0° / -7°C WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 No 5 (167) www.astanatimes.com Women play important role in Kazakh EBRD predicts 3.5-percent economy, says President GDP growth for Kazakhstan in 2019 “Oil is a large part of exports,” By Zhanna Shayakhmetova he added. “Roughly 65 percent of exports in dollar terms are oil ex- ASTANA – The European Bank ports. There has been a significant for Reconstruction and Develop- increase since 2016. This peaked ment (EBRD) Transition Report in the third quarter of 2018, mostly forecasts steady growth for the Ka- because prices have come down. zakh economy, as major structural There was also an increase in pro- reforms are expected to improve duction, like a 5 percent increase the situation further. in 2018 over 2017, as Kashagan “Kazakhstan’s real GDP grew 4 started to produce more.” percent in 2017 and a little bit more Private consumption has been in 2018. This has been driven since a growth driver largely because 2017 primarily by exports and a real incomes finally started to im- recovery in private consumption prove last year. The solid growth, has started to be a driver of GDP however, was neither driven nor growth since 2018,” said EBRD accompanied by credit expansion, Associate Director and Lead Re- credit growth or the banking sys- gional Economist Hans Holzhack- tem as a whole. er at the Feb. 27 presentation. Continued on Page A4

Photo credit: akorda.kz. Photo credit: EU-Kazakhstan relations Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev sings with Koktem Shuagy (Spring Light) women’s community representatives at the Akorda on March 7.

potential in business, the creative rently, on average we have three social support for large families By Saltanat Boteu sphere and sports. For us, for men, children in one family and approx- with low incomes. Social pay- evolving cooperatively, it is time to think of how to keep imately 400,000 babies are born ments and benefits, wages of low- ASTANA – Kazakh President up with you,” he said. in a year. Children are the wealth paid public sector workers will be Nursultan Nazarbayev met at the “In our dynamic, full of innova- and pride not only of a family, but raised, housing will be built. There Akorda March 7 with Koktem tions century, you fruitfully live a valuable capital of the country. are the Baqytty Otbasy (Happy providing a model for Shuagy (Spring Light) women’s up to your potential and [use your] Therefore, our mothers, and espe- Family), Qutty Meken (Blessed community representatives to con- abilities for the good of the coun- cially those with many children, Home) and Auyl – El Besigi (Vil- gratulate the country’s female pop- try. You reach new heights and sig- deserve deep respect and grati- lage is the birthplace of a nation) region, says EU envoy ulation on the International Wom- nificant results in many areas and tude. They are making a real feat projects that are aimed at system- en’s Day (March 8). He stressed directions. In fact, women are the of motherhood, multiplying the atic support [of the families],” he aid, so our focus is shifting from the important role of women in the agents of my ideas for modernisa- benefits of the nation,” he said. said. By Saltanat Boteu earlier bilateral programmes to capacity-building ones with a re- country’s economic development. tion,” he added. The President also stressed the Every year on the eve of Interna- ASTANA – The European Un- gional dimension.” “Today, female workers in edu- Nazarbayev also spoke about the importance of new large-scale tional Women’s Day, the President ion is Kazakhstan’s biggest foreign The EU and Kazakhstan signed cation and health care comprise role of women in educating future social projects to support moth- meets with women from various investor, and Kazakhstan is the their Enhanced Partnership and 70 percent; in the financial and in- generations of Kazakh citizens. ers with many children, noting the fields to congratulate them and EU’s closest political and econom- Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) surance sector, 60 percent, and in “It is a woman who presents the amount of assistance will consist- discuss ways to expand their ac- ic partner among the countries of in December 2015. The agreement agriculture, 45 percent. There are most important [thing] – the mira- ently increase. tive participation in the country’s Central Asia while EU-Kazakhstan is now the main document fram- many of those who live up to their cle of birth – to the world. Cur- “They are aimed at enhancing economy. cooperation is expanding in educa- ing EU-Kazakhstan relations and tion, research, trade, transport, ag- provides the legal framework for riculture and environmental work, developing bilateral relations in 29 among many areas, the European key policy areas, such as political envoy in Astana said. dialogue, human rights, energy, Official diplomatic relations transport, the environment and cli- Nazarbayev urges measures between the EU and Kazakhstan mate change, employment and so- were established in 1993, and cial affairs, culture, education and since then, the EU has provided research. to improve living standards official development assistance to “The EPCA is a so-called new- the country. generation agreement, which also “Over 350 projects amounting serves as a model of future coop- to 180 million euros [US$204.12 eration for other countries. It is million] have been funded by the not by chance that Kyrgyzstan and EU, notably focusing on strength- Uzbekistan would like to follow ening the capacity of regional and the Kazakh example and sign a local government, justice sector similar framework agreement with reform and human rights,” the the EU. The EPCA with Kazakh- Ambassador, Sven-Olov Carls- stan has been provisionally im- son, an experienced Swedish and plemented for almost three years European diplomat, said in an in- [since May 2016] and provides a terview for this story. “Nowadays significant boost to economic and Kazakhstan is defined as an ‘upper political ties between the EU and mid-income’ country and does not Kazakhstan,” said Carlsson. qualify anymore for our bilateral Continued on Page A3

“I instruct the government to gional governors), the government, and families with children with By Saltanat Boteu increase the criterion for provid- the party and the Atameken Na- disabilities. ing targeted social assistance for tional Chamber of Entrepreneurs “It is necessary to intensify work ASTANA – Kazakh President people in need, especially large should jointly help people with on construction of housing. I in- California native preserves Nursultan Nazarbayev outlined at families, to 70 percent of the sub- these issues. The akims should struct to build more than 40,000 the Feb. 27 18th Congress of Nur sistence minimum (29,698 tenge review the regional assistance pro- rental apartments for large and Otan Party efforts to improve so- (US$78.8))… To establish a mini- grammes for families in need,” he low-income families as a part of Soviet monumental art cial supports and living standards mum [monthy] payment of approx- said. the Nurly Zher programme. In the in Kazakhstan. According to the imately 21,000 tenge (US$55.7) The President also set goals to in- next seven years, 50 billion tenge but mosaics especially have such a instructions from the head of state, for each child in a large family… I crease the salaries of public sector (US$132.6 million) will be allocat- By Dilshat Zhussupova physicality to them that they made a strong impression on me.” the government will allocate two also instruct to increase allowance workers in healthcare, education, ed for this purpose annually,” said Socialist realism was the So- trillion tenge (US$5.3 billion) from for parents, guardians and families social care, culture and sports. Nazarbayev. ASTANA – California native viet Union’s official art style from the country’s budget for social pro- raising children with disabilities by “I instruct from July 1 to increase The healthcare system is also and Kazakh TV’s Discovering 1932-1988, but he sees Soviet jects over the next three years. 30 percent,” said the President. wages for low-paid public sec- Kazakhstan host Dennis Keen has slated for a funding increase. monumental art as more stylised The social assistance should tor employees and to grass-roots lived in Almaty for six years. It The congress approved the par- High-quality healthcare services than realistic. ty’s agenda until 2030. reach 830,000 people, including workers of executive bodies who should be available in any part was in his adopted city that Soviet monumental art first caught his “Because monumental art was “Nur Otan promotes the adop- 550,000 children. work with citizens at the regional of the country, said the President, considered decorative art rather tion of necessary state decisions. He also spoke about the need to level and in the villages by 30 and calling for an increase in health- eye. Keen, who spoke about the than fine art, monumental artists New time dictates new challenges. create more flexible employment 25 percent respectively,” said the care spending. were often given more stylistic country and its art in an interview The main thing is to work out the opportunities for parents of large President. “For development of this task, freedom than their colleagues who with The Astana Times, was just right direction of development and families, including opportunities to “There is a serious disproportion additionally, I instruct to allocate were easel painters – that may be to mobilise the society… Today, the work from home. He also said mi- between the centre and the regions, approximately 120 billion tenge three years old when the Soviet one aspect that is leading to a reap- congress is considering a party pro- crocredits should be made available we need to support regions. Addi- (US$318.24 million). As a result, Union dissolved in 1991. praisal of Soviet monumental art,” gramme until 2030. Ten goals in the to rural residents. tionally, 980 billion tenge (US$2.6 the quality and availability of inpa- “People notice things that are he noted. “Perception of this kind next ten years are developed on my “The basic principle of social billion) will be allocated for these tient medical care in seven regions new to them and, growing up in of art is also changing with time, instructions,” said the President. assistance is a social contract and purposes,” he added. will increase covering approxi- the United States, we never had as the Soviet era recedes into the Nazarbayev said social assistance the mandatory participation of The President spoke about hous- mately 100,000 families,” said art like this in our public spaces,” past and people can more neutrally should be directed towards low-in- able-bodied people in employment ing issues, especially the availabil- Nazarbayev. he said. “There are many murals evaluate its legacy.” come citizens and large families. measures. Akims (mayors and re- ity of housing for large families Continued on Page A2 in Los Angeles, where I grew up, Continued on Page A2

