 2017 at the UN lowing the course of state neutrality, countries, and resulted in a meet- General Assembly in New York, it is is an interesting market for goods ing in Astana on the eve of Nauryz clear that we need to catch up. and services from Kazakhstan and holiday, is effective. Nauryz itself is It should be noted, however, that other Central Asian countries. symbolic, having acted as a logical with the arrival of the second presi- This means that in Central Asia, trigger for the meeting, which some dent of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirzi- time and economic context lead to have called the Summit of the Heads yoyev, the dynamics of bilateral and adequate pragmatism. of State of Central Asia. There are multilateral cooperation in Central It is necessary to clearly under- many stereotypes around Central Asia have shifted towards a positive stand that as long as this can and Asia, from which partners need to direction. should be solved in the traditional get rid of both inside and outside the Right after coming to power, format of Central Asian five coun- region. President Mirziyoyev set a priority tries, it is necessary to develop In Central Asia, a new reality is to normalise relations with Central clearly aligned positions, rejecting emerging. Central Asia itself should Asian neighbours. His prompt vis- the primacy of rigid state egoism. build its new regional identity. So its to Ashgabat, Dushanbe, Bishkek The sixth player, silent at the pre- far, it was built from the outside. and return visits of leaders of these sent, now addresses its internal ur- The meeting of the presidents of states gave a powerful impetus to gent problems of war and peace, but Central Asian countries on March the positive trend. The visa regime will soon announce its geopolitical 15 in Astana confirms that after 25 unnecessary for the neighbour- vision of the solution of these issues. years of independence new prag- ing Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, that This is naturally about Afghanistan, matic approach in bilateral and mul- share culture and history, has been which is not yet up to resolving re- tilateral cooperation in the region is eliminated. gional issues because of a bloody needed, which they are laying down Uzbekistan is the only Central war. However, sooner or later, after as elites. Asian state that shares borders with achieving military and economic all other four states of Central Asia stability, Afghanistan will make a The author holds a Ph.D. in Po- and Afghanistan. A new construc- case for its rights and interests on litical Science and is Director, In- tive dialogue between Astana and water use from trans-boundary riv- stitute of Modern Political Studies Tashkent is efficient and meets na- ers, hydropower agenda and many at Lev Gumilyov Eurasian Na- tional interests of the entire region. other issues. tional University.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

across the world along the BRI, they will seamlessly cross borders, so we need a seamless judicial platform Belt and Road Initiative: One Vision of Justice that can do the same. The answer is Xi Jinping at Nazarbayev Univer- discussed unlocking the power of creating more sustainable and diver- to make sure that when the dispute By Mark Beer, OBE sity in Astana in 2013, the re-birth of innovation to transform courts into sified economies. For the UAE, it is comes into the “real world,” the the Silk Road as the Belt and Road services, as well as improving ac- Vision 2021, and for Kazakhstan, it court system can understand that In 2017, the United Arab Emirates Initiative (BRI) has spurred nations cess to justice in line with increased is Plan of the Nation – 100 Concrete virtual supply chain and deliver a and Kazakhstan celebrated 25 years into hyper-connectivity mandates prosperity. Steps. decision that can be executed around of friendship and diplomacy. The across trade, investment, energy Links between the two courts have Each country’s blueprints are also the world. The creation of a court UAE is Kazakhstan’s largest Arab and infrastructure. BRI includes the expanded significantly in recent designed to absorb commitments to that focuses on connectivity and the trade partner, with close to $643 most ambitious infrastructure pro- years, starting with a cooperation the UN’s Sustainable Development enforceability of its judgments will million in bilateral trade recorded in ject the world has ever known – and agreement between the DIFC Courts Goals. Launched in 2016, the SDGs ensure the success of the BRI by 2017. Over the last decade, the UAE the most expensive. Its expected and the Supreme Court of Kazakh- represent a commitment by nations facilitating the quick resolution of has made substantial investments, acquisition of a 49 percent stake in cost is just under one trillion dollars stan in 2015. It included a memo- with an undertaking to “promote disputes in a neutral forum exceeding $2 billion in a wide array the special economic zone Seaport and when complete, the Belt and randum of guidance giving practical peaceful and inclusive societies for The future of courts will be one of economic sectors in Kazakhstan, Aktau. Another framework agree- Road will connect 65 percent of the directions for the enforcement of sustainable development, provide of supporting supply chains operat- financing projects in strategic areas, ment outlined DP World’s equity world’s population and 30 percent of judgments for businesses operating access to justice for all and build ef- ing virtually, with dispute resolution such as oil and gas and food security. participation in the Khorgos Eastern its GDP. in or between both countries. fective, accountable and inclusive encoded into the blockchain, with With the President of Kazakhstan Gate Management Company and The UAE and Kazakhstan are The Dispute Resolution Authority institutions at all levels.” virtual currency and with the most Nursultan Nazarbayev visiting the was sealed by DP World and the Ka- both acutely aware that, with a sup- (DRA), as part of a wider advisory The combined effect of the grow- likely dispute being one of coding. UAE in January and March 2018, zakhstan Temir Zholy. ply chain composed of land and sea project, delivered its recommenda- ing inter-governmental partnerships Those supply chains will develop ties between the two countries were Finally, agreements were signed routes running from China to Scan- tions in 2017 to the Astana Interna- at strategic level will certainly herald and advance to the point that smart further reinforced through the sign- that confirmed Kazakhstan’s -par dinavia and the Middle East, an in- tional Financial Centre Authority the beginning of a stronger collabo- contracts will replace traditional ing of agreements and memoran- ticipation in the Expo 2020 Dubai, novative, flexible and global legal (AIFC Authority) on establishing ration between the Middle East, led contracts, and we’ll see them be- dums of understanding, to boost as well as cooperation between the network to support commercial rule the first specialist common law com- by UAE efforts, Central Asia under come ubiquitous even for small- and joint partnership and cooperation UAE Space Agency and Kazakh- of law is crucial. BRI should not mercial court and independent arbi- Kazakhstan’s pioneering endeav- medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across various sectors. stan’s Ministry of Defence and only create opportunity, but it should tration centre in Kazakhstan, operat- ours, and Asia, driven by China as operating on a public blockchain. An agreement on reciprocal en- Aerospace Industry, to collaborate also enable progressive justice in ing exclusively in English. English its economic powerhouse. Soon we’ll see not only the contract couragement and protection of in- in various fields of space exploration terms of security, protection and common law is favoured for con- The myriad of technological ad- encoded into the supply chain, but vestments between the Ministry of projects. certainty that people and businesses tracts and dispute resolution by the vancements that define the funda- also the applicable laws and regu- Investments and Development of In April, Kazakhstan participat- need to trade and innovate securely. international business community. mental re-shaping of businesses in lations. At that point, it will be the Kazakhstan and the UAE Ministry ed in Annual Investment Meeting In recent weeks, DIFC Courts AIFC sees its role, in part, as a gate- the 21st century make it essential for blockchain itself which resolves of State for Financial Affairs, was (AIM) held in Dubai, prioritising and a delegation from the Supreme way into Central Asia for interna- high-level connectivity and innova- most contractual disputes. accompanied by two agreements transnational company cooperation. Court of Kazakhstan met in Dubai tional investors and a link between tion. Expectations from the private This allows companies to scale up between the UAE Ministry of En- A recent announcement from Ka- to discuss their role as Courts of the Shanghai, Dubai, and London. sector increasingly require the bold faster than ever, with suppliers and ergy and Industry and the Ministry zakh Invest noted 67 projects involv- Future, the Fourth Industrial Revo- Whilst such collaboration be- engagement of public service and customers knowing disputes can be of Energy of Kazakhstan, to build ing $7.1 billion in foreign invest- lution, China’s Belt and Road ini- tween institutions might be viewed of regulatory agencies. The DRA’s resolved (and decisions enforced) world-class plants for polyethylene ments will be built in 2018, creating tiative and the need for the world’s as exclusively underpinning the ambition, through continued out- in seconds versus months or years and polypropylene in Kazakhstan. more than 13,500 jobs. Construction courts to collaborate to provide commercial rule of law and trade, reach to global judicial systems, is to – and without the need for human DP World of the UAE and the and installation works are underway greater access to justice. the trickle-down effect cannot be contribute in creating a level-playing intervention, with AI and machine regional akimat (administration) of on six projects worth $539 million In his first visit to an overseas overlooked. Measures being taken field between BRI participants, by learning making the system smarter. the Mangistau region of Kazakh- and 12 projects will start in the sec- court since assuming his new posi- by both the UAE and Kazakhstan to re-engineering the way commercial stan, signed a framework agree- ond quarter of the year. tion, Chairman Zhakyp Assanov of improve the effectiveness of justice justice is designed and delivered. The author is Chief Executive of ment on the main principles for the Announced by Chinese President the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan feed into larger national plans for As goods and services travel Dispute Resolution Authority.

ments in Kazakhstan and interna- tional engineering knowledge. We started our activities in Ka- Kazakh engineering capabilities, Dutch expertise zakhstan by preparing the civil engineering design of the artifi- cial islands of the Kashagan oil field. This other landmark project support major developments in Kazakhstan in the development of Kazakhstan TRo project are largely parallel, CaTRo facilities during opera- al and national capabilities was been worth every minute of hard has been the basis for many other By Krijn De Brabander not only will the design task soon tion. one of the main challenges. Since work by our team of Kazakh and projects where Witteveen+Bos be completed, but the facility itself Given its unique character Witteveen+Bos was not only re- Dutch experts when you see that a was successfully able to combine will soon be ready to transport and and its location in the Northern sponsible for the design but also new manmade landmark has been international engineering expe- offload the first modules. Caspian basin, approximately permitting and approval by Ka- constructed in the Northern Caspi- riences with local expertise for CaTRo is a unique operation 70 Kazakh national experts of zakh regulatory authorities, it was an basin that is visible from space, compliance with local standards of its kind in Kazakhstan. It con- Witteveen+Bos Caspian LLP have necessary to adjust the design to just like the Dutch Afsluitdijk or and norms. Our projects were not sists of a 70-km marine access worked together with a team of Kazakh design codes and regula- the Chinese Wall. I am proud that only related to infrastructure de- channel in the Northern Caspian specialists from Witteveen+Bos tions while at the same time mak- in this way I was able to contrib- velopments, but also included en- basin to Prorva oil field where in the Netherlands. This is to ing use of the latest international ute to the further development of gineering and design projects for a cargo offloading facility and combine valuable national capa- insights and technologies. Kazakhstan,” said project manager industrial wastewater treatment cargo storage facility will be lo- bilities and experience with inter- “The decisions made by Presi- Johan Lijftogt. and re-use. Especially with a fur- cated, together with all the road national knowledge and experi- dent [Nursultan] Nazarbayev re- This is not the first time, though, ther anticipated scarcity of water, infrastructure and associated fa- ence in providing innovative and affirm that Kazakhstan is a country that Witteveen+Bos has been efficient water use and recycling cilities. A large number of em- environmentally-sound design with a favourable business climate called upon for its experience with will be required for further sus- ployees will be working at the solutions. Integrating internation- and growing human capital. It has major infrastructural develop- tainable development of Kazakh- stan. Witteveen+Bos Caspian LLP Witteveen+Bos is an engineer- currently employs approximately ing and consulting company based 80 people, 90 percent of whom in the Netherlands whose affiliated are of Kazakh nationality. The company, Witteveen+Bos Cas- company operates from three pian LLP, is currently serving as offices in Aktau, Almaty and the main designer to complete the Atyrau. The company is prepared plans for the Caspian Transporta- to expand its operations in engi- tion Route (CaTRo). neering and consulting in oil and The project plays a vital role in gas technology, water manage- increasing TengizChevrOil’s op- ment and technology, infrastruc- erations at Tengiz oil field and Ca- ture, environmental technology TRo is the main infrastructure for and sustainable energy. transporting modules for the FGP- WPMP expansion project. Since The author is country man- the feasibility studies, design and ager at Witteveen+Bos Caspian construction activities for the Ca- LLP.

