+32° / +20°C WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019 No 12 (174) www.astanatimes.com President flies to Arys after deadly Almaty stays atop WB’s explosion at weapons depot, pledges full Subnational Doing support to residents and restoration of town Business report at improving the business climate By Zhanna Shayakhmetova and reducing administrative barri- ers and business costs. NUR-SULTAN – Doing busi- “Since 2014, seven legislative ness is easiest in Almaty, Aktau amendments were introduced to and Aktobe among the 16 loca- the Business Code. As a result, tions in Kazakhstan rated by the Kazakhstan is among the top 30 second World Bank’s Subnational countries in the World Bank’s Do- Doing Business in Kazakhstan ing Business ranking and ranks 2019 report, released June 17. 28th among 190 countries in the The report studied business regu- world. This is a good achievement. lations in four areas – starting a But we need to move forward,” business, dealing with construction said Dzhumabekov commenting permits, getting electricity and reg- on the report. istering property – in Akmola (Kok- Creating a favourable entrepre- shetau), Aktobe, Atyrau, Almaty neurial environment is “a funda- (Taldykorgan), East Kazakhstan mental condition for economic (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Karaganda, development and the welfare of Kostanai, Kyzylorda, Mangistau the country,” said World Bank lead (Aktau), North Kazakhstan (Pe- economist Stefka Slavova. tropavlovsk), Pavlodar, West Ka- “Local businesses create jobs zakhstan (Uralsk), Zhambyl (Taraz) and generate revenue, which con- regions as well as the three cities tributes to the development of the of national significance – Almaty, country. The governments pay Nur-Sultan and Shymkent. special attention to laws and regu- Vice Minister of National Econ- lations that affect doing business omy Arman Dzhumabekov said for small and medium enterpris- Kazakhstan is adopting unprec- es,” she added. edented systemic reforms aimed Continued on Page A4 Photo credit: akorda.kz. Photo credit: PRI seeks to help Kazakhstan reform criminal justice system, prevent torture ternational gave him the status of By Assel Satubaldina a prisoner of conscience. When he was released, he started to work NUR-SULTAN – Penal Reform at Amnesty International fighting International (PRI) is seeking to for human rights. There he met a Photo credit: Kazinform. Photo credit: akorda.kz. Photo credit: assist Kazakhstan in reforming woman, Vivien Stern, who has been At press time, no cause for the ex- were evacuated by 51 emergency sive devices, said Tokayev during its penal system, step up efforts to working at Amnesty International By Dilshat Zhussupova plosion has been determined and crews, 75 special vehicles and his visit to the evacuation point prevent torture and update deten- for many years. They were visiting no date had been announced for 105 vehicle units. while pledging his and the Gov- tion facilities in line with interna- prisons to protect the rights of pris- NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh Presi- the return of the evacuated resi- A state of emergency in the re- ernment’s full support to the resi- tional standards, said PRI Central oners,” Shambilov told The Astana dent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dents. gion was declared by Turkestan dents and the town. Asia Director Azamat Shambilov. Times. visited the town of Arys June 24 The President instructed during Region Akim (Governor) Umirzak The Kazakh Ministry of De- The organisation has been work- A group of criminal justice and shortly after an explosion at an his visit the ministers of defence Shukeyev immediately after the fence has also formed a commis- ing for 30 years across 90 coun- human rights activists founded the ammunition depot on the same day and internal affairs to work with lo- explosions began. sion to investigate the cause of the tries worldwide. organisation in 1989 to ensure fair killed two, injured dozens and re- cal authorities to extinguish the re- “A criminal investigation on the explosions. “There was one person, Ahmed and effective criminal justice sys- sulted in the evacuation of tens of maining fires at and near the depot. incident was opened. The perpe- A working group headed by Othmani, who was a former pris- tem, build a dialogue with the state thousands of city residents. The explosion and resulting trators will be prosecuted under Shukeyev and headquartered at the oner. He had been in prison for and address the rights of suspects, The explosion occurred on a fires at the depot began at 9:20 the law,” the President wrote in Zhambyl School in Arys includes 12 years. He was sentenced due offenders and prisoners. military base just outside of Arys. a.m. June 24 near the town of an early morning tweet on June the region’s healthcare depart- to his political views. Amnesty In- Continued on Page B4 The explosion sent debris flying, Arys, approximately 100 kilo- 25 after attending a meeting on ment, prosecutor’s office and law which damaged nearby private metres from Shymkent, and addressing the aftermath of the enforcement agencies. Shukeyev property