INSIDE NATION ECONOMY EDITORIAL BUSINESS NATION&CAPITAL Kazakhstan, Vietnam to provide mutual legal The country plans to export nine million Kazakhstan proud of gender equality Central Asia’s largest tin deposit expected to Norwegian embarks on solo crossing of assistance on criminal cases A2 tonnes of grain and flour A4 efforts, continues to seek more equitable spur Kazakhstan’s non-ferrous metal Balkhash Lake for first time in Kazakh Expert Council on Digitisation discusses Nazarbayev urges measures to improve living society A6 industry A7 history B1 e-government, developing startup culture A2 standards A4 Rakhat Confectionery shows stable growth, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan to increase airline flight leads in chocolate market A8 frequency B6

US$ 1 = 377.99 KZT € 1 = 426.11 KZT 1 = 5.75 KZT A2 NATION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

NATIONAL Solid waste recycling Kazakhstan, Vietnam NEWS IN BRIEF Russian company 2GIS has launched a city information centre application for Atyrau, reports Ka- may partially meet to provide mutual legal zinform. More than 9,000 social, cultural, residential and business facilities are included in the free mobile app. “The city is growing, energy needs, say assistance on criminal cases developing. We will add new facili- of property and proceeds from the Kazakh-Vietnamese Intergov- ties each month. All information is Staff Report criminal activity. The agreement ernmental Commission for Trade, entered free of charge. It also has regulates the conditions and proce- Economic and Scientific-techni- information about the urban public NU researchers ASTANA – Kazakhstan and dure for the provision of legal as- cal Cooperation operating since transport in 23 route directions. The Vietnam will provide mutual le- sistance, as well as circumstances 1997. Trade turnover between the app works offline. We now have 10 gal assistance on criminal cases, precluding the possibility of its two countries was $233.2 million people in our team and it took four following the Kazakh Mazhilis’ provision,” said Kazakh Deputy in 2013, $271.9 million in 2014, months to study the city,” Timur (lower house of Parliament) ap- Prosecutor General Andrey Lukin $205.8 million in 2015, $392.5 Faizulin, commercial director of the proval of a bill on the ratification in the Mazhilis while presenting million in 2016, $542.7 million in 2GIS information centre, said at a of a treaty regulating assistance the bill on the ratification. 2017 and more than $500 million briefing on the launch. and investigative actions between Provision of assistance may be in 2018. the two countries at a late February fully or partially withheld when Vietnam exports telephones, Olshem.kz, a website measuring plenary session. executing a request that is con- computers, electronic compo- key indicators of leading informa- The treaty was signed in Hanoi, trary to legislation or international nents and agricultural products tion portals, has been launched. Vietnam in June 2017. Kazakhstan treaties or may damage the sover- to Kazakhstan, mostly import- Twenty-five websites are participat- has signed and ratified similar trea- eignty, security and public order ing chemicals, ores, minerals and ing in the project. Olshem displays ties with 27 other countries and is of the requested party and if there wheat from its Central Asian part- data analytics on five key indicators developing similar agreements is reason to believe that a person ner. Cooperation between the two in real time: information about visi- with Cuba, Greece and North is subject to criminal prosecution countries in transport and logistics tors, the number of unique users, us- Macedonia. because of his or her race, gender, has particularly great potential, ers’ geodata, traffic sources, and the “The treaty governs the provi- religion, nationality or political be- noted Kazakh Ambassador to Vi- best publications in the last 24 hours, sion of legal assistance in criminal liefs. etnam Beketzhan Zhumakhanov at seven days and 30 days. Olshem cases and provides for the investi- Lukin noted Kazakh-Vietnam- an Oct. 24 press briefing in Hanoi. visitors can access a comparative gative actions necessary to estab- ese cooperation has continuously The treaty will need to be ap- analysis between the participating lish the accused’s guilt of a crime. developed since the establishment proved by the Senate and signed websites and download analytics This is a standard treaty, provid- of diplomatic relations in 1992. Vi- by President Nursultan Naz- for the month. “Olshem.kz is a new ing for the delivery and transfer etnam is a key trade partner for Ka- arbayev before it is fully ratified resource for the domestic market, residue from solid waste could be of documents and confiscation zakhstan in Southeast Asia, with by the country. developed jointly with the Chartbeat By Dilshat Zhussupova disposed of in two ways, by pyrol- advanced data analytics company ysis to produce syngas and by co- whose services are used by 75 per- ASTANA – Thirty percent of firing in fluidised beds. The latter cent of the U.S. media market. It municipal solid waste in the capi- method is more effective for use in aims to create an open, transparent tal has the potential to be recycled Astana’s small boiler houses. and professional media market and and another 10 percent has the po- The researchers emphasise that Nazarbayev urges measures to use the best international stand- tential to be sorted to derive solid utilising municipal solid waste in ards. The website will help obtain fuel for the city’s energy needs, Astana will positively impact the information about the readership of reports the Nazarbayev University city’s environment and increase portals participating in the project press service. the service life of its sanitary land- to improve living standards and increase the focus of publica- Researchers at Nazarbayev Uni- fills. tions in the media,” reads a release versity’s School of Engineering State policy on waste manage- Continued from Page A1 has never happened in Kazakhstan. will be personally liable and respon- by Olshem on the launch. and National Laboratory Astana’s ment and a green economy transi- This is our pride. Our grandchildren sible for that,” said Nazarbayev. Laboratory of Green Energy and tion aims toward increasing the re- The President emphasised the and great-grandchildren will drive Nazarbayev also stressed the The Bakytty Otbasy (“Happy the Environment studied Astana’s cycling share to at least 40 percent importance of developing rural ar- along these roads,” he said. importance of communication be- Family”) housing programme will landfills to identify ways to obtain by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. eas and instructed the government, For the improvement of the road tween the government and citizens start accepting documents in Almaty fuel from municipal solid waste. Kazakhstan produced 4.3 million akims and maslikhats (local assem- conditions, the President instruct- to get their feedback about issues from March 11, the city administra- “A lot of solid waste is disposed tonnes of municipal solid waste in blies) to select villages for social ed to allocate 350 billion tenge in society. tion has announced. The down pay- of on a daily basis,” said Naz- 2018, approximately 100,000 few- development. Among the issues to (US$928.2 million). This fund “We have created a special ment will be 10 percent of the apart- arbayev University’s School of er tonnes than in 2017. Its share of be addressed are clean drinking wa- should improve 95 percent of main monitoring committee in the Presi- ment price with an interest rate of Engineering Postdoctoral Scholar municipal solid waste recycling ter and gas supply. During the next roads of regions and districts. dent’s office. Now we are starting 2 percent. The government will al- Yerbol Sarbassov. “We wanted to was 11.5 percent in 2018 and nine three years, the government will al- The President also spoke about the Khalyqqa Komek (Assistance locate certificates of 1 million tenge explore if some of this waste could percent in 2017. This amount is locate 10 billion tenge (US$26.52 the recent change in the govern- to the People) project. We will (US$2,700) since out of 1,276 large be processed as fuel to meet the expected to increase with the ban million) for development of small ment’s structure and results ex- respond to urgent demands of the and incomplete families in queues, municipal needs of the city – spe- on dumping paper, plastics, card- and single-industry towns. pected from its work in the future. society, focusing the attention of many do not have the opportunity cifically, we were interested in the board and glass waste into landfill “This will allow us to solve the “The government changed and its state bodies on them. Party mem- to pay the down payment. “The production of heat during the win- that came into force Jan. 1 and the issues for 2.2 million citizens,” composition was updated by 70 per- bers must do this,” he said. special action plan was adopted in- ter season.” ban on construction and food waste said Nazarbayev. cent. The new cabinet and all akims “For this, it is necessary to form cluding the housing programme. It In their experiment, the re- scheduled for 2021. Since 2016, The President also discussed need to start implementing the a powerful feedback system with has preferential housing mortgages, searchers studied the combustion the government has also prohib- road conditions in Kazakhstan. tasks… We need to raise the status the population and to strengthen scholarships for schoolchildren and parameters with and without coal ited disposing scrap metal, mercu- “In recent years, huge work has of the party. Everything I said here public reception of the party. They students, social and benefit pay- by co-firing samples of treated fuel ry lamps and batteries, waste oils been done on the construction of the formed the basis of the economic should work according to the here ments and employment opportuni- in a fluidised bed unit. They con- and liquids and electronic product state road network. More than 14,000 section of the new party programme. and now principle,” concluded the ties. Overall, more than 5.5 billion cluded that the dry combustible waste in landfill. kilometres of roads were built. This Each member of the government President. tenge (US$14.5 million) was allo- cated from the local budget to sup- port socially vulnerable groups and large families,” said Almaty Akim (Mayor) Bauyrzhan Baibek March California native preserves Soviet monumental 7. The number of women entrepre- neurs in Kazakhstan increased to 581,000 by the end of January 2019, art through research, advocacy 3.6 percent more compared to last year, reports Ranking.kz. Their share Continued from Page A1 mental art in Almaty is merely the unless someone tips me off. Peo- umented Almaty’s architecture ed to the effect of ‘I never real- of the total number of individual en- first step. He also researches who ple can also stay vigilant and keep and urban landscape through his ised what beauty we have!’ Culti- trepreneurs rose from 47 to 47.2 per- Since 2017, the Stanford gradu- made the art, how and why. Mon- an eye on their favourite artworks Walking Almaty project (www. vating this kind of appreciation is cent. “There are 485,200 companies, ate has systematically and digital- umentalisty (mural artists) came to warn us of any possible renova- walkingalmaty.com), Facebook really important to me and I hope which is 10.7 percent more than last ly documented Almaty’s mosaics, from all corners of the Soviet tions or demolitions and they can and Instagram (@walkingalmaty). year. The share of existing private sgraffito, murals, relief sculptures Union in the 1960s-1980s to cre- join us in petitioning the authori- He was featured in The Astana that it leads people to be more entrepreneurs with women manag- and stained glass through Monu- ate monumental art in Kazakhstan ties to protect more works of art.” Times in 2016. engaged in their environments,” ers also increased from 46.5 to 46.8 mental Almaty (http://www.mon- and after decades of anonymity, Since 2013, Keen has also doc- “People have mostly respond- he said. percent. The top three regions with umentalalmaty.com). He and his are given credit on the website. the highest proportion of women-led team of volunteers have brought “The journalist Svetlana Ro- small and medium-sized enterprises the country’s only large-scale pi- mashkina first gave us the contacts include the Kostanai region with etra dura mosaic, a pedestrian tun- for Vladimir Tverdokhlebov, the 30,400 companies, the Karaganda nel bas-relief and mosaic in the artist of the famous Zodiac Foun- region with 46,600 companies and village Terekty, back to life. tain, who has been our biggest sup- the East Kazakhstan region with “Seeing all the artwork in one porter,” he said on tracking down 50,600 companies,” said the report. place allows people to realise just artists through Tverdokhlebov and how much monumental art there Almaty’s Union of Artists. “It’s Kostanai authorities will allocate really is and just how beautiful always gratifying for artists to see 10 billion tenge (US$26 million) some of it is and gaining that un- that people are interested in their to 2021 to develop mono-towns, derstanding and appreciation is work because they often feel that according to the regional press ser- the first step toward preserving it,” the greater public has forgotten vice. This year, 500 million tenge said Keen. about them and left them behind. (US$1.3 million) will be provided Monumental Almaty and Arch- During the Soviet Union, the gov- for the reconstruction of thermal code Almaty researchers, who ernment supported monumental and trunk networks in Lisakovsk have a shared approach towards artists quite well and now, many of and Rudny. More than 20,000 peo- advocacy, recently mapped and them struggle to get work.” ple will receive benefits, as criteria documented the city’s unique mo- Keen invites town and city resi- for providing social assistance have saic bus stops to convince local dents to contribute to a digital map changed. On average, the amount authorities to stop demolishing the of Kazakhstan’s monumental art of benefits per child will more than architectural landmarks and work on the website and Instagram (@ quadruple from 4,706 tenge to towards their preservation. monumentalalmaty). 20,789 tenge (US$12 to US$54) per “Popularisation and education “In March, I’ll be traveling to month. More than 15,000 healthcare are important in order to effect Astana, Pavlodar, Semey, Oske- workers will receive a salary in- change,” said Keen. “The public men, Kokshetau, Petropavlovsk, crease. “The local executive authori- needs to understand the subject, Kostanai and Karaganda to docu- ties are responsible for this initiative. such as the history and importance ment monumental art there for a They should support the business of these bus stops, before we can new project,” he said. “There are projects, build new enterprises and ever expect them to want to do many bas-reliefs and mosaics, for create new workplaces,” said mem- anything about it.” example, in lobbies, auditoriums ber of the Nur Otan party’s regional Accordingly, discovering monu- and factories that I will never find Dennis Keen (L) and Vladimir Tverdokhlebov. political council Gulmira Kapenova. A3 EURASIA&WORLD

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

EXTERNAL NEWS IN BRIEF Kazakhstan achieves its UN Security Council Kazakhstan and Austria agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy ef- ficiency and the green economy as part of broader efforts to boost bi- membership goals, says foreign minister lateral trade during the recent visit tensions between major powers in development and addressing the terrorism-free world by 2045. The the end of Kazakhstan’s presiden- of an Austrian delegation, includ- By Elya Altynsarina the council over crises in Middle repercussions of the situation in code was drafted by Kazakhstan cy, the council lifted the sanctions ing Secretary General for Foreign East, war in Syria, the situation in Afghanistan over Central Asia’s on President Nazarbayev’s initia- against Eritrea, marking tangible Affairs in the Federal Ministry for ASTANA – Kazakhstan has North Korea, Ukraine and sanc- security and social stability. tive and has now been signed by changes in the Horn of Africa. Europe, Integration and Foreign Af- completed the tasks set out by Pres- tions against Iran, among other Kazakhstan also worked to raise 80 countries. To organise the potential of Ka- fairs Johannes Peterlik, to Astana. ident Nursultan Nazarbayev for the global issues. awareness on the council of Cen- Also while on the council, Ka- zakh foreign office in delivering Austrian investment in Kazakhstan country’s two-year, non-permanent During its membership, Ka- tral Asia’s development. Kazakh- zakhstan was a president of ISIL/ common goals of the UN, as well has exceeded $5.7 billion since 2017-2018 United Nations Secu- zakhstan hosted a series of talks stan consulted with its neighbours Da’esh, Al-Qaida and the Tali- as aiming at centralising the UN 2005, and more than 50 compa- rity Council membership, Foreign known as the Astana Process to to create a vision for Central Asian ban Sanctions Committees of the agencies located in Kazakhstan, nies backed by Austrian capital Minister Beibut Atamkulov told seek a peaceful resolution to the cooperation and the creation of a council. a UN hub for Central Asia was operate in the country. Kazakhstan the Mazhilis (lower house of the conflict in Syria. The talks led to regional peace zone. “Kazakhstan is also part of all launched this year in Almaty. expressed interest in projects in ag- parliament) March 4. the creation of de-escalation zones “The focus on economic devel- nineteen universal legal instru- The hub in Almaty works in riculture, the green and digital econ- The President laid out the coun- provided by guarantor states and opment in international stabilisa- ments and additional amendments unison with efforts to reform the omies, industry and infrastructure try’s goals at the start of its mem- the cessation of fire to secure the tion efforts in Afghanistan, with the dealing with terrorism, which be- UN and its development systems, development. The visit also covered bership in an address to the coun- release of refugees. active role of Central Asian states in came possible after parliament’s at the national, regional and inter- regional and international issues. cil titled “Conceptual Vision of Kazakh security forces also ran this process has become an innova- accelerated review and ratifica- regional levels, solving common The sides also emphasised the sig- Kazakhstan on enhancing global a rescue operation of Kazakh citi- tive approach proposed by Kazakh- tion,” Atamkulov said. development problems in the re- nificance of the upcoming adoption partnership to build a secure, just zens and kids trapped in Syria af- stan,” said the foreign minister. The country also recently joined gion. The centre’s work will cover of the new European Union strategy and prospering world.” ter being part of terrorist cells, said Regional officials have said they UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. sustainable development, humani- for relations with Central Asia. Kazakhstan chose nuclear non- the foreign minister. believe the region’s landlocked The Kazakh Ministry of Defence tarian assistance and disaster risk  proliferation and disarmament as Kazakhstan also contributed to geography and history of interde- obtained a United Nations certi- reduction. Kazakhstan invited Japan to join its top priority and marked its one- the council’s tabling of issues re- pendent development make coop- fication for the Kazakhstan Peace “The membership… gave a new the fourth Meeting of Speakers of month January 2018 Council pres- lated to Afghanistan. eration and integration necessary Training Centre (KAZCENT) in impetus to the development in Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments, idency with Nazarbayev chairing a Kazakhstan convened a visit by to achieve economic progress. Almaty. It is planned, in the future, Central Asia and brought Kazakh entitled “Greater Eurasia: Dialogue. meeting titled “Non-Proliferation council members to Kabul to help “We believe that our approach to develop it into a regional peace- diplomacy to a new level of pro- Trust. Partnership,” Sept. 23 and 24 of Weapons of Mass Destruction members learn about the situa- helped the rapprochement between keeping hub. fessional expertise, as well as gave in Astana. Kazakh Ambassador to (WMD): Confidence Building tion on the ground and to meet the brotherly countries, deepening the Seventy percent of the council us important insight into interna- Japan Erlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev Measures.” Afghan leadership, local business mutual understanding and respect. agenda is dedicated to issues on tional issues,” said Atamkulov. “In handed the invitation to the Speaker The UNSC president’s statement and community representatives. We consider it an honourable the African continent and Kazakh- achieving the seven goals outlined of the Japanese House of Repre- was adopted by the council follow- Following the mission, Central achievement of our council mem- stan chaired the sanctions com- in the [President’s] address as a vi- sentatives Tadamori Oshime. Os- ing the meeting, which resulted in Asian foreign ministers partici- bership,” the minister said. mittee on Somalia and Eritrea. On sion of upcoming membership, we hime recalled the visit of Kazakh weapons of mass destruction being pated in the high-level debate on Kazakhstan also focused during the committee, Kazakh diplomats relied on support of our colleagues President Nursultan Nazarbayev to included in the UN conflict pre- “Building Regional Partnership in its UNCS membership on counter- gained experience in coordinating in all government offices as well as Japan in November 2016, which vention and resolution toolkit. Afghanistan and Central Asia, to ing international terrorism and has international efforts to minimize the deputies of the parliament… I was followed by the signing of an Kazakhstan’s UNSC member- Link Security and Development.” initiated and secured the signing of the terrorist activities and run pro- thank you for your support and co- expanded partnership agreement. ship took place during a time of The ministers discussed regional the Code of Conduct to achieve a cedures reviewing sanctions. By operation.”