based prevention of offenses and branches of the Atameken National norms of professional ethics were Chamber of Entrepreneurs . This examined 297 times, including is an evidence of the openness and Ethics boards to both prevent corruption those which were considered on the transparency of this institution. basis of analysis of corruption risks. Also, it should be noted that Simultaneously, at meetings of the our agency is taking measures to ethics boards, much attention is strengthen the role of members of and protect civil servants’ rights paid to the social protection of civil the ethics boards. In this regard the regulates the standards of conduct functions who committed offenses. servants. territorial departments of Astana, By Ravil Tulebaev of civil servants at workplace and A significant distinction of the In this vein, within the frame- Kostanai and South Kazakhstan at home, and ensures their anti- Ethics Board is that in addition to work of the implementation of the regions tested a pilot project aimed The original meaning of the term corruption behaviour, has been ap- considering the disciplinary cases Comprehensive Plan on Improv- at granting the right of independ- of ethics was joint housing and the proved as well. in relation to civil servants and ing the Ethics of Civil Servants for ence to the members of ethics rules generated by co-residence, In light of the adopted new laws bringing responsibility, great atten- 2018 developed by the Agency for boards while carrying out activities norms that unify the society, over- and regulations, and, following the tion is paid to preventing violations Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Cor- on the prevention of offences and coming individualism and aggres- course of the state aimed at the for- of the legislation in the field of civil ruption of Kazakhstan, during the improvement the quality of public siveness. mation of a professional govern- service, analysing corruption risks, meetings of the ethics boards, dif- services. With social development, the ment apparatus, a new need has the work of ethics commissioners ferent matters are considered, such Due to the positive results of the meaning was expanded and is now arisen for an institution that does and the preparation of relevant rec- as maintenance of the work sched- pilot project, all territorial depart- understood to mean a conscience, not only aim to punish govern- ommendations. ule and work arrangements, possi- ments of the agency applied the mercy, justice, solidarity, which ment employees for disciplinary of- This goes to approve the fact bilities of provision with housing said experience as well. direct moral development of social fenses, but also takes precautionary, that the purpose of the state is not and land parcels, free medical treat- In summary, it can be said with institutions and relations. So, in order to achieve the goal preventive measures. to punish government employees, ment of the government employees confidence that the Ethics Board In modern society, the term of of forming a professional govern- This is the way how a new in- but to adopt preventive measures and their family members, free ac- is set to become not only a tool for ethics is used to refer to a system of ment apparatus, within the frame- stitute of Ethics Board was estab- which are aimed at preventing the cess to public institutions. the prevention and punishment, but moral and ethical standards. work of the implementation of the lished by the decree of the President offenses. Another advantage of this insti- also a platform for protection of the In the civil service, ethics is very President’s Plan of the Nations -– of Kazakhstan in December 2015, For example, if the ethics boards tution is its composition, which in- civil servants’ rights. important. After all, in order to have 100 Concrete Steps, from the be- replacing the disciplinary councils. considered 1,783 issues in 2015, cludes representatives of the mass a transparent, effective and credible ginning of 2016 the amended Law Previously, the functions of the which includes 1,328 (74 percent) media, non-governmental organisa- The author is Director of the government apparatus, it is neces- “On Public Service of the Republic disciplinary councils included only disciplinary cases, then in 2016 this tions, the scientific and educational Department for Control in the sary to develop a workplace culture of Kazakhstan” has been enacted. A the consideration of personal cases figure was reduced to 54 percent, community, deputies of the Senate Civil Service of the Agency for and off–duty behaviour of civil new Ethics Code, which determines in relation to civil servants and per- and in 2017 to 48 percent. At the and regional maslikhats (assem- Civil Service and Anti-Corrup- servants. the values and principles of service, sons equivalent to performing state same time, the issues of system- blies) and heads of the regional tion of Kazakhstan. A8 EURASIA&WORLD

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

velopment and the energy sector,” he noted. Israeli business people are ready Israeli-Kazakh cooperation has considerable to work in Kazakhstan. Mostly medium-sized businesses are repre- sented in Kazakhstan and there are unfulfilled potential, says Israeli envoy several joint projects in medicine, agriculture and security. Green- GDP is spent on scientific research. April 10 marked 26 years of dip- resources from Kazakhstan, with houses and poultry farms have been By Meruert Abugaliyeva Our country managed to move from lomatic relations between Kazakh- 15 percent of imported oil coming built using Israeli technology. The an agrarian economy to a model stan and Israel. from Kazakhstan. At the same time, potential has not yet been fully ex- ASTANA – Israeli and Kazakh with revenue mostly coming from “Throughout the period, bilateral Israeli technologies in medicine, ploited. diplomatic relations, celebrating high technology and its export,” he relations have been characterised by security and agriculture are popular “We can talk of more significant their 26th anniversary this year, added. friendly attitudes from both sides; in Kazakhstan. Numerous doctors projects. To my knowledge, an idea have significant potential yet to be The Israeli Embassy has planned however, relations between Israel had an opportunity to do internships of establishing joint fund for invest- explored, according to Israeli Am- a series of events, mainly cultural, and Kazakh people have formed in Israel. However, we want more ments in agriculture using Israeli bassador to Kazakhstan Michael in Almaty and the capital to cel- over several centuries. It is impor- intensive cooperation, which cur- technologies is under discussion. Brodsky. Israel, which is also mark- ebrate its independence anniversary. tant to note the period of the 1930- rently faces several obstacles, such Such a project, for instance, would ing the milestone of 70 years of “For the third year in a row, an 1940s, when tens of thousands of as the absence of direct flights, for certainly spark closer cooperation in independence, was one of the first Israeli band has participated in the Jewish families sent to Kazakhstan example,” he added. countries to recognise Kazakhstan International Jazz Festival. Another were warmly greeted by the local The ambassador commended agriculture,” he added. as a sovereign state. Michael Brodsky band is also going to perform at population. We remember that hos- governmental attempts to modern- Fintech and cybersecurity are oth- Established in 1948, Israel was at an international festival of modern pitality and launched the Alghys ise the Kazakh economy. er promising directions for coopera- the time home to 800,000 people. with states such as Egypt and Jor- ethnic music, The Spirit of Tengri, (Gratitude) project,” he added. “Each resource-dependent coun- tion. Recently, the Tel Aviv Stock To date, its population has increased dan. Israel is aspiring towards suc- this June. In Astana, there will be This year, the Israeli Embassy try needs to diversify its economy Exchange and Astana International tenfold to 8.5 million people who cess and wants other countries to a concert featuring klezmer, tradi- held the Alghys project with the aim and Kazakhstan has chosen a correct Financial Centre (AIFC) signed a belong to different nationalities and follow suit,” said Brodsky. tional Jewish music. The band per- of collecting the stories of Kazakh direction of development. However, memorandum of cooperation with confessions. He noted Israel is an island of sta- formed in the capital during expo. citizens whose families helped Jews this cannot be done alone. It is use- a particular focus on cybersecurity. “Our main achievement in 70 bility in a sea of calamities, point- In the beginning of May, we also coming to their country. The win- ful to use and apply the experience “In the 1990s, thousands of Jew- years is that despite all the challeng- ing to the unstable situations in Iraq, plan to hold a huge cultural project ner, a school student from Almaty, of other countries that achieved suc- ish families moved to Israel; how- es we managed to preserve a truly Libya and Syria. and stage the performance of the was awarded a trip to Israel. cess in high technologies. Israel, ever, there is a diaspora in Kazakh- democratic state where freedom of Israel’s economic performance is famous worldwide contemporary “We received tens of stories, ex- perceived to be one of such coun- stan, mostly residing in Almaty. speech, political choice and reli- also praiseworthy, as it recently was ballet troop Vertigo at Astana Bal- amples of noble attitudes towards tries, is ready to assist Kazakhstan. They feel comfortable, secure and gion are of real value. Israel’s his- recognised among the 30 most de- let. The performance will not only Jews, and learned a lot of new things We welcome experts involved in have the opportunity to follow a tory is, in several terms, unique. It veloped countries. It also has a firm- be dedicated to 70 years of Israeli from them,” said Brodsky. the process to visit Israel, study and Jewish lifestyle in Kazakhstan. I be- is a state which constantly needs to ly established reputation as a nation independence, but it will also be a “As regards to recent times, we then apply our experience, if rel- lieve this is a bridge which connects think about its security; still, it suc- of start-ups, with the largest quan- gift to Astana residents on the 20th started from scratch and achieved a evant. We have something to share, two countries and assigns personal cessfully combats terror and aspires tity of start-up projects per capita. anniversary of the Kazakh capital,” lot in 26 years. In economic terms, not only in medicine and agricul- character to our relationships,” said for peace, signing peace agreements “More than 4 percent of Israel’s said Brodsky. Israel imports oil and other natural ture, but also in infrastructure de- Brodsky. Anti-nuclear activist New report reviews religion calls US-North and secularism in Kazakhstan had massive implications on Ka- gious communities. Government practices. These are typically By Amir Khaidar zakh religious life and interest in policies support and promote the prosecuted under a provision in religion revived among the popu- former, thus borrowing elements Kazakhstan’s criminal code that Korea summit ASTANA – Kazakhstan can of- lation on the eve of independence. from the Dominant Religion prohibits propagandizing the su- fer the world a completely differ- Muslim and Christian communi- model. In doing so it does not en- periority of one religion over an- ent model of state secularism and ties were exposed to the outside dorse one particular religion, but other.” ‘unprecedented’ may serve as an example for other flood of religious influence. rather simultaneously supports Events in the past decade led Muslim-majority states, accord- Islamic movements from North several traditional ones. Kazakhstani authorities to con- Nuclear disarmament is of great ing to a recent study published by Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, Throughout the years, Ka- clude that they had underestimat- By Assel Satubaldina importance for Kuyukov, who is the Stockholm-based Institute for South-East Asia and Turkey de- zakhstan adopted an increasing ed the threat posed by extremist among 1.5 million people affected Security and Development Policy scended upon Kazakhstan. Chris- number of restrictions, the most religious groups, the researchers ASTANA – This year is a mile- by the more than 450 Soviet nucle- (ISDP). tian missionaries from Europe, prominent coming in the after- say. “Revisions to laws and poli- stone for global nuclear non-pro- ar weapons tests conducted at the After the fall of the Soviet Un- North America and South Ko- math of 2011 and 2016 terrorist cies have led to state intervention liferation efforts with a much-an- Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in ion, independent Kazakhstan, rea joined the flock. While most attacks. A 2011 law prohibited against individuals and communi- ticipated meeting of South Korean eastern Kazakhstan in the second like other Central Asian coun- groups were liberal, some ad- foreigners from registering reli- ties that authorities deem extrem- President Moon Jae-in and North part of the 20th century. Kuyukov tries, adopted a secular form of hered to an extremist agenda and gious organisations in Kazakh- ist or non-traditional. This is one was born approximately 95 kilo- government. It then faced the since 2005, extremist violence in stan and outlawed religious con- reason for the Western criticism metres from the test site. challenge of implementing a state Kazakhstan has been on the rise. gregations in private homes. The directed against Kazakhstan,” the Due to his mother’s exposure to approach to religion. The report’s authors suggest the law also required a minimum scholars note. radiation, he was born without arms The term “secularism” includes problem is connected to influenc- number of members in order to “However, another reason be- but has overcome that challenge to a broad spectrum of views and es from the Afghanistan-Pakistan register an organisation. hind this criticism is a more phil- become a well-known artist paint- concepts. Researchers, including area, North Caucasus and the After the 2016 incidents, the osophical disagreement: Western ing with brushes squeezed between ISDP Director Svante E. Cor- Syria-Iraq war zone. government established the Min- advocates support full religious his teeth or toes. He has dedicated nell, Head of Advisory Council As the survey shows, religion istry for Religious Affairs and freedom and state neutrality to- much of his diverse art lately to S. Frederick Starr, and Junior has a prominent place in present- Civil Society to safeguard secu- ward religion, accepting only in- painting victims of nuclear weapons Research Fellow and Research day Kazakh society, but believers larism and keep religious prac- tervention against groups engag- testing. He travels the world as The Coordinator Julian Tucker, out- stand in opposition to political re- tices in check. Much attention is ing in or inciting violence. But ATOM Project Honorary Ambassa- lined five different types of secu- ligious expression. Only 10 per- focused on youth education and Kazakhstan’s authorities operate dor displaying his art and advocat- lar models of interaction between cent of the nation’s Muslims sup- further amendments to the law on the basis of a fundamentally ATOM Project Honorary ing for nuclear disarmament. Ambassador Karipbek Kuyukov. the state and religion. “Fusion” port Sharia law. Approximately restricted minors’ ability to attend different principle: that it is the “Like never before, today we occurs when political and spir- half of Kazakhs believe different religious services. duty of the state to regulate reli- need to intensify our fight against itual realms merge. Religious religions can lead to heaven and “Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Na- gious affairs,” the report notes. Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late nuclear weapons. I believe the minorities are tolerated in the individuals can be moral without tional Security Committee has Kazakhstan’s state religious April, the first since 2007, and the countdown for peace has started. “Dominant Religion” model, but believing in God. The numbers U.S.-North Korea summit prelimi- taken the lead in fighting extrem- policy has gone through a num- The nuclear situation has esca- the state supports one particu- indicate the universal notion of ism,” the report’s exucituve sum- ber of changes and adjustments narily scheduled for May. Though lated up to a point when any spark their outcomes are yet to be known, lar religion. In the middle of the peaceful coexistence between re- mary says. “In particular, it moni- and researchers suggest it should might result in a catastrophe,” said spectrum is the “State Neutral- ligious communities in society. tors, infiltrates and prosecutes be seen as a work in progress the willingness of the North Korean Kuyukov. regime to engage in negotiations is ity” model accepted in the United Research suggests the Kazakh alleged extremists with consider- model for the Muslim world. The The ATOM (Abolish Testing. States. The “Skeptical/Insulat- government took the matter of able zeal. According to its own government acknowledged short- a big step forward for anti-nuclear Our Mission) Project is also a activists worldwide. ing” model adopted by France regulating religion into its own accounts, the organization has comings in the policy and was partner of The International Cam- aims to regulate and control re- hands, thus leaning towards the successfully intervened to pre- quick to respond by offering new Kazakh anti-nuclear activist, paign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons artist and Honorary Ambassador ligious influence and “Hostile” Skeptical/Insulating model and vent over 60 terrorist attacks in strategies to solve religious is- (ICAN) that last year received the can be attributed to the Soviet drawing from French and Turkish the country in the past five years. sues. The authors note the model of The ATOM Project, a global Nobel Peace Prize “for its work to anti-nuclear weapons effort initi- practice of prohibiting religious experience. The Kazakh model More controversially, it has also is by no means perfect, but imple- draw attention to the catastrophic freedom. also differentiates between tra- infiltrated and prosecuted groups menting it can facilitate religious ated by Kazakh President Nursul- humanitarian consequences of any The Soviet-era atheism policy ditional and non-traditional reli- engaged in nonviolent religious tolerance and inter-ethnic peace. tan Nazarbayev in 2012, Karipbek use of nuclear weapons and for its Kuyukov believes the upcoming ground-breaking efforts to achieve U.S.-North Korean summit is an a treaty-based prohibition of such “unprecedented move,” but he weapons.” does not hold great hopes the meet- The organisation with its more ing will produce much progress to- than 468 partner organisations in Astana, Paris agree to send 100 ward significant disarmament. 101 countries stood at the van- “The meeting of the U.S. Presi- guard of The Nuclear Weapon Ban dent and the North Korean leader Treaty adopted by the UN Gen- will undoubtedly become an un- eral Assembly in July 2017. One- Kazakh graduate students to France precedented step, but I believe this hundred and twenty-two countries tion and Science Yerlan Saga- ber-June), while doctoral stu- term student visa; give priority will be a simple attempt to discuss voted in favour of the treaty at the By Aigerim Seisembayeva diev and French Ambassador to dents will have a three-year pro- when accommodating in student the current state of relations be- UN, not including nuclear weapon Kazakhstan Philippe Martinet gramme, with six months spent dormitories; help getting assis- tween the two countries. President states and their allies. in French universities each year tance in housing payments, as Donald Trump seeks to show his “ICAN certainly carries out a ASTANA – Ninety second- inked the agreement in Astana to willingness for negotiations, but I huge work against nuclear arms. year master students and 10 strengthen the Kazakh-French (September-February). well as in using the ‘clé’ system am not sure whether the outcome They managed to attract an enor- doctoral students from Kazakh- partnership in higher education Kazakhstan is obliged to grant (when the State of France acts would meet his expectations. And mous number of people to these stan will be sent to French high- to train personnel, develop an scholarships: 800 euros ($989) as guarantor in housing rental); this is what the North Korean lead- efforts and this is very important, er education institutions under internationalisation strategy and for each master student and as well as provide lower ticket er understands,” said Kuyukov in because this should be done to- the new joint Abai-Verne Pro- a two-diploma education. 1,200 euros ($1,483) for a doc- prices for cultural programmes the interview for the story. gether with the entire world,” said gramme. Priority will be given to grad- toral student. and events. The meeting should be ap- the Kazakh nuclear activist. The agreement on implement- uates of Kazakh-French pro- The French side is to: provide The programme will assist proached with care, he said, be- “It was an honour for us to co- ing the programme was signed grammes, as well as graduate free tuition; grant the status of young researchers’ mobility, cause it could also have a nega- operate with them. I got to know April 19 by the Kazakh Ministry and doctoral students of higher a French government schol- access to the latest innovations tive outcome and even “produce many activists and they became of Education and Science and education institutions that have arship owner, which exempts in science and cooperate with an opposite effect.” “There are no my friends. We organised press the French Ministry of Europe partner agreements with French from paying a registration fee advanced European scientific positive heroes” among nations conferences, gatherings and meet- and Foreign Affairs, the Kazakh universities. in public higher education in- centres and laboratories with that continue to maintain nuclear ings in Turkey, Vienna and Ber- ministry’s press service reports. Graduate students will be stitutions; provide French social further expansion of scientific arsenals, he said. lin,” he added. Kazakh Minister of Educa- trained for 10 months (Septem- insurance; provide a free long- ties with francophone countries. B Nation&Capital