and ignited additional continued through mid-day June explosions, visiting an evacuation also visited a kindergarten, hospi- fires nearby. No additional explo- 25, reports the Kazakh Ministry point and surveying the town and tal, police department and residen- sions have been reported in the of Internal Affairs’ Emergency people’s temporary accommoda- tial buildings June 24 to assess the ICD seeks to increase Central city itself, but all 44,000 residents Situations Committee. Approxi- tion. situation. were evacuated as a precaution. mately 44,000 people in Arys Arys will be cleared of all explo- Continued on Page A2 Asian participation in Islamic Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlines finance, says company chair tral Asian region will be better By Aidana Yergaliyeva integrated with the Islamic capi- tal market or “100 financial in- reforms in inauguration speech NUR-SULTAN – Islamic Cor- stitutions that are dealing with us more than 2,500 people including poration for the Development of (ICD) and we have ownership in,” By Saltanat Boteu members of the Government, the the Private Sector (ICD) seeks to said Sejiny. diplomatic corps and the many Nur advance the private sector in Cen- The IDB, for example, has ap- NUR-SULTAN – The inaugura- Otan party members who worked tral Asia through funding agricul- proved approximately 70 projects tion of Kazakh President Kassym- on his campaign. He gave a speech tural and transport infrastructure in Kazakhstan worth $1.61 bil- Jomart Tokayev took place June elaborating on the plans and aims projects, thus hoping to include lion. The bank’s first priority is 12 at the Palace of Independence he put before Kazakhstan. them in the Islamic Finance mar- financing operations in transport in the capital. Tokayev swore an The President emphasised he will ket, ICD CEO and General Man- infrastructure development, which oath to the people of the country follow the strategies developed by ager Ayman Sejiny told The Asta- accounts for 55.8 percent of all op- and officially assumed the of- Nazarbayev, such as the Third Mod- na Times. erations. The area receives most fice of President, emphasising ernisation, 100 Concrete Steps to Im- Founded in November 1999, of the company’s attention, as the he will continue developing and plement Five Institutional Reforms ICD is an independent subsidi- movement of goods and services implementing founding and First and Digital Kazakhstan programme. ary of Islamic Development Bank is key for any business to flourish Kazakh President Nursultan Naz- “A large-scale task in the realities (IDB or IsDB). The organisation and social income to grow. arbayev’s vision of the country’s of the 21st century is digitisation. complements IDB development Financing is also directed to- development and social and eco- It should affect all spheres of life: and promotes the private sector in wards agriculture (23.3 percent) nomic reforms. from the provision of public servic- member countries to ensure their and small and medium-sized en- “I solemnly swear to faithfully es to the creation of future econo- economic growth. ICD identifies terprises (SMEs) and the financial serve the people of Kazakhstan, my sectors. The country’s develop- investment opportunities in the sector (19 percent combined). strictly follow the Constitution ment, including political progress, private sector of member countries “SMEs are our main target, and the laws of Kazakhstan, guar- akorda.kz. Photo credit: is directly related to digitisation. It and offers compatible Sharia finan- and we definitely want to support antee the rights and freedoms of will qualitatively change the con- cial products and services to ex- member countries, including Ka- Tokayev, putting his right hand on certificate from Central Election citizens, conscientiously perform tent of relations between the state pand their access to Islamic capital zakhstan,” he said. the high duties of the President of the Kazakh Constitution. Commission Chair Berik Imashev, and society,” he said. markets. Kazakhstan entrusted to me,” said After receiving a presidential Tokayev addressed the gathering of Continued on Page A2 The member states in the Cen- Continued on Page A4 INSIDE NATION ECONOMY EDITORIAL BUSINESS NATION&CAPITAL President makes new central and regional GDP showing steady growth, Newly elected President to focus on economic Aktobe workshop begins rail cargo soft Zerenda-Schuchinsk highway to be improved government appointments A2 says minister A4 prosperity, multi-vector foreign policy and container production A7 to make region more attractive to tourists B1 fight against corruptionA6 Focus on improved civil services, fight against Ministry of Agriculture upgrades equipment, Camel wool, powdered camel and horse milk Kobyz sounds, Korkyt Ata legends attract corruption A2 increases crop variety A4 to be exported to China A8 tourists to Kyzylorda Region B6 US$ 1 = 378.83 KZT € 1 = 430.99 KZT 1 = 6.04 KZT A2 NATION WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019 NATIONAL President makes new central and regional government appointments NEWS IN BRIEF solid household waste and pro- et Planning and Finance.