Tourism opportunities in the Turkestan region, named for an an- cient city in southern Kazakhstan that boasts more than 1,500 years of history, were recently presented in EU-Kazakhstan relations evolving cooperatively... Indonesia. Many historic and sacred sites, including the Khoja Ahmed Continued from Page A1 2020, which is also very promis- agricultural sector, particularly development and improvement of and sharing EU experience in re- Yassawi mausoleum and the Arys- ing,” said the ambassador. agro-food processing, and the pos- the judicial system in Kazakhstan. gional joint action. Recently, the tan Baba mausoleum, generated in- The document has now been rati- According to Carlsson, one of sibilities to better take advantage The first was a programme for 7.1 European Commission adopted terest among Indonesians, who fre- fied by Kazakhstan, 25 out of 28 EU the areas of cooperation between of Kazakhstan’s vicinity to the million euros (US$8.05 million) regional programmes for 90 mil- quently make pilgrimages to Mecca member states and has also been ap- the EU and Kazakhstan with the large markets of its neighbours,” on a Green Economy Model im- lion euros (US$102.05 million) to and to some sites in Central Asia. proved by the European Parliament. largest potential is transport and he added. plemented by the UNDP. The latter support sustainable development “The Central Asian route includes It will enter into force fully once all logistics. Another area relates to women’s was a programme for 5.5 million in Central Asia, said the ambas- ancient cities such as Bukhara and EU member states ratify it. “There is a growth prospect empowerment, particularly a pro- euros (US$6.23 million) to reform sador. In the summer, the EU will Samarkand in Uzbekistan, the rock As a part of the agreement, in those sectors of Kazakhstan’s gramme that will bring Afghan Kazakhstan’s judicial system. announce the renewed EU Strat- city Petra in Jordan and other coun- trade between European countries women to study at Kazakh and Currently, the EU is focusing egy on Central Asia at the annual tries as well. The geography is also and Kazakhstan increased from Uzbek higher education institu- on helping diversify Kazakhstan’s EU-Central Asia Ministerial meet- expanding, incorporating sacred $2.2 billion in 1999 to more than tions and get professional train- economy and supporting new op- ing in Bishkek, said Carlsson. sites in the Turkestan region,” said $29.48 billion in 2018. ing beginning this year. The pro- portunities for small and medium- “In addition to promoting trade Turkistan Invest External Relations “It is a notable and common gramme’s first phase will cost sized enterprises in innovations. and investment we need to work Managing Director Bayan Kayupo- achievement that today the EU is approximately 2 million euros In the future, the EU’s coopera- together to support inclusive and va. The Indonesian side suggested Kazakhstan’s biggest foreign in- (US$2.27 million). tion with Kazakhstan will home in sustainable development in the launching direct flights between Al- vestor and that Kazakhstan is the “Kazakhstan has approached the more on investments and private regional context. Many of the maty and Jakarta; the countries are closest economic and political EU with a request to contribute to sector development. common challenges, such as the currrently linked via Kuala Lumpur. partner in the region for the EU,” the continuation of a $50 million “The country will continue to environment, climate change and “The launch of a direct flight will he said. higher education programme for benefit from regional programmes water management require wider stimulate the flow of tourists, in- The EU is actively investing into 1,000 Afghan students at Kazakh such as Central Asia Invest, approaches and closer cooperation Sven-Olov Carlsson cluding pilgrimages in your region. projects for youth, particularly in higher education institutions. The SWITCH Asia and the Investment between all countries of Central The current population of Indonesia education, scientific research and EU responded by preparing a re- Facility for Central Asia (IFCA) Asia. The EU is a strong supporter is around 270 million people and 90 civil society development. economy where the EU can offer gional programme taking inspiration contributions to investments and and ready to promote such coop- percent of them are Muslims. I think “One of the most popular EU advanced technologies and stand- from the Kazakh programme. The technical assistance co-funded by eration,” he said. many will be interested in Turke- programmes, Erasmus+, has al- ards. We are already seeing this, intention is to work with the United loans from European Financial In- “The EU appreciates Kazakh- stan,” said special representative ready offered nearly 2,000 schol- for example, in the development Nations Development Programme stitutions. Global EU programmes stan’s active role and support for a of the Indonesian President Aditya arships for Kazakh students and of railways and this is in line with (UNDP) to implement a project, in support of human rights pro- strengthened cooperation in Cen- Perdana. staff to come to study in Europe, the new Europe-Asia Connectiv- which will provide professional motion (EIDHR), civil society tral Asia. Through the new strate- and approximately 800 scholar- ity Strategy and Kazakhstan’s own training to Afghan women at both organisations and Erasmus+ will gies on Central Asia and Europe- Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Viet- ships for European students to ambitious plans as a ‘land bridge’ Kazakh and Uzbek higher education also continue to be available for Asia connectivity the EU is further nam marked the launch of the first study in Kazakhstan. We have in Asia,” he said. institutions,” explained Carlsson. Kazakhstan,” said Carlsson. committed to share its achieve- rail transit and transport corridor other research programmes with “In the perspective of economic From 2015 to 2018, the EU The EU supports cooperation ments and values with countries on the Vietnam-China-Kazakhstan- Nazarbayev University and other diversification and its high po- launched two programmes to con- among Central Asian countries im- and peoples in the region,” con- Europe route, with Kazakhstan institutions as a part of Horizon tential, I would also mention the tribute to sustainable economic plementing regional programmes cluded the ambassador. Temir Zholy, the country’s national rail operator. Goods in the amount of 1,686 TEUs [20-foot equivalent units] were for the first time shipped from Hanoi via the Vietnamese bor- der railway terminal Dong Dang and FM urges diplomatic solutions to global conflicts, then through China and Kazakh- stan to Duisburg in Germany. The rail shipment of LG and Samsung goods from Hanoi to Duisburg took highlights Kazakh initiatives at OIC meeting 22 days, including two days for the The minister also urged the inter- Atamkulov also noted Kazakh- lines of the event with the foreign countries on international issues transportation of goods from Viet- By Malika Orazgaliyeva national community to continue stan’s contribution to global inter- ministers of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, are similar in many ways, and mu- nam to China. The shipping time is efforts to seek peace in Syria. faith harmony through the host- the United Arab Emirates, Jordan tually beneficial cooperation con- expected to decrease to 19 days. The ASTANA­ – Kazakh Foreign Atamkulov also urged India and ing of the Congress of Leaders of and Indonesia. tinues within the UN, the OIC and project, which kicked off in 2016, is Minister Beibut Atamkulov Pakistan to exercise restraint and World and Traditional Religions in First Deputy Prime Minister, Min- other international organisations,” part of Kazakhstan’s efforts to inte- stressed the need to find compre- adhere to international law to pre- Astana every three years. ister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait the Kazakh foreign minister noted. grate into a global transport system hensive solutions to the Palestin- vent an escalation of tensions fol- The event also discussed Ka- Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah During talks with Minister of and explore its transport potential, ian problem, promote the Middle lowing the recent heightening of zakhstan’s vision to develop sci- thanked Kazakhstan for its work as Foreign Affairs and International in particular through Kazakhstan’s East peace process and stabilise tensions between the two countries. ence and technology in the Mus- a non-permanent member of the UN Cooperation of the United Arab Nurly Zhol programme and China’s Afghanistan during the March 1-2 The head of the Kazakh delega- lim world, including Kazakh Security Council and for cooperat- Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Belt and Road Initiative. It is also 46th Session of the Council of For- tion also urged the OIC to imple- initiatives following the First OIC ing with Kuwait within the UNSC. Zayed Al Nahyan, the sides agreed expected to boost trade between Ka- eign Ministers (CFM) of the Or- ment initiatives proposed by Kazakh Summit on Science and Technol- The sides also discussed coop- to expand trade and economic en- zakhstan and Vietnam, which last ganisation of Islamic Cooperation President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in- ogy in Astana in September 2017. eration in trade, economic and gagement and noted projects under- year reached $467.2 million. (OIC) in Abu Dhabi. cluding the Islamic Rapprochement Kazakhstan plans to work with 15 investment relations. Kuwait also way in Kazakhstan to attract capital Foreign ministers and top offi- Initiative to address challenges in leading Islamic countries to devel- offered to launch direct flights be- from the UAE. They also discussed Kazakhstan’s Nomad Club has cials from fifty-six member states the OIC area of responsibility. op additional dialogue platforms tween Kazakhstan and Kuwait. upcoming bilateral visits. opened its doors at New York Uni- attended the meeting and dis- The minister also thanked OIC on science and technology. Atamkulov and Minister of State The UAE is Kazakhstan’s larg- versity, welcoming visitors to learn cussed issues facing the Islamic countries for joining Kazakhstan’s Atamkulov expressed apprecia- for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia est Gulf Arab nation trading partner, about Kazakh culture, history and