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

PEOPLE CULTURE SPORTS Hungarians, Kazakhs are almost ‘Karaman’ becomes first Kazakh FC Astana ties with FC relatives, says Hungarian cultural mystical thriller Kairat in Kazakhstan centre head B2 B3 Championship’s central match B7 Spina Bifida Public Association: raising KAZGUU University enters awareness and breaking stigma top 50 universities following

By Amir Khaidar

ASTANA – Spina Bifida Pub- Jessop competition lic Association (SBPA) was Law Section (Canada, 57th), the founded in 2015 by parents of By Yerbolat Uatkhanov University of California Berkley children born with the disease to (U.S., 60th), Fordham University inform medical specialists, par- ASTANA – KAZGUU Univer- (U.S., 62nd) and Case Western ents and the general public about sity has entered the top 50 uni- Reserve University (U.S., 64th). the disorder. In an exclusive in- versities based on the results of In addition, memorandums terview with The Astana Times, the Philip C. Jessop International drafted by the KAZGUU team co-founders Anara Battalova and Law Moot Court Competition. took 26th place and Kazakh Aida Kolpakova shared their per- The university team participated speakers Madina Arturova and sonal experiences and insights March 31-April 7 in the national Zarina Temirbulatova were into how others can participate in and international rounds. among the top 100 speakers. the cause. The Jessop competition, the The team included undergradu- Spina bifida is a neural tube most prestigious and famous in ate and graduate students Adil defect which occurs when the international law, is held annu- Osipov, Alexandra Platoshina spinal bones do not close or de- ally in Washington, D C, by the and Aiym Sabyrova and was velop properly. Depending on its International Law Student Asso- coached by Department of Inter- severity, the disorder can result in ciation (ILSA) and supported by national Law Deputy Chairper- son and Assistant Professor Mi- bladder or bowel problems, vari- SBPA members participate in the exhibition held at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Astana on June 1, 2017. the international law firm White & Case. This year marked the ras Daulenov and senior teachers ous degrees of leg paralysis and ies are performed solely in Asta- the efforts of medical specialists. wheelchairs so they can go on the 59th event involving 645 teams Alberto Pecoraro and Aiman accumulated fluid in the brain. na and SBPA parents are actively “We are looking for sponsors runway by themselves in a fash- from 95 countries. Smagulova. “During the pregnancy I at- advocating improving the situ- and investors who are going to ionable and beautiful manner,” The KAZGUU team, which Participating in such competi- tended the doctor regularly; I ation at the regional level. They help us open such centres, where said Kolpakova. defeated Almaty-based KIMEP tions allows students to acquire had five ultrasounds and no one spoke at a Parliament session in we can help people with spina The association’s immediate University in the first two rounds critical and analytical thinking, told me that my baby had abnor- December and cooperate with lo- bifida have fulfilling lives and plans are to organise medical of the national championship, logic, judicial rhetoric and emo- malities. After giving birth to my cal political parties. provide psychological support to specialist home visits. Psycholo- represented Kazakhstan at the tional intelligence skills, as they child, I understood from the doc- “We are closely working with pregnant women and their fami- gists and ergotherapists will teach international level. It competed try to solve problems and train tor’s reaction that something was the general public, parliamen- lies,” said Battalova. children how to move around the against teams from prestigious themselves. Teams have more wrong,” said Kolpakova. tarians and healthcare ministry SBPA will hold a charity fash- house and use various household institutions such as BRAC Uni- than six months to solve prob- When the youngster was born officials, organising events and ion show in early summer and Ka- objects without help, boosting versity (Bangladesh), Case West- lems, as the competition starts in 15 years ago in the West Kazakh- bringing attention to our cause,” zakh designer Bella Sat-Myrza is their confidence and mood. ern Reserve University (U.S.), mid-September and precedes the stan region, local doctors were said Battalova. developing an adaptive clothing Together with the Kazakh Min- Hena e Plote (BEDER) Univer- international rounds. unable to perform surgery and the The association unites 400 line that is trendy yet comforta- istry of Healthcare, SBPA is de- sity (Albania) and University of Conducting weekly trainings, family had to seek medical help children and their parents by ble for people using wheelchairs. veloping informational leaflets to Toronto (Canada). thoroughly analysing disputes outside the country. When a child providing advice and assistance The models, mostly children with be distributed at women’s health The team scored 3,050 points, and developing the parties’ legal is born there is usually a 48-hour to moms and dads whose kids spina bifida, will demonstrate centres and prenatal and obstetric taking 49th place. It outranked positions gives the students an window in which surgery is per- were diagnosed with the disorder. the summer denim collection. departments at local hospitals. many world-famous universities opportunity to effectively com- formed to close the defect and SBPA’s biggest undertaking is to SPBA will be partnering with a “We want to invite all interest- including Universität Wien (Aus- pete with experienced lawyers minimise future complications. raise funds to open rehabilitation local modelling agency that will ed parties to partner with us. To- tria, 53rd), the University of Ot- and perform the most difficult In addition, advancements in neu- centres for children and adults provide technical assistance and gether, we can show that our chil- tawa Faculty of Law – Common practical tasks. roscience offer the possibility of throughout Kazakhstan. Such teach the kids the necessary tips. dren are not confined to homes, operating on an unborn baby. centres will provide clinical sup- “We want to provide the par- that they have active and fulfill- For the most part, such surger- port for patients and consolidate ticipating children with active ing lives,” said the founders. New Muslim identity must be shaped based on modernised national culture, says Kazakh Naib Mufti Zhangyru (Modernisation of Ka- Mosque leaders also constantly By Meruyert Abugaliyeva zakhstan’s Identity) programme, take exams to demonstrate their it is important to revive all the knowledge. ASTANA – Kazakhstan, which good virtues Kazakh people have “We have also specified a pro- has always promoted peace and had historically in national culture cess for imams to prove their dialogue between different nations and adapt them to modern condi- competence. During the last three and religions, is preparing for the tions. We believe national culture years, 3,800 imams took exams and Congress of Leaders of World and is based on religious values and 124 imams resigned in 2015 due L-R: KAZGUU Professor Miras Daulenov and students Aiym Sabyrova, Zarina Traditional Religions in October. therefore, our main objective is to to poor performance. The Islamic Temirbulatova, Madina Arturova, Alexandra Platoshina and Adil Ossipov. The Spiritual Administration of identify those values, apply them institute for imam qualification Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK) in accordance with time require- upgrading in Almaty, established plays an important role in inter- ments and shape new Muslim in 2001, has provided training for faith dialogue, promotes unity and identity,” he added. more than 2,000 imams from Ka- addresses the challenge of extrem- Considerable emphasis is also zakhstan, Russia and Mongolia,” THINGS TO WATCH & ism, says SAMK Deputy Chair Alau Adilbayev put on developing the professional said Adilbayev. and Naib (first deputy) Mufti Alau questions about life, death and competency of imams in an at- SAMK also sends imams abroad PLACES TO GO Adilbayev in an interview with justice. A lot of people attend tempt to increase religious literacy for trainings and courses; 50 have The Astana Times. courses on the Holy Quran, and combat radicalism. visited Al-Azhar University in ASTANA OPERA “Kazakhstan has presented itself Arabic language and religious “The overall level of religious lit- Egypt and 30 are annually sent to April 26 at 7 p.m. Brahms and Mahler, as a peace-loving country creating knowledge held in mosques. eracy is rising among the population. Turkey. symphony concert favourable conditions for around Moreover, our mosques are of- Therefore, it is important for imams May 16 begins the holy month 140 ethnic groups and many con- ten full with visitors during to be able to answer questions, cor- of Ramadan, when Muslims fast April 27 at 7 p.m. Favourite Pages of Russian fessions to co-exist and live peace- Friday prayers and people even rectly explain the religion and take during the daytime and indulge in Music, concert fully. One of the most success- have to pray outside the mosque preventive measures against radi- prayers and good deeds. April 29 at 6 p.m. Abai, opera ful examples is the Congress of sometimes. Religious literacy is calisation and potential religious “Ramadan, the month when Leaders of World and Traditional also on the rise nowadays, par- misunderstandings,” said Adilbayev. the Holy Quran was revealed, May 4 at 7 p.m. La Traviata, opera Religions taking place every three tially due to the active work of “To date, there are 2,563 is also a month of mercy and May 7 at 6 p.m. Spartacus, ballet years in Astana since 2003 and imams (Islamic mosque lead- mosques nationwide with 4,415 generosity and is the perfect supported by religious leaders and ers), widespread access to In- employees. A fifth of them, or 21 time for reflection. During Fri- May 11 at 7 p.m. Madama Butterfly, opera eminent politicians,” he said. ternet resources and the work percent, have completed higher day prayers, the plans are to “We also always interact with of the Asyl Arna religious TV education, whereas 18 percent give sermons on important so- representatives of different reli- channel,” said Adilbayev. have certificates of secondary edu- cial topics such as how to im- SARYARKA VELOTREK gions and confessions in order to With the increasing interest to- cation. The other 61 percent have prove one’s personality, get rid April 26 at 7.30 p.m. PBC Astana – BC Barsy Atyrau promote peace and stability na- wards Islam, there is also the threat only passed religious courses. Our of bad habits and traits and the tionwide. It is important to note of Kazakh people being involved main strategic task is to increase importance of helping people in that the word ‘Islam’ itself means in destructive currents. the number of imams with higher need,” he noted. PALACE OF PEACE peace and the first meeting of “We need to revive the tradition- education,” he added. Banners congratulating people Abrahamic religions took place al religious attitude of the Kazakh Some imams, however, are un- on Ramadan will be placed in pub- AND HARMONY during the times of Prophet Mu- people which was shaped through- willing to work in distant rural lic places and transported with the May 1 at 7 p.m. Irish dance concert hammed in 622 in Medina,” he out centuries in order to preserve regions due to specific social con- approval of authorities. Booklets added. unity and prevent the spread of ditions and lack of funding and and leaflets will be distributed to Islamic customs and traditions destructive currents. Special at- SAMK is working on a special provide more information and en- KAZAKHSTAN CONCERT HALL have historically played a key role tention is paid to Islam in Ka- programme to attract qualified courage fasting. Throughout the in the lives of Kazakh citizens, who zakhstan: history, traditions and leaders to remote areas. Thus, 305 month, the whole Quran will be re- May 3 at 7 p.m. Parade of soloists, refer to Islam from early childhood ways to develop projects meant to imams in rural mosques are now cited during tarawih (night prayers symphony concert and during major events such as increase religious literacy and pro- provided with a constant salary during Ramadan). marriage, the birth of a child or mote unity among believers,” the from the Uakyp Foundation, es- “All the initiatives are meant to ASTANA BALLET death of a relative or friend. mufti said. tablished with the support of Presi- promote inner stability and unity “Some people also find an- “As President Nursultan Naz- dent Nursultan Nazarbayev to pre- within the nation,” added Adil- May 6 at 6 p.m. One, One & One, ballet swers in Islam to fundamental arbayev addressed in his Ruhani vent radicalism and extremism. bayev. B2 NATION&CAPITAL PEOPLE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 Hungarians, Kazakhs are Businessman and philanthropist almost relatives, says Hungarian named one of 100 New Faces helps him perceive all the obstacles Bernetsyan, who is also a father By Meruyert Abugaliyeva as challenges and opportunities. of six children, believes in the val- The businessman also uses his ue of education. cultural centre head ASTANA – Garik Bernetsyan, experience and resources to build “Each person has an inner moti- one of the nation’s 100 New Fac- kindergartens in Petropavlovsk vation, the most sacred thing that By Assel Satubaldina es, is the director of a construction under PPPs. In three years, more helps him move forward. I always company in the North Kazakhstan than 500 children received a place find my inner motivation in chil- ASTANA – The people of Hun- region. Apart from business pro- in pre-school institutions thanks to dren, who are pure and sincere. gary and Kazakhstan, who share jects, he builds kindergartens in Bernetsyan’s investments. By constructing kindergartens, a nomadic past, are almost like Petropavlovsk under private-pub- “When I learnt that there are not we provide support for our coun- Garik Bernetsyan relatives, said Hungarian Cultural lic partnerships (PPP) and helps enough places in kindergartens in try. The earlier a child goes to a Centre Head Aleksandr Papp. In the elderly, orphans and people our city, I decided to contribute kindergarten, the stronger will be a recent interview with The Asta- with disabilities. He first ran a furniture assembly to pre-school education develop- the foundation for our children to na Times, he marked common Born in Armenia, Bernetsyan business before switching to con- ment and built kindergartens. We grow, become active citizens and roots and historical circumstances studied in university in Russia and struction. Currently, his Titan Sev- have built three facilities so far, build a country with a rich culture among the key factors explaining then moved to Kazakhstan in the er construction company employs the first launched in Dec. 2015 for and vibrant economy,” he noted in their similarity. 1990s. more than 300 people. 320 children and the next for 90 an interview with vira.kz. Uniting the small diaspora of “At that time, there was no one In his daily business activities, children during summer 2017. The Bernetsyan also contributes to 457 Hungarians in Kazakhstan, the around – no relatives and friends. Bernetsyan pays special attention most recent kindergarten offer- the development and preservation centre has been working during the Aleksandr Papp What helped me reach success is to cooperation among departments ing 140 places started working on of Armenian culture being a dep- past 23 years to facilitate friendly discipline and determination,” he and makes efforts to improve man- Kazakhstan’s Independence Day, uty chair of the regional Armenian ties between the nations. noted. agement methods. His life attitude Dec. 16,’’ he said. cultural centre. “The Hungarian cultural cen- and then to the Volga River living tre was established in 1995. I was near the embankment of Dnepro- chosen as a chair,” said Papp. petrovsk,” he added. The centre’s main objective is The two nations also share com- to revive and foster development parable words, said Papp, which of the Hungarian national culture, makes the Hungarian alphabet a Neupusti.net EdTech company initiates preserve national customs and tra- good example for the Kazakh al- ditions and boost bilateral coop- phabet currently in transition from eration in education, science and Cyrillic to Latin script. culture, as well as participate in “Nearly 350 words are similar,” start-up competition for Uzbek youth the work of the Assembly of the he noted. People of Kazakhstan (APK) at the Born in 1939 in the Trans-Car- rector Aizhan Kul-Mukhammed Way Start-ups competition in all pany in Central Asia. Currently, local and national level. pathian Oblast in south-western By Zhanna Shayakhmetova prior to the final contest. the countries of Central Asia,” we are working on making our Hungarians are among the 130 Ukraine, Papp came to Kazakhstan Last year, the company re- she noted. product more user-friendly. For ethnic groups, although not the in 1970 as a chief mechanical engi- ASTANA – Almaty-based Ne- ceived a grant by winning the Launched in 2015, Neupusti. this reason, we are developing largest, who call Kazakhstan their neer to establish several machinery upusti.net online work database third place at the first global net portal provides information an iOS app (will be available home. plants. By virtue of destiny, he and for youth recently launched the Youth4South Solution Awareness on scholarships, fellowships, in the fall). We have partnered “I can say that there are 457 his family settled in the country Silk Way Start-ups competition Contest and set a mission to trans- grants, internships and other up with the leading developers Hungarians in Kazakhstan accord- and he has worked here for nearly for Uzbek youth as part of the fer knowledge for Uzbek youth. self-development opportunities in the country to create a high- ing to the recent census. Twenty- 50 years. South-South Youth Leadership The project received support of available at home and abroad. quality product,” she said. seven Hungarians out of 50 living “In Kazakhstan, I built three Initiative in advancing Sus- Uzbek companies Groundzero The website content is divided Kul-Mukhammed said that the in Almaty are working in the cen- plants in the Soviet times and tainable Development Agenda Coworking Centre and Andijan into four themes including edu- paid subscription introduced last tre,” he added. when it dissolved, I set up a small 2030. Development Centre. cation related opportunities, June did not affect their traffic The first Hungarians settled in enterprise with my wife and son Maxim Kim from Andijan They want to share the knowl- career-related opportunities, negatively. The content is essen- the Kazakh steppes 300-400 years and called it Kelet, which means with the Edunow project, the edge they acquired working on start-up development oppor- tial as most users love reading ago, according to historical data, east in Hungarian. We are Hungar- Uzbek analogue of Neupusti. their website with Uzbek youth tunities and artistic endeavour success stories of young people while others were among the more ians in the East,” he said. net, won the final stage of the to inspire them to launch a simi- development opportunities. The from the Central Asian region. than 1.5 million who came to the Papp received the Order of Kur- competition held April 20 in lar project in their country. website is a winner of national “We are very proud of suc- country during the extensive Vir- met from Kazakh President Nur- Tashkent. “Getting to know our existing and international competitions. cessfully implementing a paid gin Lands campaign launched by sultan Nazarbayev given for dis- The winner will travel to Al- and potential audience face-to- The team also includes CEO subscription model in a country Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s to tinguished merits across different maty for an educational tour to face is an excellent opportunity Ardak Berdibekov and Editor- where people are not used to boost Soviet agricultural produc- fields, Unity Gold Medal from network with local youth lead- to get fresh feedback on our in-Chief Farangiza Shukasheva. paying for information. When tion. APK and Knight’s Cross Order of ers, EdTech companies and at- product and gain new partners. “Strategy-wise, our goal is to users pay to access your con- “I believe that Hungarians and Merit from the Hungarian gov- tend the GoViral festival. Upon Ideally, we want to hold Silk become a leading EdTech com- tent, it means you are doing Kazakhs are like relatives because ernment for his contribution to return to Uzbekistan, the winner something right. Only a handful we came from the North Pole and strengthening ties between Ka- will be under the mentorship of of media platforms in Kazakh- lived in the Far East; then, Hungar- zakhstan and Hungary. neupusti.net team until his or stan have a paid subscription. ians were dislodged from control- “I have been in friendly ties her project is up and running. The majority relies on adver- ling the Hun state and relocated to with all ambassadors (of Hungary “We chose Uzbekistan to tisements, and government South Ural and northern Kazakh- to Kazakhstan). As a president of work as part of the South-South funding,” she said. stan,” said Papp. the cultural centre, I recommended youth cooperation. Uzbekistan The South-South youth coop- “I think they (Kazakhs and Hun- Kazakh students for the embassy has the largest population of eration brings together develop- garians) were very close to each and nine have graduated. I keep in our target audience – 17 million ing countries to find solutions to other. If there were not enough touch with them,” said Papp. young people between the ages development challenges. Youth- men in wars, even women fought He noted he and his family visit of 0 to 30. And yet, only five 4South Solution Awareness both among Kazakhs and Hungar- Hungary almost every year. percent of our website’s traffic Contest is part of the United ians. Part of the Magyars (Hungar- “Many people ask me if I ap- comes from Uzbekistan. To bet- Nations strategic commitment ian tribe) settled in Kazakhstan in plied for Hungarian citizenship ter understand the Uzbek youth, to helping countries expand Derzhavinsk, Karaganda, Akmo- and I am telling them no. I did not its interests, needs and capabili- engagement in mutual learning linsk and other regions and then seek Hungarian citizenship; I am a ties, we launched the Silk Way and solution sharing for more they migrated to the Turan lowland citizen of Kazakhstan. We are pa- Start-ups competition,” said The-steppe.com Photo credit: rapid and sustainable develop- between the Aral and Caspian seas triots,” he added. Neupusti.net Development Di- L-R: Ardak Berdibekov, Aizhan Kul-Mukhammed and Farangiza Shukasheva. ment.