world, international relations, and initiative to adopt a Code of Con- tion to Uzbekistan for the continu- Adel Al-Jubeir discussed trade and with trade reaching $486.9 million traditions, reports Kazakh TV. The economic and humanitarian coop- duct towards Achieving a World ation of President Nazarbayev’s economic collaboration. Atam- in 2018. Over the first six months of centre will also organise Kazakh eration. The participants also dis- Free from Terrorism. initiative and for the organisation kulov expressed support for the last year, investments from the UAE language courses. “We set up the cussed ways to resolve military, The foreign minister also called of the upcoming second OIC Sum- Saudi proposal to establish the Ka- in Kazakhstan totaled $257.9 million. Nomad Club for Kazakh students to political and humanitarian crises. on the OIC to participate in the mit on Science and Technology in zakh-Saudi Coordination Council Atamkulov also highlighted the feel at home while they are far away. Atamkulov noted Kazakhstan’s work of the Islamic Organisation 2020 in Tashkent. to boost economic dialogue with potential for bilateral cooperation This also enables them to share their contribution to seeking peace in for Food Security (IOFS), which The ministers adopted more than Kazakhstan. with the UAE in the space indus- culture and traditions with foreign Syria through Kazakhstan’s Asta- was initiated by Kazakhstan. The 130 resolutions during the meeting “We regard Saudi Arabia as an try. This year, the UAE is prepar- students, so that perhaps they visit na Process peace talks, the 12th IOFS General Assembly is expect- that included all of Kazakhstan’s important partner in international ing to send an astronaut from Ka- Kazakhstan,” said Nomad Club round of which is now scheduled ed to hold its second session later initiatives. and regional political and econom- zakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome President Darkhan Munaitbasov. for April in the Kazakh capital. this year in Kazakhstan. Atamkulov also met on the side- ic processes. The positions of our to the International Space Station. A4 ECONOMY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

ECONOMY Country plans to export nine Kazakhstan has 2.5 NEWS IN BRIEF Investments in education in- creased 36.9 percent to 2.8 billion tenge (US$7.41 million) in Janu- million tonnes of grain and flour million hectares of ary. Their share of total investments in equity was 0.4 percent. In 2018, against the general background of a decrease in state budget expendi- unused agricultural land tures, investments in education also companies to use land efficiently, decreased 22.7 percent year on year By Assel Satubaldina rather than leave it idle, a frequent and totalled to 204.9 billion tenge situation. (US$542.01 million). This was the ASTANA – Kazakhstan, the “Their payment entails a very first decline in the last five years. ninth largest country by area in the difficult process. At the same time, The funding of advanced training world, has two and a half million there is a problem that a low level and retraining for schools decreased hectares of unused land. Measures of such direct tax as land tax does as well: 53 billion tenge (US$140.19 taken recently by the Ministry of not stimulate rational use of agri- million) was spent on the construc- Agriculture found 388,000 hec- cultural lands. Therefore, it is im- tion of new schools and another 33 tares in use and 804,000 returned portant to improve the tax policy billion tenge (US$87.29 million) to the state. The remaining 1.4 mil- in agriculture. This could serve spent on training gifted children. In lion hectares will be returned to the as leverage for land users to take the next five years, Kazakh President country through legal proceedings. measures to engage more unused Nursultan Nazarbayev has called for Representatives of non-govern- spending on education and health- ment organisations (NGOs) who care to be increased from 7.4 percent gathered recently for the Mazhilis Approximately 272 to 10 percent of gross domestic prod- is a natural product. Meanwhile, markets, such as Bangladesh, Fin- (lower house of the Parliament) uct. By Yerbolat Uatkhanov Georgia is among those who land and Israel, and exported grain agricultural land use roundtable million hectares, want to get Kazakhstan’s wheat. for the first time last year to coun- noted the lack of a process to en- or 74 percent of In February, the subsistence mini- ASTANA – Kazakhstan expects The country intends to purchase tries such as Egypt, Latvia, Nor- able rational land use. mum in Kazakhstan was calculated to export nine million tonnes of a fairly large amount of domestic way, Spain, Tunisia and Ukraine. Approximately 272 million hec- Kazakhstan’s land, is to be 27,100 tenge or US$71.70, an grain and flour this year, including grain,” he added. “Kazakh wheat is freely trans- tares, or 74 percent of Kazakh- increase of 4.2 percent year on year, increased shipments of domestic China imports products from ported to the countries of the stan’s land, is devoted to agricul- devoted to agriculture. while prices for goods and services wheat to China, one of the world’s many countries and those grown in Southeast Asian region. For ex- ture. The figure includes 167.7 The figure includes increased 4.8 percent year on year, largest markets. The country de- Kazakhstan are among the favour- ample, last year 30,000 tonnes of million hectares of pastures, 30 reports finprom.kz. The highest sub- livered 307,000 tonnes of wheat ites, said Chinese People’s Univer- grain were delivered to Vietnam million of tilled and lea land and 167.7 million hectares sistence minimum, 33,400 tenge or to China in 2017 and almost two sity expert Bian Yunzzu. and today, the relevant depart- more than four million of hay. of pastures, 30 million US$88.40, at 23.3 percent more than times more – 560,000 tonnes – last “Your grain is better both in ments are actively working to in- Despite being surrounded by the national average, was established year. Experts believe that in 2020, quality and taste. Today, the Ak- crease the volume of quotas for huge areas of idle land, farmers in of tilled and lea land in the oil-rich Mangystau region. the amount will increase to one mola, Kostanai and North Ka- Kazakh wheat,” said Mendigaliev. many regions still cannot obtain a Bigger cities followed, with Astana’s million tonnes. zakhstan regions export wheat to “We have good relations with plot for their business. and more than four subsistence minimum set at 30,800 “Kazakh wheat is in great de- China. In addition, this year barley Kazakhstan and we are actively During the past three years, the million of hay. tenge or US$81.50 and Almaty’s mand in China and it goes to dif- and maize are among the exported negotiating to increase supplies ministry found nine million hec- at 30,200 tenge or US$79.90, 13.5 ferent provinces of the country, crops to the country,” he noted. of Kazakh wheat. Over the past tares not in use. In 2018 alone, percent and 11.4 percent higher than but most Kazakh products remain Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, three months, 40,000 tonnes have 2.57 million hectares were not land in their activities or voluntari- the average, respectively. The lowest in northwestern China,” said Food which buy more than 50 percent of been delivered. This is miniscule used or used with land code viola- ly return land to the state,” accord- subsistence minimum is in the Pav- and Agreement Corporation repre- the exported volume, are the main and it would be very good for us tions. Space monitoring and digital ing to a ministry statement. lodar region, which at 23,900 tenge sentative Timur Mendigaliev, re- importers of Kazakh wheat, accord- to increase the figures,” said Le- agricultural maps could help make “As part of the discussion, we (US$63.20), is 11.7 percent less than ported Kazakh TV. ing to Agriculture Management van Silagava, head of the Georgian land use more efficient. received suggestions from civil the national average. “Export of Kazakh flour to Chi- Senior Specialist Nursultan Kab- Association of Grain and Bakery Civil activist Mukhtar Taizhan activists and NGOs. The Mazhi- na is increasing, as Kazakh flour delov. Kazakhstan is opening new Producers. emphasised the need to boost the lis has always worked openly. Output of nonferrous metals in- land lease market while maintain- Therefore, all of them will be con- creased 25.2 percent and reached 107 ing land as a state property. Land sidered. I would like to note that billion tenge (US$283.04 million) in lease, he noted, should remain the land code has no changes re- January as compared to the same pe- solely between Kazakh citizens lated to cancelation of ban to sell riod last year. This is the maximum and legal entities with 100 percent or lease land to foreign citizens, rate in recent years. In 2018, the pro- NB recommends social benefit Kazakh capital. stateless persons and companies duction volume totalled 85.5 billion Taizhan also suggested intro- with foreign capital,” said Mazhi- tenge (US$226.17 million), with an ducing a single agriculture tax lis Agriculture Committee Chair annual growth of 33.2 percent. In the that would amalgamate the eight Saparkhan Omarov, who has sub- 12 months of 2018, copper ore pro- recipients open accounts to existing taxes currently paid by sequently been appointed Minister duction reached 103.2 million tonnes, agricultural producers. The re- of Agriculture by a Feb. 25 presi- which is 8.2 percent more than in vised system would encourage dential decree. the same period in 2017. The main protect benefits payments consumers of Kazakh copper are the countries of Asia and the Common- also limited to 50 percent of the “It is important. If you are a re- wealth of Independent States (CIS). Staff Report amount of money on a borrower’s cipient of benefits and social ben- Total exports of refined copper and current account. efits, alimony for the maintenance unprocessed copper alloys amounted ASTANA – Kazakh National During the period from the sec- of minor and disabled adult chil- to $2.4 billion in 2018. One of the Bank is encouraging citizens who ond half of 2017 and the first half dren, in this case you need to open bigger companies that extracts and receive social benefits to open ac- of 2018, banks allowed a violation a special account from which third processes copper is KAZ Minerals, counts to help them continue to of this legal requirement. At