cause people have various under- standings of this concept. We are open for all children. Our centre Young social entrepreneurs call for celebrating provides extended training for children without identified special needs too,” she said. Rollan won the I-SEED Social diversity through education, inclusion Entrepreneurship and Innovation tims and charity fundraising for “This experience was useful. I “Our school is temporarily locat- (US$91) per month for three class- in Education competition organ- By Zhanna Shayakhmetova people related to the NU commu- started to learn all barriers that chil- ed at the university. We are moving es a week. The programme is free ised by the British Council and nity,” said Rollan in an interview dren face in education. I saw many to a new office in May. We offer for low-income families and dis- Chevron and was able to purchase ASTANA – The School for All with The Astana Times. opportunities to improve the situa- educational courses in three lan- counts are provided for children some furniture and equipment. is planning to expand by opening She also initiated the Weekend tion. I was so motivated. For people guages. The lesson is conducted involved in rehabilitation. The University of Minnesota a new office in the capital to wel- School, an educational project for who have a developmental para- in small groups up to 10 persons. Rollan and Ismailova organised provided financing for expansion, come more children of all abili- low-income children. digm, it always happens,” she said. We use a co-teaching model. We a series of workshops, training as the co-founders aim to open an ties. Set up two years ago by Naz- “When I graduated from the uni- The same year, she considered offer academic, creative and sports sessions, lectures, roundtables, assistive technology library where arbayev University (NU) student versity, I was thinking what to do opening a school as part of the classes for comprehensive devel- and open seminars since April patrons can borrow technologies Kamila Rollan, the social enter- next. I tried to delegate powers relat- Education for All non-governmen- opment. A child can achieve good 2017 for undergraduate and gradu- intended to support people with special needs. Specialists from St. prise has the mission of including ed to my project, but it didn’t work. tal organisation. The preparatory results through sports as well as art ate students, teachers in inclusive Anthony School in Minnesota or- children with special needs into I knew that I wanted to continue my work took a year and the pilot pro- therapy,” she said. and special schools, psychologists, ganised staff trainings and Special regular classrooms. studies in an inclusive area. I decid- ject opened in October 2017. The courses cost 30,000 tenge parents of children with disabili- ed to work in this direction, as these Olympics provided a programme ties, governmental authorities and on unified physical education. years significantly changed my val- those with an interest in inclusion. “We receive very positive feed- How it started ues and me,” Rollan said. “It’s difficult to preserve this back from parents. We try to make Rollan began her volunteering She is currently pursuing her commitment to move forward when the process of education interest- and social activities in 2012 when master’s degree in educational lead- you face a lot of obstacles, but we ing, adventurous and exciting. she founded the NU Red Crescent ership focusing on inclusive educa- need to celebrate a diverse approach Creative teaching is our main ap- Society. Co-founder of the School tion. for All Sabina Ismailova collabo- in education. We have 12 pupils proach. We vary concentration and rated with the Solnechnyi Mir now. We cannot accommodate more leisure time. The mother of a child (Sunny World) Fund for children School and challenges children, as we do not have enough with Down syndrome said that with Down syndrome. space. We will increase this figure to her daughter finally found friends. “This was an incredible experi- in society 40 children when we have our own She can now easily communicate ence. I was involved in socially Rollan participated in the 2016 office. The demand among families with children of her age. It will be responsible activities 24/7. We Americans with Disabilities Act with children with disabilities is easy for her to adapt in later life. did projects and events to support (ADA) Anniversary Fellowship relatively high,” she said. Of course, we are in need of spon- families left behind, physically Programme in Inclusive Education. They also attract children to the sors or investors. We faced many challenged children and older peo- She worked with organisations in inclusive theatre and weekend difficulties in finding our office, ple in care homes. We had projects Minnesota and Arizona that assist school project. but now we have plans to organise on assistance to victims of natural with the educational inclusion of “We don’t always position our- new trainings and find new teach- disasters, human trafficking vic- children with disabilities. Kamila Rollan meets with Weekend School participants. selves as an inclusive centre, be- ers,” she said. B3 NATION&CAPITAL CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 ‘Karaman’ becomes first Kazakh mystical thriller hanged himself. The legends man” and actor Dustin Shakirov By Yerbolat Uatkhanov pushed me to write a similar made his directorial debut. script in the abstract genre,” he The movie was filmed in the ASTANA – “Karaman,” shot added, reported BNews.kz. most picturesque places of the in Kazakhstan, is considered to The movie tells the story of Almaty region – Kaiyndy, Kol- be the nation’s first adventure five friends who go to the moun- sai, Narynkol and Turgen. The mystical thriller. The movie was tains looking for Karaman’s actors lived in the field for more released April 12 and despite the mysterious gold statue, which than three weeks. mysticism on the verge of real- they believe was lost there sev- “We shot in the wildest places of ity, makes viewers consider what eral centuries ago. Akhmet, a the country. While we shot some is more important than material local huntsman, joins them and scenes, snakes jumped on us. Once, wealth. becomes their guide. Itch money we went for five minutes to see the The film’s concept belongs to leads the team, but being alone location and counted up to 30 mites scriptwriter and actor Marat Ab- with nature, they must overcome on each of us, but we were lucky dullayev, who was inspired by inexplicable phenomena and and they didn’t bite us. We had to his family legend about the rich challenges without losing their sleep in tents in the mountains; Karaman batyr. humanity. wolves and bears were wandering “There is Karaman batyr in Ka- Although the movie was writ- around. Thank God, everything zakh epic and there is Karaman ten in the abstract genre, every went well,” said Abdullayev. city in Turkey, but our Karaman action of every actor has a philo- “‘Karaman’s message is that does not belong to any of them. sophical meaning. Experienced human life is priceless, each In my family, I had an ancestor screenwriter Timur Zhaksylyk- one’s values are different and – strong Karaman batyr. Accord- kino.kz Photo credit: ov, who participated in creating people are different. The film is ing to the family legend, he was a statue,” said Abdullayev, who ynkol, where we were told a They say that three adventur- popular domestic movies such about betrayal, friendship and so rich that after his death, all played one of the main roles. legend about the Ak kyz ghost. ers went to find it. Later, one as “The Lost” and “The Kazakh what the most important thing in his treasures were used to make “One day we visited Nar- This legend is very popular. of them went insane; the other Khanate,” participated in “Kara- our life is,” said Shakirov. Bollywood to shoot movie about Mangistau Kazakhstan a city of mausoleums made from pink gravestones of limestone and had been standing for five centuries. According to Kazakh Fashion Week gathers legend,, Seisem Ata was a fol- lower of Khoja Akhmed Yassawi, poet and sufi who lived in the 12th century. Later, the burial Seisem best designers Ata became a sacred place and intertwined with the exquisite ori- was considered an honour place By Dana Omirgazy ental themes, inform.kz reports. to bury their relatives. “One of the trends of the season The Ustyurt plateau in the ASTANA – Some of the world’s – indulgent darkness formed the Ustyurt reserve is also one of best fashion designers showcased basis of the autumn-winter collec- the region’s attractions. Seem- latest offerings April 10-13 at the tion. The charm of decadence and ingly endless diverse landscapes Abai State Academic Opera and the brilliance of golden Hollywood of steppes and deserts lead to Ballet Theatre and Dostyk Plaza set the main tone of the collection. channels of extinct ancient riv- in Almaty for the 25th season of The paradox is that darkness is ers where caravan routes passed Kazakhstan Fashion Week (KFW). not absolute and the passions are

Photo credit: tourister.ru. Photo credit: through the plateau in the Middle The show included collections raging even in a black hole. Deny- The Ustyurt reserve in the Mangistau region. Ages. The most well-known his- by local and foreign designers, in- ing black, the collection still plays torical monuments of the reserve cluding Yerlan Zholdasbek, Judy with colour, which fills it with Staff Report place that has no analogues,” he Ata necropolis, where historical are the ancient ruins of the city of Ai, Tamara Lamanukaeva, Sergey bright, but restrained colours. Sen- said. characters and batyrs (the Kazakh Shahr-i-Wazir, the Beleuli cara- Shabunin, Arunaz, Di Siitova, By suality and femininity are the two ASTANA – A Bollywood film Tugzhanov pitched such a van and numerous mausoleums, Sipa (Uzbekistan), Sophia (Rus- most important elements of the company will shoot a movie film to film companies, includ- The Ustyurt plateau in most of which have not yet been sia), Giedi Afw (Azerbaijan), collection,” Shabunin said. about the Mangistau region fa- ing those in India. The Mangis- studied. Dinara Satzhan, Naiyl Baikuchu- The ARUNAZ Atelier brand, mous for its historical sights, tau region has 40 underground the Ustyurt reserve is Kazakh and Indian cinema kov, Zineb Joundy Ofs (Morocco), founded in 2014, presented a Akim (Governor) of the Mangis- mosques built 10 centuries ago, also one of the region’s makers have collaborated before. Bouchra Filali Ofs (Morocco), bright and distinctive collection in tau region Yeraly Tugzhanov an- 19 of them continue to function. In 2017, Kazakh film producers Hany el Behairy Ofs (Egypt), ethno-style at the KFW. nounced recently. “We haven’t discovered [all] attractions. presented a movie called “Love Zharuma Ayza (Russia), Alex “We want to demonstrate our vi- “We made prior agreements underground mosques. They have You Family” about a young In- Chzhen by One To One and Tara sion of female beauty and her na- with Bollywood on shooting a history prior to the ninth cen- warriors) from the Nogai Horde dian woman who came to Almaty Jarmon (France). ture in the fashion language. I was a movie about the Mangistau tury,” he added. period were buried in pantheon. to find happiness. The movie was “It is amazing, but we, as organ- inspired by folk crafts, namely region. I think it is a splendid He also mentioned the Seisem The Seisem Ata necropolis is shot in Almaty and India. isers, note that the spring fashion patchwork. Quilting or patchwork week is always different from is not a new technique. Even our the autumn one. Given that this grandmothers and great-grand- is still an autumn-winter collec- mothers made patchwork quilts tion, nevertheless, we have many and cushions from pieces of cloth sunny collections. I do not know during long winter evenings. The Astana Ballet launches tour of four cities what it depends on. This may be collection reveals a multifaceted Almaty, Taldykorgan and Aktau April 7-8 in the Kyzylorda Re- gramme the dancers recently pre- because designers send their ap- universe of the woman’s inner By Assel Satubaldina and will present the Astana Bal- gional Music and Drama Theatre sented to a New York audience plications to visit spring Almaty world, consisting of many con- let Gala programme it previously and will visit Almaty May 4-6, at the Lincoln Centre features or because the autumn-winter tradictions,” ARUNAZ Atelier ASTANA – The Astana Bal- brought to the world’s prominent Taldykorgan May 9-10 and Aktau the “Legacy of the Great Steppe” season attracts more attention of founder Nazym Karpykova noted. let recently launched its tour stages. May 25-26. performance, “A Fuego Lento” designers. Although such a col- “Traditional ethno-style, reflected of performances in Kyzylorda, The ballet troupe performed The Astana Ballet Gala pro- one-act ballet and a fragment from lection requires more investment in the images, is taken as the basis “Cleopatra.” than creating a spring-summer of the entire collection: here you can The “Legacy of the Great Steppe one,” said KFW public relations see dresses and images of different performance” reflects Kazakh cul- director Gulbahor Hassanova, ac- styles from laconic and streamlined ture elements and includes a se- cording to kursiv.kz. forms to unconventional and intri- ries of choreographic miniatures, Kazakh designer Sergey cate styles. The versatility of the including “Scythian Frescos” and Shabunin presented the autumn- collection is reflected both in the “Kyz Zhibek Dreams,” “Marti- winter 2018/19 collection featur- textures of fabrics and in the ele- nets,” “Almehs’ Dance” as well as ing European style of the 1940s ments of ornaments,” she added. fragments from world-renowned ballets. The Almaty audience will have an additional day to enjoy the performance of the capital bal- let troupe, as it is set to present not only its traditional concert programme, but also the most popular plays from its repertoire. These include “Serenade” cho- reographed by George Balanchine, “Zhusan”, relating the legends and myths of the great steppes, Wil- liam Forsythe’s famous “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated” and Ricardo Amarante’s “Love Fear Loss” set to the songs of Edith Piaf. The ballet company continues enriching its repertoire that at pre- sent includes national choreogra- phy, traditional classics, neo and modern classics as well as experi- mental plays of Kazakh and for- eign choreographers. Opening its doors in a new mod- ern building in the centre of the city, the Astana Ballet has also toured abroad and performed on the world’s well-known stages in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Beijing, Paris, Vienna, Seoul, Budapest,

Photo credit: astanaballet.com. Photo credit: Baku, Minsk, New York, Tokyo,

A scene from “Salome” ballet. Warsaw and Brussels. today.kz. Photo credit: B4 NATION&CAPITAL COUNTRY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 Shymkent oil refinery reconstruction to end in May shutdown issue had been re- furising, was completed by 4,800 all tanks were filled with the nec- Staff Report solved with KazMunayGas, one employees in March. New instal- essary volume of commercial of SOPP’s owners. The plant was lations have created 445 jobs and products. SOPP manufactures K4 ASTANA – The Shymkent oil closed for overhaul April 10 to re- employers are completing intern- and K5 class petroleum products. processing plant (SOPP) recon- built operating equipment and add ships at Chinese, Kazakh and Rus- Built in 1985, the Shymkent struction will last for one addition- new facilities, according to owner sian oil processing plants. plant is one of the three leading al month and the interim shutdown PetroKazakhstan. The reconstruction phase is part and newest oil-processing plants will not affect the Kazakh fuel sup- “New facilities of the residue of the plant modernisation project, in Kazakhstan. SOPP currently ply, said Vice Minister of Energy fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) including implementing industrial produces 30 percent of the total Makhambet Dosmukhambetov complex will be integrated with safety requirements and improving volume of petroleum products; the during the 2018-2020 draft budget SOPP functioning facilities,” not- equipment reliability and qualita- balance is produced at the Atyrau presentation. ed the company press service. tive and uninterrupted operation. and Pavlodar plants. “The reconstruction will pro- The complex is the most im- The first stage was completed in PetroKazakhstan is a vertically- ceed according to plan. It will not portant process for deep oil pro- 2017 and the second will be fi- integrated group of oil companies affect the budget or the fuel sup- cessing. Constructing RFCC, in nalised in the third quarter of this with shareholders China National plies around the state,” he said. addition to gasoline and hydro- year. Petroleum Corporation and Kaz-

Dosmukhambetov added the gen purifying and Merox desul- Before the planned shutdown, MunayGas. kapital.kz. Photo credit: Akmola region reproductive Education dairy farm to provide jobs ministry to upgrade (TPI) and ALTA GPS, to manage breeding. The main participants ment. The government allocated By Aigerim Sadykova and determine livestock value. will be agricultural cooperatives, 20 billion tenge (US$61.2 million) As a result, industrial and fam- including dairy farms in the Ak- this year to enhance mass entre- ASTANA – A specialised re- ily dairy farms in the region will kol, Burabai and Zerenda districts preneurship and 62 billion tenge internet at schools productive farm to be established increase milk production. In ad- and Esil, a social entrepreneurial (US$189.7 million) for micro budget allocated 6 billion tenge in Burabai area, Akmola region, dition to the reproductive farm, corporation. Organic dairy prod- crediting. By Dana Omirgazy (US$18.72 million) for these pur- will provide jobs for local resi- training centres, a single feed cen- ucts will be supplied through the Agricultural producers increased poses. For the third consecutive dents and develop the Kazakh tre and separate production unit to AQMOL and Kokshetau-Onim- figures in all livestock categories ASTANA – The Kazakh Minis- year, the akimats (administrations) dairy industry. manage herd reproduction will be deri trade networks to markets in in 2017 compared to the previ- try of Education and Science will purchased more than 10,000 sets The industry is taking a new di- available, providing farmers with the capital and Kokshetau city. ous year, the Ministry of National be systematically introducing four for educational institutions. The rection, as the unique project will highly qualified specialists to in- Kazakh farmers supply 30 per- Economy committee on statis- areas of digital technology in edu- task is to increase the availability create opportunities in rural areas crease volume. cent of the domestic milk market tics reported Jan 1. The number cational institutions, Minister Yer- and provide additional tax revenue. The process will begin with me- and the Five Social Initiatives of camels increased 7.2 percent; lan Sagadiyev said at the April 10 The ministry has It will use high technology and in- dium-sized and large dairy farms roadmap approved March 13 by horses, 6.9 percent, and cattle, 5.5 government meeting. ternational standards in genetics, in the region receiving 3,000 head the government will influence the percent. The number of pigs, how- Paper documents and informa- begun implementing a such as total performance index of highly productive cattle for country’s agricultural develop- ever, decreased by 2.3 percent. tion will be completely accessi- ble and mobile to ensure students, schedule to gradually teachers, parents and principals introduce digital The project is the first phase of can get the necessary information technologies. the 9-billion tenge (US$27.7 mil- on their smartphones. The avail- lion) Yurta Park, which is slated ability will allow students to moni- of multimedia kits in rural and ur- Family holiday park to open for completion in 2020. tor their grades, learn about home- ban schools to 80 percent,” said “The total area of the eight- work, read textbooks and use all Sagadiyev. floor complex is 40,000 square digital resources. Nearly 99 percent of schools are metres. The building will con- Digitisation means openness and now connected to the Internet; 62 in Aktobe on Children’s Day sist of three blocks, including justice. All necessary information, percent have access to fast Inter- business administration, sport- from the queue to place one’s child net and 47 percent are connected By Yerbolat Uatkhanov sanitary and entertainment mod- with a kindergarten to questions ules,” he said. about obtaining a certificate or to Wi-Fi. In accordance with the ASTANA – A new outdoor fam- The project will also include a diploma, should be publicly avail- Digital Kazakhstan programme, ily park, the largest in the western parking area and landscaping with able. the ministry plans to connect all Kazakhstan with more than 50 approximately 500 spruces and Each student or teacher should schools. More than 4,000 schools types of entertainment, is under Canadian maples. The park will have free, 24/7 access from his have introduced electronic diaries, construction in Aktobe. The open- be located at Nokin and 312 Rifle or her smartphone or computer to which are used by 50 percent of ing ceremony will be held June 1 in Division avenues, according to the textbooks in the Kazakh and Rus- schoolchildren, he added. conjunction with Children’s Day. Aktobe region press service. sian languages, the latest foreign The ministry also provides pub- For those who enjoy physi- Saparbayev said 2018 is the and Kazakh lectures and interac- lic services; it offers 73 state ser- cal activities, the 3.5-hectare park year of children in the Aktobe re- tive lessons. The ministry also vices, 25 of which have been au- will have a four-season ice skating gion and the Baqytty Bala (happy seeks to integrate all data into one tomated. Its base is integrated with arena, sports and play platforms, a child in Kazakh) social project. It database, implement Big Data those of other state agencies on the labyrinth, trampolines, adventure has received nearly 4 billion tenge technologies and conduct online e-government platform. Within the park, rock wall, shooting gallery (US$12.3 million) in support from analyses that will manage all the next two years, there are plans to and bowling alleys. The educational Aktobe entrepreneurs. processes from one situation cen- automate and optimise an addi- programme will include a zoo, eth- The project also includes the tre. tional 48 services. nic village, mobile planetarium and June 1-3 Baqytty Bala children’s The ministry has begun imple- Sagadiyev focused on the need summer library. The city administra- singing contest and festival. World menting a schedule to gradually to teach digital basics. tion will allocate up to 658 million recently met with region Akim both for children and adults,” he said. famous Kazakh singer Dimash introduce digital technologies. “Approximately 150,000 teach- tenge (US$208,500) for the park. (Governor) Berdybek Saparbayev Mukhamedzhan added the com- Kudaibergenov and The Voice (a “In 2016-2017, more than ers and 1.5 million parents will Nurai Invest Group is serv- to present the plans. pany has purchased playground popular Ukrainian contest) winner 14,000 multimedia kits were pur- be trained to use our information ing as the construction company “It’s a family park that enables equipment for children with dis- Daneliya Tulyeshova will perform chased. This year, the national bases,” he said. and CEO Yerbol Mukhamedzhan combining leisure and entertainment abilities. on stage with the winners. 58,000 scrap vehicles collected Kazakhstan considers in nationwide recycling programme excluding term ‘oralman’ Collected vehicles are crushed They can also receive a dis- count certificates have been dis- By Amir Khaidar to form massive bricks and later count certificate, which they can tributed. shipped to a processing plant in apply towards the purchase of “I have driven my car for so from Kazakh language ASTANA – More than 58,740 the city of Karaganda. It is the first a new vehicle assembled in Ka- many years now, but everything approximately 18,605 repatriates vehicles have been collected in plant of this scale on the territory zakhstan. The maximum payoff has its expiration date. I could have By Dana Omirgazy returned home,” Vice Minister Kazakhstan since 2016 as part of a of Central Asia. for a passenger car is equivalent made repairs to it, but who knows of Labour and Social Protection nationwide government campaign Members of the public who turn to 315,000 tenge (US$1,000) and what can happen on the road, what ASTANA – A special commis- of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Altayev to collect and recycle scrap vehi- in their old vehicles can receive for trucks and buses 650,000 tenge if something fails. That is why I sion created under the Kazakh said at an April 4 press confer- cles. The goal is to recycle 250,000 monetary compensation depend- (US$2,000). An additional bonus decided to turn in my car. I don’t Ministry of Labour and Social ence. vehicles by 2021. ing on the auto parts present. Com- is that certificates can be combined want to risk the lives of my loved Protection is researching whether Kazakh officials are also consid- Seventeen collection sites were pensation ranges from 48,000- and transferred between individu- ones,” said motorist Aidar Mukhit. or not the word “oralman” (“re- ering a draft law on amendments turnee,” in Kazakh), which de- to legislation on employment and established across the country. 150,000 tenge (US$300-500). als. Approximately 11,500 dis- Materials from the cars are di- scribes ethnic Kazakhs returning migration, particularly as it relates vided according to characteris- to the homeland, should be ex- to lone settlers. tics into ferrous and non-ferrous cluded from the Kazakh language, “We are also introducing metals, plastic, glass and rubber. tengrinews.kz reports. amendments aimed at covering Motor oil and other fluids are con- “The proposals concerning the state support measures and ex- verted into fuel. Produced metal is term ‘oralman’ are expressed by tending the regional quota not supplied to still mills in the Kara- both members of Parliament and only to immigrants, repatriates ganda region. The programme is the population. Now, the analy- and their families, but also sepa- expected to produce 23,000 tonnes sis is being conducted. In some rate settlers. We had a conflict in of metal per year from recycled countries, the repatriates are the legislation, which prescribed parts. called ‘compatriots’. A special quotas for the ethnic Kazakhs. According to the Tengrinews, commission is in charge. As soon Frequently, we receive applica- in Kazakhstan, out of 5 million as the decision is made, we will tions when the lone repatriate, cars, almost a quarter were manu- inform the population. Over the who does not have a family, factured during the Soviet era. So years of independence, more than wants to move to Kazakhstan. the programme seeks to modern- one million ethnic Kazakhs have Now, we are improving the leg- ise Kazakhstan’s automobile fleet moved to Kazakhstan, and, if I islation prescribing the quota for with the support of the local auto- am not mistaken, most of them both families and lone settlers,”