the parties cannot transact a write off,” which produced 294,700 tonnes in receive benefits in case of overdue same time, some banks collected the National Bank said in a state- 2018, 14 percent more than in 2017. debt. money of overdue debt without ment. In 2018, the company’s net income Kazakh legislation bans banks the borrower’s consent ignoring The government will enforce ad- reached $510 million, an increase of from writing off money from ac- the 50 percent limit on writing ditional new norms to the laws on 14.1 percent year on year. counts intended for crediting ben- off money from an account. The banks and banking activities and efits, social payments, alimony National Bank found that the bor- on payments and payment systems Kazakh florists collected 2.2 - per and other similar payments. This rowers do not always indicate that from Sept. 24. The new norms will cent fewer flowers in 2018 as com- applies, even if a borrower fails the money is in one of the social ban collecting overdue loans from pared to the previous year. The gross to fulfill obligations under a bank benefit categories. Thus, the bank accounts if it leaves money that is yield was 23.8 million flowers. The loan agreement, and a bank has the recommends opening a special ac- less than the size of the subsistence main reason is the decline in the share right to recourse to the borrower’s count. The new legislation now de- minimum established for the cor- of individual entrepreneurs, peasant money on the current accounts. fines procedures for opening such responding fiscal year by the law and private farms from 5.3 percent to This recovery right, however, is accounts. on the national budget. 1.6 percent over the year, reports ener- gyprom.kz. Despite the lower yields, the country’s biggest flower supply- ing regions collected more flowers than in 2017. The Pavlodar region, for example, collected 7.6 million EBRD predicts 3.5-percent GDP flowers, a 22.4 percent increase; the Akmola region collected 7.1 million flowers, a 16 percent increase. The biggest greenhouse complexes are growth for Kazakhstan in 2019 Green House KZ in Pavlodar, the Kunarly greenhouse in Akmola and Continued from Page A1 baijan, Turkey, Central Asia and Ecoculture in Almaty. Agricultural the southern and eastern Mediter- enterprises supplied approximately “There are several social ini- ranean, the report indicates the 68 percent of the total, while house- tiatives starting from affordable main challenge is to create a con- holds supplied 30.4 percent. housing initiatives to a recent an- tinuous stream of high-quality jobs nouncement by the finance minis- for the many new entrants into the The number of new small compa- ter that there will be more money labour market. nies in the information technologies for new families. This applies even Investing in transport infra- field is growing every year. By the to industrial policy. An announce- structure has the potential to de- end of January, their number reached ment noted that 500 billion tenge liver long-term benefits, said Dal- almost 1,365, which is 3.6 percent (US$1.3 billion) will be dedicated la Pozza. more than a year earlier. The num- to export support and 600 billion “We chose the Belt and Road ber of operating IT companies in the tenge (US$1.6 billion) to indus- Initiative as an example. The small business sector grew by 21.2 try support. The Kazakh President Belt and Road projects comprise percent over 2018. The most popu- said that there will be money from a set of additional investments lar IT start-ups in the Astana Hub the National Fund to finance so- across Europe and Asia that may are the Clockster group (a biometric cial projects. I think the focus will or may not take place. If the time tracking system project), naimi. have to shift to structural reforms regional development and urbani- in integrated connectivity, as well change, job automation and work- ambitious programme is com- kz (a free service for finding special- to achieve higher growth and the sation and increased efficiency in as in green economy. The EBRD er migration across and within na- pleted, a lot of countries that are ists) and Kompra (a service that in- focus will shift on modernisa- public administration. is supporting a lot in this direction tional borders; looking at how the affected by the programme will stantly provides information on the tion and structural change,” said “According to the EBRD as- of the activities of Kazakhstan,” he interplay between demographic actually stand to benefit in terms reliability of counterparties for 40 Holzhacker. sessment on the transition towards added. shifts, technology and migration of real GDP per capita and well legal and financial indicators). This The Strategic Plan 2025 in- a developed market economy, EBRD Associate Economist can help to shape economic growth being. Kazakhstan is also on the year, the technology park plans to cludes reforms in the key areas Kazakhstan scores pretty well in Francesca Dalla Pozza spoke and the future of work, both across list. The real GDP per capita will attract 4.8 billion tenge (US$12.69 – human capital, technological in- comparison to all countries of the about the transition report, which the EBRD regions and around the increase by 4.5 percent by 2040. million), said Minister of Informa- novation, promoting competitive- operation of the EBRD. However, focuses on work transformation. world. This is a sizeable effect,” she tion and Public Development Dau- ness, strengthening the rule of law, there is still more that can be done It includes issues of demographic In the young economies of Azer- noted. ren Abayev. A5 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF Forbes Club second business breakfast Kazakhstan’s first national low- cost airline, Fly Arystan, will launch in the first half of the year, Kazakh Minister of Industry and focuses on oil and gas industry Infrastructure Development Ro- dustry is very interesting as well, man Sklyar told a March govern- Staff Report because oil is the foundation of our ment meeting. Fly Arystan will op- economy; more than 30 percent of erate similarly to low-cost airlines ASTANA – Kazakhstan will ful- the budget and more than half of easyJet, Indigo, Cebu Pacific and ly supply its oil and gas market in the National Fund comes from oil AirAsia and, in its first year of op- 2019 and export surplus oil prod- revenues,” he said. eration, will transport up to 1 mil- ucts, said Kazenergy General Di- Talan Towers hosted the inaugu- lion passengers at prices half the rector Asset Magauov at the Feb. ral meeting in November. In the in- cost of Air Astana flights. It will 28 Forbes Club business breakfast. tervening months, the owners have operate a fleet of Airbus A320 air- The club, whose members repre- enriched the offer by additional craft configured to an all-economy sent the nation’s business com- solutions of the ready fitted-out of- class of 180 seats. Sklyar also not- munity, organised its second in a fices. ed that the ministry and Air Astana series of morning meetings at the “The previous event was in No- will begin the accreditation proce- capital’s Talan Towers complex. vember and new companies have dure for flights to the United States The event, moderated by Forbes appeared in the building. We have this year, with the intergovernmen- Kazakhstan Publisher Armanzhan recently added the opportunity of tal agreement on Kazakh-U.S. air Baitasov, opened with Magauov renting out office premises for a communication to be signed in briefly describing the condition of company with a small number of March. the country’s oil and gas industry. employees, which is from six-15 “Compared with previous years, people. We analysed the Astana A wind farm with a 100-mega- oil production in Kazakhstan has market and realised that many watt capacity is under construction increased. In 2016, the produc- companies prefer to have small in the Akmola Region, said Cen- tion level was 77.8 million tonnes. offices (90-150 square metres) tral Asian Fuel and Energy Com- In 2018, we reached 90 million with further expansion to large ar- pany Green Energy Director Yedil tonnes. This is because of the level eas (or there are small branches of Saryev at a Feb. 27-28 summit on of production at large oil and gas multinational companies that have renewable energy among Central projects such as Kashagan and their Kazakhstan headquarters in Asian countries. The wind farm’s Tengizchevroil. Major projects Almaty). We have already signed first station, with a 50-megawatt account for approximately 60 per- Forbes Kazakhstan Publisher Armanzhan Baitasov. lease agreements. These offices capacity and employing approxi- cent of Kazakhstan’s oil produc- will be ready in March,” said leas- mately 300 people and more than tion,” he said. and the exploration period for new of last year,” said Total in Kazakh- To support the hubs, Shell and ing manager Almas Nyssanbayev. 130 units of heavy machinery, will Small oil and gas projects, which subsoil users. stan head Pascal Breant. other eight partners are developing The complex has two 30-storey launch in the middle of the year. supply 40 percent of production, “We see that it is necessary to at- He stressed the importance of the Khazar-Kalamkas project. and 25-storey buildings with The The second station will launch in are expected to decrease, an issue tract investors in subsoil use, in ex- digitisation and reducing service “We will give it our best to make Ritz Carlton and international A- 2020. The wind farm will provide of concern to the government and ploration and high-risk projects,” company costs to create more con- it happen, but we need help from class Talan Towers Offices con- electricity to more than 10,000 subsoil users, he noted. said Magauov. venient conditions for investors. Kazakhstan for commercial and nected by a luxury gallery which households and will be equipped Kazakhstan’s three oil refiner- In addition to the changes, they “We need to control the cost, legal issues and from suppliers will open in September 2019. A with 30 wind turbines. It will con- ies in Atyrau, Pavlodar and Shym- introduced benefits for offshore execution of the projects and con- and the contractor community,” he Starbucks Reserve bar, featuring tribute to Kazakhstan’s commit- kent finished their modernisation projects such as abolishing miner- tracting strategy and competition added. a unique brewing technique, oper- ment to reducing greenhouse gas processes in 2018. This year, the al