Photo credit: Tengrinews. Photo credit: motive industry. came from Uzbekistan. In 2017, Altayev said. B5 NATION&CAPITAL SOCIETY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 National campaign legalises more than 600,000 informal jobs Work is being carried out to re- of these systems have already been By Zhanna Shayakhmetova new employment centres around integrated. The ministry will inte- the country, to create a single on- grate systems with the Ministry of ASTANA – Labour and So- line platform and to implement an Finance on entrepreneurs and the cial Protection Minister Madina electronic labour exchange nation- Ministry of Education and Science Abylkassymova reported that wide as part of instructions from on students, children under 18 and 607,000 out of 2.7 million people Kazakh President Nursultan Naz- persons raising children up to the had formalised their employment arbayev. age of three before the end of this status since the beginning of the “The electronic labour exchange year. year at an April 17 government was launched in a pilot mode in Minister of National Economy meeting. Astana, Almaty, Pavlodar and Timur Suleimenov said a single Approximately 197,000 em- Shymkent in October 2017. The social payment (SSP) system had ployees concluded employment web portal was launched through- been proposed to simplify the contracts and began making man- out the country in January. It ranks registration and legalisation of datory pension contributions, second among the most visited employees in informal sectors. and 12,000 individuals registered websites in the jobs and vacancies The payment is expected to be their entrepreneurial activities. category and has 74th place among one monthly calculated indica- The regions continue to carry out all Kazakhstan’s sites,” the minis- tor (MCI) in the amount of 2,405 employment promotion measures ter noted. tenge (US$7.3) for city residents for the self-employed and unem- More than 21,000 people have and 0.3 MCI or 722 tenge (US$2) ployed population. been employed and about 28,000 for village residents. The payment “Activities on clarifying the sta- employers are registered through includes tax and all social pay- tus of citizens are underway in all the electronic labour exchange ments. regions. The regional headquarters website. The SSP includes an individual operate at the akimats [administra- Private employment agencies income tax in the amount of 10 tion offices] and the central state will also be involved in state pro- percent, a mandatory pension con- bodies. The work is based on the grammes to provide workplaces tribution of 40 percent, a contribu- adopted regional road maps on for the unemployed. Employment tion to the state social insurance formalisation of the self-employed centres will collaborate with pri- fund of 10 percent and a contribu- population,” she said. vate agencies to transfer services tion to the social insurance fund of These regional road maps offer for vocational guidance and job 40 percent. The SSP norms will be methods to address key employ- placement for the unemployed. included in the Tax Code. ment-related issues, including sta- This measure will provide jobs for The relevant draft law is being tistical accounting, the complex up to 60,000 individuals. developed and will be submitted tax system and the lack of some and Additions to Certain Legisla- lation” is currently being devel- of the labour market will help pro- The updating of citizen statuses to the Mazhilis (lower chamber of organisational and legal regimes. tive Acts on Legalising Informal oped. vide access to productive employ- depends on the integration of state Parliament) in the second quarter The draft law “On Amendments Activities of Self-Employed Popu- Modernising the infrastructure ment. bodies’ information systems. Most of 2018. Kazakhstan to build university hospitals Hospitals to do away in Almaty and Karaganda with paper records, economic expertise and devel- called for in the stateof-the-na- the Karaganda region has six, Staff Report oped the draft of a tender docu- tion address of Kazakh President Kyzylorda region – three, for the mentation in Almaty. The issue Nursultan Nazarbayev to estab- Mangistau, Pavlodar and North ASTANA – The Kazakh govern- to attract the resources of the lish a university hospital with Kazakhstan regions one project switch to electronic ment plans to build two university European Bank for Reconstruc- 1,265 beds in Almaty city,” added each,” concluded the Minister of hospitals using public-private part- tion and Development is being Birtanov. Healthcare. nerships, Minister of the Health- worked out. We developed the Approximately 175 health relat- The first Kazakh university hos- pital was KazNMU hospital on health passports care Yelzhan Birtanov announced documentation with Asian Devel- ed projects in the country, totaling during a recent government meet- opment Bank on the University 33.7 billion tenge (US$102.6 mil- internal diseases built in 2012 in West Kazakhstan regions. The ing. Hospital in Karaganda,” he said. lion) are funded by public-private Almaty. By Aigerim Sadykova Ministry of Healthcare signed a The construction of a hospital The integrated hospital is a partnerships, including 50 in the University hospitals have be- memorandum with IBM and Mi- with 300 beds will be linked to promising project to create a lead- advanced stages of development. come the centre of medical discov- ASTANA – The Kazakh Minis- crosoft to introduce the new, inno- Asfendiyarov Kazakh National ing multidisciplinary research cen- “This year 15 contracts were eries and innovations in Europe. try of Health plans to do away with vative projects. Medicine University (KazNMU) tre. It is planned to unite five lead- signed in six regions of the state. The education system of medical paper records beginning January The single information space and an integrated clinic in Almaty ing scientific centres to establish a The projects provide for the con- universities is based on the univer- 2019 by completely turning to with the patient’s data will provide will involve Karaganda Medicine university hospital in Almaty. struction and operation of medi- sity hospitals model from the 19th electronic health passports. Half of statistics and information for trans- University. “The project on building an in- cal ambulance stations, clinics, century. The education process Kostanai residents will have pass- parent industry financing, said “Three projects on creating tegrated hospital is going through hospital departments and required consists of scientific research, de- ports by the end of the year, said Vice Minister of Healthcare Alexei university hospitals are in the economical expertise in the Min- equipment. West Kazakhstan re- velopment and implementation of regional health department deputy Tsoi. Patients can use the passport process. We received positive istry of National Economy. It is gion has signed two contracts, new medical technologies. head Ekaterina Slobodenyuk dur- to review information about their ing a briefing at the regional com- condition and get paperless access munications service. to electronic health services. “Electronic health passports are actively being introduced and 38,000 passports have already The electronic 30,000 rural residents Eighty percent of Kazakhs been purchased. We plan to pro- passport includes vide 50 percent of Kostanai region residents with them,” she said. information about The region has considerable the patient, including to learn basics of with HIV to receive room for improvement in terms of Internet access and 90.9 percent of previous illnesses, health facilities have computers. The region will spend 387 million chronic diseases, entrepreneurship antiretroviral therapy tenge ($1.1 million) to buy 1,427 possible allergic This year, the project will ex- pense. The quality of the therapy computers for the remaining fa- By Amir Khaidar pand to 160 districts and towns. By Amir Khaidar has improved and local doctors cilities and 361 million tenge ($1.1 reactions to medicines Courses will be offered to in- use the most advanced treat- million) has been allocated from and test results. ASTANA – According to the dividuals and groups. Course ASTANA – Eighty percent of ment technologies and register the regional budget to introduce Atameken National Chamber of length is one month. The to- Kazakhs who test HIV positive new drugs. Medications are sup- Dmed, an integrated medical in- The system will also simplify doc- Entrepreneurs, in 2018, 30,000 will receive antiretroviral thera- plied through the United Nations, formation system, in 41 medical tal amount of hands-on learn- tors’ workloads, as they have been people will receive entrepre- py by the end of the year, report- which significantly lowers the organisations. ing will be 80 hours per group recording the same data on paper, neurial training and 6,000 of ed BNews.kz. Only 54 percent price. “The Internet is provided in 32 course. In individual courses of the health information system and them will launch businesses 120 hours, aspiring entrepre- of patients received the therapy UNAIDS (Joint United Nations percent of medical institutions in the region. We are going to con- their internal information systems. after completing the entrepre- neurs will receive consultations in 2006 and the government has Programme on HIV and AIDS) is nect 143 objects to the Internet, Now, they will go online to browse neurial programme. on business plan preparations taken significant measures in the committed to ending the AIDS reaching 60 percent coverage. The records about the patient, his or her The initiative part of the Bas- and business project develop- last decade with the support of epidemic as a global threat by figure will change to 93 percent, as dynamic data and medical history, tau-Business project, which is ment. the World Health Organisation 2030. This includes ensuring the another 167 objects will have In- get dispensary registration informa- part of the second direction of Training will be provided by (WHO). 30 million people living with ternet connections next year,” said tion and check the list of diagnoses. the Productive Employment “In order to achieve this result, HIV have access to treatment, experienced business coaches Slobodenyuk. All records will be found in the and Mass Entrepreneurship using interactive and advanced the National Centre for Control eliminating new HIV infections and Prevention of AIDS is im- among children and ensuring Digitising the health system is cloud data storage. Using the Inter- Development programme. The teaching methods. plementing a strategy called Test access to combination preven- being conducted as part of the gov- net, access will be granted with an project will teach the basics of “This year we trained 160 and Treat. Antiretroviral therapy tion options. On the fast-track ernmental 2016-2019 health de- ID card and digital signature any- entrepreneurship to unemployed coaches. They are all profes- will be prescribed to all individu- by 2020, the organisation aims to velopment programme. One aspect where in Kazakhstan or through- and self-employed people in ru- sionals. Most of them were als whose tests came back posi- reduce HIV infections to fewer is preparing citizens for obligatory out the world. Old paper records ral areas. Among other things, involved in entrepreneurship, tive for HIV, despite the clinical than 500,000, reduce AIDS-relat- health insurance. will also be digitised. they will learn how to develop a that means they can share per- conditions of the patients. This ed deaths to fewer than 500,000 The electronic passport includes “But all records can’t be digitised. business plan and start an agri- sonal experience and provide measure is preventive and the ex- and eliminate HIV-related stigma information about the patient, in- The quality of the paper is obsolete cultural cooperative. efficient support,” said the pected outcome of the campaign and discrimination. cluding previous illnesses, chronic or the handwriting is very difficult In 2017, more than 15,000 chamber’s Director of Depart- is to stop further transmission of Since the registration of the diseases, possible allergic reac- to disassemble in some cases. Now, people in 80 districts of the ment for Development of Busi- HIV infection among the popula- first HIV case in 1987, 26,887 tions to medicines and test results. we are working on several options country were trained. Approxi- ness Communications in State tion,” said centre director Bauyr- Kazakh citizens have been diag- The online personal patient ac- to solve the problem, using both mately 3,300 of them opened Language Bauyrzhan Orazgali- zhan Baiserkin. nosed with HIV. Today 16,229 count will lower the queue for scanning and manual work,” said or improved their businesses. yev. Thirty-one antiretroviral medi- people in the country (35 percent registration, said Slobodenyuk, as national electronic health centre More than 2,450 projects were Course registration is open cations are currently registered in women, 65 percent men) are liv- it suggests making a doctor’s ap- general director Olzhas Abishev. opened through concessional to residents of rural areas, who Kazakhstan, 26 of which are used ing with HIV. pointment or calling him or her to He noted mobile apps, designed loans with interest rates of 6 live in district centres or small on a daily basis. The number of With the improvement of med- receive aid at home, as well as al- for patients with chronic diseases percent. More than 700 projects villages, unemployed or self- patients prescribed with highly ical support to people living with lowing the patient to monitor his to report their condition to the doc- were launched with the private employed citizens who would effective fixed-dose drugs has the HIV diagnosis, the AIDS- or her health by leaving records in tor, will be developed by the end funds of entrepreneurs. Eighty like to kick-start their business grown each year. related mortality rate in Kazakh- an electronic diary. of next year. Patients will be able percent of businesses were in ideas. Active entrepreneurs Beginning in 2009, antiretro- stan decreased from 16 per 1,000 The electronic health passport to stay home rather than visit the agriculture and 20 percent were who are looking to expand their viral therapy has been offered to individuals in 2010 to 10 per will be introduced this year in the clinic and physicians will monitor in trade and the service sector. businesses can also participate. all infected patients at state ex- 1,000 in 2017. Akmola, Karaganda, Kostanai and their health in real time. B6 NATION&CAPITAL TOURISM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 Baikonur – small town of major importance space; the other is Jiuquan in Chi- Soviet Union. The state dissolved By Assel Satubaldina na’s Gobi Desert. in 1991, however, and as the space “Baikonur is a small and closed industry was a major contributor to ASTANA – Thinking of Kazakh- town located not far away from the Baikonur’s development, the sub- stan would bring Almaty, Astana or cosmodrome and the Syrdarya Riv- sequent decline in launches and exit Shymkent to one’s mind, yet there er,” said Baikonur native Gaukhar of specialists resulted in stagnation. is a place of equally significant im- Zhakazhanova. Baikonur remains of paramount portance to the young Central Asian In 1954, Soviet officials tasked importance for Kazakhstan, as Rus- nation. Baikonur, in the country’s researchers to identify a suitable sia is leasing the cosmodrome for south-western area near the Syrd- place to locate a launch pad facil- $115 million a year until 2050. The arya River, once a secret location ity, an ambitious plan for the union. town is regulated by Russian legis- used by the Soviet Union to build With its sparsely populated territo- lation and the Russian ruble is com- the world’s first and to this date ry, sunny climate, close location to mon currency. largest space launch facility, still re- the railroad and relative proximity “There is a checkpoint at the en- mains a mystery both to locals and to the equator, the region became trance to the city. All residents must foreigners. the perfect place for the country to have their permits with them that Home to more than 70,000 peo- make its space development objec- are given by the city administration ple, the city’s recognisable name is tives real. if you have an address certificate,” largely due to the Baikonur Cosmo- The town’s rapid growth oc- said Zhakazhanova. drome in Turatam village, approxi- curred in the 1980s due to the active Baikonur is quite a difficult place mately 40 kilometres to the north. It development of various space pro- to visit both in terms of geography is currently one of only two places grammes, spurring an increasing and legislative arrangements, yet in the world that sends humans into inflow of specialists from across the traveling there can turn into a life- time adventure. There are several options. A spe- cial Moscow-Baikonur flight oper- ates three times per week. Flights

also originate from the Kazakh cap- baikonuradm.ru Photo credit: ital and Almaty to Kyzylorda, the The launch of a Soyuz rocket. closest big city to Baikonur, with visitors then having to drive the re- regulating body. The easiest way Monuments throughout the in the summer. People also walk in maining part of the journey. A train is to contact a tour agency that will town celebrating space industry different parks enjoying fountains,” ride is also available to Kyzylorda. carry out all the procedures. Some achievements and famous cosmo- she added. The special geopolitical situation agencies also offer trips that include nauts serve as a reminder of its The rocket launches have an ad- also requires special travel require- visiting the launch facility; touring ever-important role in space de- verse effect on those who suffer ments. In addition to having a Ka- Gagarin’s Start launch pad, from velopment. from seasonal allergies. zakh or Russian visa, depending on which Yuri Gagarin, the first hu- “I think the cosmodrome, rock- “Local residents are recom- departure location, a permit must man to fly into space, flew on April ets, museums and monuments mended to stay in their homes and be obtained from Roscos at least 60 12, 1961 and a guided tour of the might be of interest to tourists,” close the windows in case of rocket days before the planned trip. The space history museum and memo- said Zhakazhanova. accidents,” said Zhakazhanova. document is reviewed at all check- rial houses of Gagarin and promi- “Youth often spend time in Arbat, “In 2013 [when a Russian Proton points near the entrance to the city. nent Soviet rocket engineer Sergei where different concerts and exhi- rocket crashed spilling toxic fuel Visitors planning to attend a Korolev. Applications must be sub- bitions take place during holidays. and caused $89 million in damage], rocket launch must also obtain mitted approximately two months There is also a healing water pond we had to sit at home with closed Yuri Gagarin speaks to locals. a permit from the Russian space in advance. near the river, where people bathe windows for two days.” Three nature reserves to open as part of Sacred Kazakhstan initiative here is no coincidence. Bozok is the future, a museum and a visi- The second reserve will be tau district of North Kazakhstan local historians offered their By Amir Khaidar a witness to our great history. In tor centre will be opened.” near Botai village in the Aiyr- region. According to historical ideas, and we completed the as- sources, 5,000 years ago man- sessment. Most important for us ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans kind first domesticated wild is a legend about the particular to open three new nature re- horses near this settlement. place. Our land is full of leg- serves, Sacred Kazakhstan Sci- The third reserve will be near ends. This in turn makes the ence and Research Centre Head the ancient Saraishyk settlement place sacred. There are not only Berik Abdygaliuly announced in the Atyrau region. In the sites of historical or archaeolog- at a recent exhibit dedicated Middle Ages, Saraishyk was an ical importance, but some mod- to the one-year anniversary of important economic and trade ern sites as well. The main task Kazakhstan’s National Identity centre of the Golden Horde. now is to market these sacred Programme or Ruhani Zhangyru, Currently, 13 national parks places; we want to popularise inform.kz reports. and ten state reserves operate in them among citizens. This will “Kazakh President Nursultan Kazakhstan. Abdygaliuly added be one the forms of relaying our Nazarbayev initiated the idea that first stage of Sacred Kazakh- history to future generations,” and his administration supported stan’s programme is almost com- he said. it,” he said. “The first reserve is plete. The Sacred Kazakhstan ini- a site of the Bozok settlement “This was not an easy job, tiative is part of the National near Astana. Not many people there was some isolated infor- Identity Programme and seeks know about this place. Important mation about the regions, but to recognise 100 national land- historical events took place here we didn’t have anything on the marks that will consolidate the and the placement of our capital The Bozok settlement near Astana. national level. In the regions, cultural identity of the nation. Kazakhstan launches 72-hour visa-free regime in Astana, Almaty for Indian citizens four-star hotels, buffet breakfast, ar- By Meruyert Abugaliyeva rival and departure airport transfer. Additional nights can be booked ASTANA – Indian citizens fly- starting from $65. ing through Kazakhstan with local According to Air Astana, approx- airlines can enjoy a 72-hour visa- imately 570,000 passengers and free stopover in Astana and Al- 5,600 tonnes of cargo have been maty from April 23 until Dec. 31, transported since the establishment according to a government decree of air communication between two signed April 10. countries. Air Astana offers daily flights Air Astana is Kazakhstan’s na- from Almaty – Delhi and flights tional air carrier, a joint company of three times per week from Astana Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth – Delhi on Airbus and Embraer air- Fund (51 percent) and BAE Sys- crafts. Direct Astana – Delhi flights tems PLC (49 percent). were launched July 2, 2017. Air Astana was the first from the Round-trip economy and busi- Commonwealth of Independent ness classes tickets, not includ- States (CIS) and Eastern Europe to ing service fees, start from 83,200 receive prestigious four-star rating tenge (US$254) and 390,498 tenge by Skytrax and obtained the title of (US$1,194) for Almaty – Delhi The Best Airline in Central Asia and flights and 83,052 tenge (US$253) India for six consecutive years start- and 390,351 tenge (US$1,193) ing 2012. for Astana – Delhi flights respec- In 2017, 620,000 passengers trav- tively. elled through Kazakhstan. President Transit passengers can travel to Nursultan Nazarbayev has called Kiev, Istanbul, Moscow, Saint Pe- for that number to be increased to tersburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Bei- 1.6 million per year by 2020. jing, Urumqi, Tbilisi, Bishkek, Lon- Kazakh Ministry for Investment don, Frankfurt and Paris. and Development estimates that in Air Astana also offers stopover 2018 airports will provide service to packages starting from $1, which 900,000 transit passengers, which is include a one-night stay in three- to 45 percent more than last year. B7 NATION&CAPITAL SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 FC Astana ties with FC Kairat in Kazakhstan Championship’s central match tute in the second half, saved the By Anuar Abdrakhmanov team. It took the ex-player of London’s Arsenal just a bit more ASTANA – The main event than ten minutes to score a goal. of the past football weekend The score never changed until was the match of Kazakhstan’s the final whistle. championship fifth round be- “The fans witnessed a good tween the country’s two strong- match of the European format est clubs, FC Astana and FC with a lot of chances for both Kairat of Almaty. The game was teams. We controlled the game anticipated because Kairat lost in the first half, had chances that 0-3 to Astana in the match for we failed to realise. In the second the Super Cup of Kazakhstan half, we scored a goal and then and was determined to gain re- lost the initiative to Kairat. The venge for the defeat. Almaty team had good players Before the match, Astana had in their lineup and took advan- already won all starting rounds tage of this situation. In general, of the championship. On the it was a double-edged and even other hand, Kairat lost to team game with a lot of tough and in- Aktobe. In the first half, the two tense moments,” said FC Astana teams played safe without any Head Coach Grigory Babayan. serious attacks. The only scor- According to FC Kairat Coach ing chance was when Kairat’s Carlos Alos Ferrer, the result of midfielder Isael da Silva Barbo- the game was not natural. sa made a long attempt on goal, “We deserved to win, but but the ball hit the post. earned one point, and the cham- The second half was much pionship goes on. Astana was more interesting. The teams very powerful the first 20 min- exchanged goal attempts. First, utes, and we knew they would a Kairat defender pulled the put high pressure on us. We also ball from the gate line after a knew we would control the ball shot by Croatian midfielder of more, and the dynamics of the Astana Marin Tomasov. Then game would depend more on us. Kairat striker Hugo Silveira I have a feeling that if we had failed in a one-on-one with the scored first, the victory would goalkeeper. have been ours,” he said. Photo credit: sports.kz. Photo credit: Just a few minutes later, Astana Astana retained the first place finally opened the score. Marin area to Bakhtiyor Zainutdinov, become one of the highlights fourth goal for Astana, making Kairat midfielder Andrey Ar- in the championship, and Kairat Thomasov crossed the penalty and the young halfback, who has of the new season, scored his the score 1-0 in this game. shavin, who came as a substi- is in the third place. Traditional Kazakh belt wrestling Boxer Sharipova to fight tournament to be held in Almaty for WBC champion belt of The names of four winners will be In beldesu, bare-chested wres- of a tie. If the wrestlers are still tied By Zhanat Tukpiyev announced May 8. tlers battle in brown trousers and after three minutes, victory goes to “We are reviving our wrestling red or blue belts of a width of 8 the wrestler who weighs less. ASTANA – Khalyk Barysy, the traditions following the example centimetres. Victory comes when “Kazakh President Nursultan Finland’s Eva Wahlstrom first national traditional Kazakh of Japan, where judo and sumo are one combatant forces the other Nazarbayev said that modernisa- belt wrestling tournament, will widely popular. Kazakhsha kures, to fall to the ground or touch the tion is impossible without nation- be held May 7 as part of the Ru- traditional wrestling, will remain. ground with a knee, hand or other al-cultural tradition in the policy hani Zhangyru programme at the Belt wrestling is a more demo- part of their body. article ‘Course towards the fu- Sunkar International Ski Jumping cratic sport. It was widely spread Fighters may hold and throw ture: modernisation of Kazakh- centre in Almaty. The tournament until the 20th century. The rules their opponents in any way possi- stan’s identity.’ History and na- is an effort to revive beldesu, Ka- are simple. Participants do not ble, but they may not strangle them tional traditions must be always zakh traditional belt wrestling, one need expensive clothing. Every- or inflict specific physical pain. taken into account. Thus, we are of the oldest traditional sports. one who is over 18 years old can Wrestlers stand during the bout, reviving the martial arts of our According to the organisers, the take part in the competition,” said and can only grab their opponents ancestors. This will be a grand cash prize is about 20 million tenge Kazakh Wrestling Development above the belt. Gripping below the event celebrating the national (US$61,000). More than 1,000 Fund Chair Arman Shurayev at an belt results in disqualification. spirit,” said Kazakhsha Kures In- wrestlers from across the country April 11 Central Communications Fights last five minutes, with ternational Federation President will take part in the tournament. Service press conference. three more minutes added in case Kanat Bozumbayev. Kazakh national team loses to Croatia in Davis Cup quarterfinals player won 3: 1, thus helping his By Anuar Abdrakhmanov team reach the semifinals. “We should give credit to the ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s na- Croatian team, it was better. We tional team recently lost to Cro- are upset that the key match was atia in the quarterfinals of the a doubles. If we had led 2-1, we Davis Cup and finished its -par could have won the match. We ticipation in the tournament. will draw conclusions on the Croatia was favoured having doubles. We will keep on train- Firuza Sharipova won the Davis Cup World Group ing. We have the Asian Games in 2005 and having reached the this year, so we will prepare for finals in 2016. Kazakhstan’s best the next competitions. The guys Wahlstrom is the leader in the finish had been the quarterfinals. will recover. Of course, they have By Anuar Abdrakhmanov world rating. So the fight will not The first two players on the other tournaments ahead. I want be easy, but we are holding out court were Marin Cilic and Dmit- to thank all the players, they all ASTANA – Boxer Firuza for victory. Taking into account ry Popko. The young Kazakh prepared well and did their best. Sharipova of Kazakhstan will the fact that the fight will be held player could not defeat one of the Mikhail Kukushkin showed once face off against World Boxing in Monaco, we will select for world’s best tennis players. The informburo.kz. Photo credit: again that he can play with any Council (WBC) Champion Eva preparation a country with a time world No.3 won with a score of Aleksandr Nedovyesov tennis player, as he won a point Wahlstrom of Finland in Monaco zone as close as possible to the 6: 2, 6: 1, 6: 2. against the player with a higher Oct. 24. European one. Firuza will most Then Kazakh Mikhail Kukush- lack of confidence. It was a hard Dodig and Nikola Mektic. The ranking. Everything we do with Sharipova’s manager Sergei likely be training in Moscow, as kin brought the team match equal competition. As I said, the rating game lasted three hours and two the support of President of the Zavileysky discussed the coming for all past fights, although some by defeating Borna Coric – 3: 6, in the Davis Cup does not matter. minutes. Nedovyesov and Kha- Tennis Federation Bulat Utemu- bout in detail. stages of preparation may be 7: 6, 6: 4, 6: 2. This was the Ka- I think, the desire, struggle, hard bibulin won the first set but failed ratov goes in the right direction. “We received a response from held in Kazakhstan,” Zavileysky zakh player’s third consecutive work and taking every pass as the to keep the advantage, losing 7: More people started to play ten- the promoter of Eva Wahlstrom, added. victory over Coric. In 2016 and last one helped me altogether. De- 6, 4: 6, 4: 6, 2: 6. nis in Kazakhstan. Many kids Petri Paimander. The Finnish Sharipova holds the world 2017, the leader of the Kazakh- spite the fact that we played away Thus, Kazakhstan needed to want to be like Mikhail Kukush- athlete is now recovering after lightweight and super feath- stan’s national team defeated the from home, there were a lot of win the remaining two matches to kin or Zarina Diyas. The mini- an operation, so she cannot fight erweight professional boxing Croatian athlete in the ATP World fans who outshouted their oppo- go through to the next round of mal target has been achieved, we in the nearest match in June. champion titles. In her last match, Tour Masters tournaments in nents most of the time. It’s great! the tournament. However, team remained in the World League. She will not be fighting for two on December 30 in Almaty, she Rome and Madrid. Thanks to those who watched the Kazakhstan could not do it. In Now, we will aim for next year. months. However, Paimander defeated Belgium’s Djemilla “Yes, the beginning was not live broadcast in Kazakhstan. I the fourth match, the leader of We hope that such games and noted that they are interested in Gontaruk to win the International easy. It’s still difficult for me, like won thanks to the efforts of our the national team Kukushkin met such moments will contribute to having a fight with Sharipova Boxing Organisation and WBC for many others, to go from the whole team,” said Kukushkin. with the world No. 3 Marin Cilic. the overall development of ten- on October 24. We will start dis- Silver titles, becoming an obliga- hard court to clay court. It takes a Then came a grueling four-set The match was controlled by the nis in Kazakhstan in the long cussing the terms of the contract tory contender for Wahlstrom’s little time to adapt. Despite hav- doubles match in which Kazakh host team’s player, although the term and more children will be Monday,” he said. WBC champion belt. Her next ing trained a lot, it still feels quite players Aleksandr Nedovyesov Kazakh player tried to dictate engaged in tennis,” said captain The fight will be a challenge fight was to be held May 12, but different. I don’t know whether and Timur Khabibulin lost to his terms to his more famous op- of the Kazakh national team Dias for Sharipova. was postponed, as a suitable op- it was because of nervousness or their Croatian opponents Ivan ponent. As a result, the Croatian Doskarayev. “We must understand that Eva ponent couldn’t be agreed upon. B8 NATION&CAPITAL CAPITAL