extraction and rental and excess in the oil and gas sector among Kazpetrodrilling General Di- ates near the gallery space. emissions, with an expected reduc- demand for oil products in the Ka- profit taxes. service companies… We want to rector Askhat Duisaliyev and Ka- The complex was built accord- tion equivalent to emissions from zakh market should be fully cov- Kazakhstan is also planning to renegotiate the contracts and sim- zturboremont Operations Director ing to LEED (Leadership in En- more than 113,000 cars per year. ered. amend the ecology code. Kazen- plify the processes. Another thing Nurlan Ibragimov provided the ergy and Environmental Design) “In 2018, the supply of basic ergy, with the support of partners, that I believe is going to contribute perspective of domestic compa- gold certificate international stand- Kazakhstan’s food prices in Feb- petroleum products was 93 per- is working with Ernst & Young to to the bright future in the oil and nies and suppliers regarding lo- ards for eco-friendly buildings. ruary 2019 are 6.6 percent higher cent; diesel fuel, 91 percent and research international practices in gas sector in Kazakhstan is digiti- calising domestic production and American firm Skidmore, Owings than in February 2018, reports kerosene, 60 percent. In 2019, a ecology legislation. sation,” he added. manufacturing. Both companies & Merrill and London-based Rich- the Kazakh Ministry of National gasoline and kerosene surplus is Representatives from large oil Shell Kazakhstan Chair Olivier focus on training staff locally and mond Architects and Perkins+Will Economy’s Committee on Statis- predicted and the domestic mar- and gas companies such as Total Lazare spoke about creating the oil internationally in countries such as Architects developed the design. tics. Within this time period, prices ket for diesel fuel should be fully and Shell shared their views about and gas project hubs necessary to the Netherlands, Turkey and the “These are the architects who for baked goods, cereals, meat, provided. We can see that the the Kazakh industry and made rec- develop the industry in the coun- United Kingdom. Kazturboremont designed Burj Khalifa, Freedom fish, dairy products, sugar, confec- Kazakh market is fully supplied. ommendations to improve condi- try. also implements the Kaizen man- Tower and the Empire State Build- tionery, soft drinks, alcoholic bev- The issue of the export of oil tions for investors. “In Kazakhstan, there are three agement approach. ing, which is in New York, and erages and oils and fats increased, products surplus is on the agen- “We have been in the country giant fields. Shell is part of two of Baitasov noted the meetings are they entered Astana with the Talan while fruits and vegetables be- da,” he added. for 25 years now. We are a proud them, which are Karachaganak and inspiring, as they allow him “to Towers project. All of this was co- came cheaper. The average price The Kazakh Ministry of Energy, member of Kashagan consortium Kashagan. These fields constituted immerse myself in the subject mat- ordinated by American company for granulated sugar was 236 tenge in conjunction with Kazenergy, and operator of Dunga field in the major anchors from which contin- ter and study current issues.” Turner International. More than (US$0.62) per kilogramme in Feb- introduced changes in subsoil use Mangystau region. We are also in ues further development,” he said. “The previous meeting with 100 international companies took ruary and 195 tenge (US$0.52) in legislation including simplify- the marketing and services busi- “We need to create hubs and start (Astana International Financial part in the construction of Talan February last year, and the average ing methods to obtain subsoil use ness in the south of the country and a virtual circle of development of Centre Governor) Kairat Kelim- Towers. The owner of the complex price for cottage cheese was 1,570 rights and cancelling social load started to build the first solar plant new fields from them tying satel- betov was interesting. The topic is our company, Astana Property tenge (US$4.15) per kilogramme obligations, employee training in the Kyzylorda region at the end lites around these hubs.” of the future of the oil and gas in- Management,” said Nyssanbayev. in February and 1,511 tenge (US$4) in February last year. Kazakhstan’s passenger train speed increased by 585 kilometres per day, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’s (KTZ) Backbone Network Chief Paramount Group provides UAE with Engineer Kaiyrbay Urynbayev told a February briefing, reports Inform.kz. In 2018, KTZ improved the quality of 1,015 kilometres of next generation of armoured vehicles tracks and overhauled 867 kilome- Kazakhstan Paramount Engi- Production of the Mbombe 6×6 the three models, ensuring efficient cialises in the creation of portable tres of tracks, he said. KTZ is Ka- By Saltanat Boteu neering (KPE). mine-protected vehicle, current- training and logistics and sav- manufacturing facilities through zakhstan’s national railway com- “The United Arab Emirates ly manufactured and in service ing expenses on maintenance and technology and skills transfer, re- pany, and develops, operates and ASTANA – The United Arab is one of the most sophisticated in Kazakhstan, started in 2011. operational support. The carriers sulting in new local capabilities and maintains railway transportation Emirates (UAE) announced procurement markets of defence KPE produces the model under can be manufactured in customer sustainable jobs proven to not only in the country and internationally. the acquisition of Paramount equipment in the world… We are the name Barys 6×6. The Barys countries according to Paramount benefit local defence industrial ca- Group’s proven portable manufac- Abylai Khan University of Inter- Group’s armoured personnel dedicated to developing advanced 8×8 (Mbombe 8×8), the next gen- pabilities, but economic diversifica- national Relations and World Lan- carrier, the Mbombe 4×4, Feb. defence capabilities and next gen- eration of armoured vehicles also turing model used in Azerbaijan, tion and growth,” said Ichikowitz, guages, Omirkhan Baikonurov Uni- 17 at the International Defence eration technologies which will made in the country, was launched Jordan and Kazakhstan. reported defenceweb.co.za. versity of Zhezkhazgan, the Kazakh Exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The support our regional partners,” in 2016. The Mbombe 4×4 com- “Mbombe 4×4 was designed and The Mbombe 4×4 offers high Leading Academy of Architecture Mbombe 4×4 draws on the herit- said Paramount Group’s Founder pletes the Mbombe family of com- developed specifically for local levels of ballistic (up to level and Civil Engineering and Almaty age of the Mbombe 6×6 and 8×8, and Executive Chairperson Ivor bat vehicles. manufacturing in customer coun- four), mine protection (crew com- University of Energy and Commu- which are tested and produced Ichikowitz, reported paramount- More than 70 percent of the vehi- tries in response to specific mar- partment STANAG 4569 – Level nications were auctioned March 7 by the company’s joint venture group.com. cles’ components are shared among ket requirements. Paramount spe- 3, blast protection STANAG 4569 by the Kazakh Ministry of Finance, – Level 4a and 4b) and protection reports the ministry’s press ser- against a 50-kilogramme trinitro- vice. Bidding began at 1.71 billion toluene (TNT) side blast or impro- tenge (US$4.52 million) for Abylai vised explosive devices (IEDs). Khan University of International The vehicle has a burst speed of Relations and World Languages, at 140 kilometres per hour and can 336.4 million tenge (US$889,778) operate in winter conditions of -20 for Omirkhan Baikonurov Univer- Celsius to desert conditions of +55 sity of Zhezkhazgan, at 2.52 billion Celsius. The carrier’s 16-tonne pay- tenge (US$6.67 million) for the Ka- load is approximately three tonnes, zakh Leading Academy of Archi- encapsulating weapon systems, tecture and Civil Engineering and at ammunition, crew and supplies. 1.4 billion tenge (US$3.7 million) The Mbombe 4×4 is designed for Almaty University of Energy for protection in conventional and and Communications. asymmetric warfare, counterter- rorism and peacekeeping missions. Development Bank of Kazakh- It accommodates a wide range of stan Chair Bolat Zhamishev and payloads and turrets. The on-board First Heartland Bank Board Chair mission computer and interface Yerbol Orynbayev were recently system can integrate with both appointed to Tsesnabank’s board Western and Eastern-made weap- of directors, reports the bank’s on systems. press service. They join Shigeo The Paramount Group is a glob- Katsu, Yevgeniy Pan, Bolat Zham- al defence and aerospace company ishev and Daulet Kabybayev in based in South Africa since 1994. managing the bank. Tsesnabank The company has more than 3,000 was founded in 1992 and provides employees working with govern- corporate, small-to-medium enter- ments across the world and manu- prise, insurance and retail banking paramountgroup.com. Photo credit: facturing in Africa, Asia and the products. Mbombe 4x4 Middle East. A6 EDITORIAL&OPINION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Kazakhstan proud Kostanai Region seeks major industrial of gender equality investments while focusing on recreational efforts, continues and hunting tourism, akim says work with the Asian Develop- new production facilities both The industrial zone being By Malika Orazgaliyeva ment Bank will be continued in the agro-industrial complex created is a strong argument to seek more to develop an action plan for and manufacturing. for direct negotiations with ASTANA – As the series of entrepreneurship development Investors are very interest- investors. The total area of the exclusive interviews with the in the Kostanai region for ed in processing grain crops, industrial zone is 400 hectares, regional governors in Kazakh- 2019-2022. which is conditioned by the of which about 40 percent of equitable society stan continues, Akim (Gover- Systematic work will also existing raw material potential the territory is already being t is now well over age for Europe and Central nor) of Kostanai Region Arkh- continue to increase the share of the region. developed. four decades since Asia as a whole. imed Mukhambetov describes of small and medium-sized en- For example, in 2017 the At the moment, 11 projects the efforts of his administra- terprises (SMEs) in the econo- Kostanai region