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 Reconstructed park will Sergek has helped solve represent Almaty region more than 500 crimes

By Yerbolat Uatkhanov

ASTANA – Sergek video sur- veillance system has helped capital police solve more than 500 crimi- nal offenses, including four mur- ders. The system has contributed to reducing the number of offenses by an average of 30 percent and accidents by 18 percent. Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev and Deputy Prime Minister Askar Zhumagaliyev recently visited the city’s situational centre, where they were presented with the sys- tem operation, and experts spoke about the benefits of introducing

the photo and video capture sys- kapital.kz. Photo credit: tem, according to the city admin- istration press service. Zhumagaliyev is a strong sup- Sergek has a special algorithm The major highlight was the way porter of the system and instructed for preventing road accidents. If drivers’ discipline has improved and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to a car violates traffic rules sev- the centre’s experts are now working speed up integration procedures eral times in a short period, in- on a face recognition system which with the ministry and Office of formation is sent to the police will operate in all public places. The the Prosecutor General. The func- officer’s tablet and he or she know-how will significantly help tions significantly improve city will know the vehicle’s location police in emergencies and mass residents’ lives, making them safer and license number and have the brawls. Using their gadgets, officers and more comfortable. ability to quickly stop it. The will be able to watch what is hap- “We saw today that the project is system will therefore indirectly pening at the scene, allowing them ready; it operates correctly and the help prevent serious road acci- to assess the situation and act more city administration promptly re- dents. efficiently. In addition, the system acts to the complaints and appeals Sergek also counts the number can automatically identify mali- of residents. We need to conduct of cars passing through a site, pro- cious non-payers and debtors. another important work – to refine viding very good statistics on traf- To date, the city has 6,365 cam- the mobile application in which fic congestion. It can serve as a eras completely integrated into all information will be available. source of information for the intel- After all, the technologies being ligent traffic light system, because Photo credit: elorda.info. Photo credit: the system and the administration plans to install and launch 13,000 implemented ensure our safety and it not only knows, for example, road cameras by June 1. Sergek comfort, which means that access that 10,000 cars left a particular inscriptions and ancient Turkic ru- will meet guests on the way near has become Kazakhstan’s first IT to them should be as simple as pos- city district, but also where they By Aigerim Sadykova nic scripts. the entrance arch. The entrance technology export product. sible for all citizens,” he said. are going. The 15-hectare territory will will consist of seven arches sym- ASTANA – Almaty region and be divided into four zones. The bolising Zhetysu,” said Alzhasa- BI Group are reconstructing the first will be for walks, the sec- rov. capital’s Arai Park in conjunction ond designed as a central alley. Those who like roller skating can with the city’s 20th anniversary. Visitors with children can go to enjoy their time in the rollerdrome, The project will present the re- the third zone; the last will offer which will double in winter as an Astana to build waste gion’s remarkable sites in one lo- a food court and parking area. ice skating rink, and guests will be cation, said project head Dauren The park will also have 1.5-kilo- able to rent skates, rollers and bi- Alzhasarov, according to Elorda metre bicycle and running trails, cycles. Children can spend time on Aqparat news agency. and Alzhasarov noted the play- trampolines and in play areas, the recycling plant using “The park will include an en- grounds for children with special latter with a rubber-covered wavy trance with an arch, an alley needs will have no equal in the relief hill to reduce injuries. with fountains and Aport Square capital. A Wi-Fi tree will consume solar (famous Almaty apples) with the The project will have a map of energy, providing Internet access French technology symbols of Almaty region; they Kazakhstan designed with grass, and a charging station for elec- wastes, or 50 percent of waste of this sector this year. For the are hills that imitate the moun- flowers and bushes. The area will tronic gadgets. A closed-circuit By Yuliya Mager from the total amount,” Astana first time in the history of the tains, pavilions and yurts. Ten- be landscaped with 270 trees, in- television (CCTV) system will be Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev country, the system of separate gri Square will be constructed cluding 85 apple, ash and anoint- installed and 380 lanterns will il- ASTANA – Astana plans to said at a meeting on Astana de- collection of waste using wet with playgrounds for children ing oil. luminate the park at night. Organ- build a garbage recycling plant velopment with the participa- and dry fractions technology of different ages. There will be The park will turn over a new isers will repair the roads leading using French technology by tion of Kazakh President Nur- will be used in the city. For this an ash tree alley and stones with leaf with a new name and be to the area and remove the fence September 2019 that will use sultan Nazarbayev. reason, 25 garbage trucks and Tamgaly Tas petroglyphs, as known in the future as Zhetysu along Arai and Saraishyk streets. wet and dry fractions technol- The mayor also said that last more than 6,000 containers will well as an amphitheatre built in (Seven Rivers) Park. Zhetysu, the The park will also have three mod- ogy to process up to 75 percent year the company, which is go- be installed in all yards until the park. Moreover, Astana will region on seven rivers flowing into ular toilets. of the city’s waste. The technol- ing to construct the plant, spent September 2019. The depth of have its own Sharyn Canyon,” Balkhash Lake, was the site where The 3-billion tenge (US$9.1 ogy was presented at the recent more than 1 billion tenge (US$3 recycling of waste will reach he said. the Kazakh Khanate was estab- million) project, funded by the EXPO 2017. million) to purchase 30 garbage 30 percent. At that, great impor- Sharyn Canyon has been com- lished in the 15th century. Almaty regional administration, “The construction of the trucks and 2,000 containers. Two tance will be paid to explana- pared to the Grand Canyon in the “There are plans to make a will be completed by June 30. The plant worth 3.4 billion tenge shops to process plastic and pa- tory work with the population,” United States as a monument of decorative stream that will flow opening ceremony will entertain (US$10.3 million) will begin in per has been already launched. Issekeshev said. nature. Tamgaly Tas is located 120 on wooden flooring into Balkhash guests with excursions, festivals, August and finish in September “As of today, 5.2 billion tenge The plant will be part of the kilometres from Almaty city and Lake. The Great Silk Road will night shows, concerts and movies 2019. The technology will recy- (US$15.8 million) have been unified system of collection, the cliff is known for its Buddhist pass through the park; a caravan in an outdoor cinema. cle 180,000 tonnes of organic allocated for the modernisation processing and disposal. Annual BI Marathon promotes sports and charity times a week to be able to run the for? Psychological adaptation to BI Group employee Gulzhai- “After my first marathon, I re- broke up the stereotype that people By Aigerim Sadykova 42.2-kilometre distance in three changes and the increasing level nar Mergaliyeva started with five alised that I am stronger and more with a fragile physique are weak,” hours, 30 minutes. of stress during running improves kilometres in the 2016 marathon, enduring than I thought. People she said. ASTANA – The annual BI Mara- “Long-run training helps to your capacity for work; you per- improving her distances to 10, 21 were surprised I ran 42.2 kilome- Mergaliyeva advises group thon, the largest sporting event in overcome discomfort and severi- ceive everything with the smile,” and 42.2 kilometres in the follow- tres. It’s all about fortitude and training with a coach. Central Asia, will be held May 27 in ties. What do we need to suffer he said. ing years. character, not your physique. I “I trained incorrectly last year. I the capital. The third charity run will didn’t know you needed to breathe differ from previous year’s events properly, control the pulse and with the launch of a Sports Fair. work on certain muscles of the Marathon organiser BI Group legs,” she added. has invited 60 companies to exhib- The BI-Zhuldyzai charity fund it their goods and equipment May will receive donations from the 25-27. City residents and guests marathon to support children with can purchase famous brand uni- special physical needs. Following forms and goods for the marathon, the first event, the fund purchased cycle racing, CrossFit and swim- and installed medical equipment in ming. Participants will receive BI BI-Zhuldyzai rehabilitation centre Marathon T-shirts to shows their in the capital to treat children diag- involvement in the social project. nosed with cerebral palsy. The 16 The fair will be a unique place million tenge ($49,230) collected in for individuals to begin sports 2017 was spent on Solisten devices, and prepare themselves for the which activate the nervous system. race. Organisers suggest children The centre provides rehabilita- ages 8-14 try the two-kilometre tion and operations and invites distance, while older participants highly qualified specialists from can choose among five, 10 and abroad. As a result, 468 surgeries 21.1-kilometre (half-marathon) have been completed in the last distances. The real challenge will three and a-half years on Kazakh be the 42.2-kilometre marathon. children with cerebral palsy and The entry fee is 5,000 tenge 50 youngsters ages 4-13 began to ($15), increasing to 5,500 tenge walk for the first time. ($16.61) beginning May 1. Reg- BI Group launched the marathon istration is available at www.bi- to support charitable organisations marathon.kz. and a healthy lifestyle. Nearly Participants in previous two BI 3,000 participants attended the

Marathons shared their experienc- bi-marathon.kz Photo credit: event in 2016, increasing to 4,000 es. Timur Dmitriyev trains three Last year the BI Marathon was held May 28 in the capital. the next year.