exported are being developed at this site the United Nations Kazakhstan’s scores Arkhimed Mukhambetov officially recognised particularly high on tion aimed at attracting major my from 25.5 percent to 28.2 about one million tonnes of (two of them were launched IMarch 8 as International gender equality in health investments thanks to the spe- percent. wheat grain, which could be in 2018) for the amount of Women’s Day. The annual and education, where its cially created industrial zone, The region’s economy re- The work on gasification of processed producing high val- more than 300 billion tenge event, which is marked performance is outstanding while its abundant recreational ceived 245.3 billion tenge settlements will be continued. ue added products. (US$783.8 million). In 2019, around the world, has and holds great hope for the resources provide ample op- (US$641.5 million) in invest- In order to continue gasifica- In December 2018 in Ko- two projects involving foreign helped draw attention to future. Where the perfor- portunities for developing ments with growth of 13.3 tion of the region, 2.3 billion stanai, Best Kostanai LLP investment are planned to be the contribution of women mance is weaker, such tourism of various sorts. percent, while external invest- tenge (US$6 million) will be launched a mill complex with implemented in the industrial to our societies which was as on female political repre- ments were 38.6 percent high- allocated for implementation a capacity of 700 tonnes of zone. over-looked for so long. sentation, the Government What socio-economic de- er than in 2017. of four projects. flour per day. A similar mill In the first half of 2019, con- It is a chance to celebrate has put in place policies velopment issues are on Gross output of agricultural During the implementa- with an even higher capacity struction of a modern crop pro- the indispensable role of and targets to close the gap. the agenda? What work is products increased by 10.2 tion of the memorandum with (1,000 tonnes of flour per day) cessing complex worth $300 women in our families, We need more women’s planned to improve indicators billion tenge (US$26.7 mil- KazTransGas, the gasified will be launched in 2019 on million will begin on an area in communities and in a voices shaping decisions. in the coming years? lion) to 378.3 billion tenge population of Kostanai region the basis of Salamat Company of 140 hectares. The inves- country as a whole. This is also the case in As the head of state noted, (US$989.3 million). increased from 471,900 peo- LLP. tor is Bio Grain LLP together But as well as a celebra- the economic sphere where income and quality of life are According to the results ple to 482,900 people. The im- Both projects are imple- with China CAMC Engineer- tion – something which the strong progress of the the main criteria for the effec- of the year, we forecast the plementation of four projects mented with the participation ing. Under the project, there surely has taken place in past on labour participation tiveness of our work. growth of gross regional prod- will allow increasing access of of Turkish investments. are plans to process 600,000 families across Kazakhstan and earnings is show- At the end of last year, there uct of more than 5.0 percent; the population of the region to The machine-building in- tonnes of grains and 200,000 last weekend – Interna- ing signs of stalling. The were many positive results: that is, the President’s order to natural gas up to 500,000peo- dustry is developing at a good tonnes of oilseeds, as well as tional Women’s Day is also Government recognises – average monthly salary ensure the growth of the econ- ple. pace and in 2017-2018, fruit- to produce one million tonnes a call to action. It should that removing obstacles increased by 7.2 percent to omy is fulfilled. Within the framework of the ful work in this industry was of mixed fodder. This year, we remind us of the barri- to equality in the labour 139,370 tenge (US$364.46) We associate further devel- social initiative to expand mi- carried out. In 2017, jointly plan to start construction of ers women still face and market is simply essential and the real wage index by 1.7 opment of the region with the crocrediting, 3.3 billion tenge with the multinational com- the complex. how leaving them in place if the country is to achieve percent; implementation of investment (US$8.6 million) is envisaged pany CMC (China National Summing up the above, I makes us all, male and fe- its aim of joining the ranks – cash income of the popu- projects in the basic industries. for 2019, of which 3.1 billion Machinery Import & Ex- would like to note that work in male, poorer in every way. of the top 30 developed lation (nominal per capita) in- Currently, we are actively tenge (US$8.1 million) will be port Corporation), a part of this area is ongoing. Currently, The evidence is already nations. creased by 8 percent; real cash working on 40 projects worth allocated for crediting in rural the Genertec conglomerate 23 potential investment pro- overwhelming that gender In some cases, this income, by 2 percent; 2.2 trillion tenge (US$5.8 bil- areas and 237.1 million tenge (China General Technology jects with the participation of inequality undermines requires action to break – the life expectancy of the lion), including 20 projects (US$620,032) in cities. Group) and on the basis of foreign investments are under the strength of our econo- down educational and oc- population increased from with foreign participation The Year of Youth, an- Saryarka AutoProm LLP (a consideration. This list of pro- mies and the health of our cupational stereotypes, so 71.5 to 72.2 years; (1.7 trillion tenge (US$4.4 nounced by the head of state, part of the domestic machine jects is constantly being updat- communities. And in an women are not restricted – unemployment rate (Q3 billion)), with the creation of sets ambitious goals for us. builder Allur Group), a project ed and work is being done to era where success more to certain types of careers 2018) stood at 4.8 percent, 6,000 jobs. To achieve them, we have de- was implemented to produce support investors at all stages than ever depends upon or find progress harder. which was a consequence of In industry, we are focus- veloped a road map with 79 JAC S3 automobiles by the of production launch. the ability to harness the There are many sectors successful implementation of ing on the introduction of ele- events. small-knot assembly method talents and potential of each where women leaders are the Comprehensive Employ- ments of Industry 4.0. In 2017, For example, our region is (CKD (complete knocked Please tell us about the individual, the damage it common-place. But there ment Promotion Plan, under Sokolov-Sarbai Mining Pro- one of the first in Kazakhstan down)). The cost of the pro- work and projects in the field causes to prosperity and are others, such as the which 30,600 people were in- duction Association (SSMPA) to open the Youth Palace and ject amounted to 5.6 billion of public-private partnership stability will only increase. extractive industries and volved in employment activi- introduced the smart quarry hold an international forum tenge (US$14.6 million). The (PPP). Gender equality is not just transport, where the culture ties, while the plan had called system at one of the fields and of Kazakhstan-Russia youth project works stably; about As of today, 67 projects are a goal in itself, but essential needs to be changed. for only 22,400 people. this year, there are plans to cooperation, which will give 700 cars have already been being implemented in the re- if we are to tackle pov- Women in work in our According to the implemen- introduce a similar system at new impetus to the develop- produced since the beginning gion within the framework of erty, raise living standards, cities are also likely to tation of the second initiative other fields as well. ment of the youth policy in the of implementation. PPP in various spheres of the increase opportunity and find the route up the career of the head of state to reduce In addition, SSMPA has cre- region. To the present day, in De- economy – education, health- drive wider development. ladder easier than in more the tax burden in order to in- ated a fifth-generation smart In addition, we will carry cember 2018, while continu- care, housing and communal rural communities. It is crease the wages of low-paid factory in the Kachary quarry. out: ing cooperation with CMC, services, internal affairs, hous- Women already culture as well as laws, workers, starting from Jan. Thanks to the automated sys- – The Koktem korki qyz- an agreement was signed on ing construction, culture and which need to be changed. 1, 2019, the tax burden for tem with elements of artificial galdaq rural youth forum; the investor’s entry into the sports for the total amount of account for more Wherever women work 57,200 people with a salary of intelligence, the productiv- – Qosta Youth information capital of Allur Group. The 26.6 billion tenge (US$69.5 – and, of course, in their 63,125 tenge (US$165.08) and ity of the equipment will be meeting and signed agreement implies the million). than half of those homes and communities less (totalling more than 1.6 increased four times and the – Deni sau urpaq – Ult Bo- acquisition by CMC of 51 per- Forty-four PPP contracts engaged in small – they have a right to feel billion tenge (US$4.2 million)) volume of finished products lashagy health and sports fes- cent of shares from a domestic were concluded for 16.6 bil- safe and respected. was reduced in the region. (concentrate and pellets) will tival. automotive company and the lion tenge (US$43.4 million), and medium There is recognition, too, The minimum wage was be increased up to 23 million This year, we are completing attraction of about $1.1 bil- which is third place in the sized enterprises that there is huge potential increased 1.5 times for about tonnes in five years. the construction of the Youth lion. This will help expand the ranking among the regions of in helping even more wom- 37,000 people at enterprises In agriculture, we are or- Palace. A concert hall with range of manufactured cars, the country: and two-thirds en set up and grow their and organisations of all forms ganising an agricultural pro- 1,000 seats and an orchestra increase the localisation level – in the field of education, of individual own businesses. Women of ownership. cessing cluster in Arkalyk, pit, modern sound and lighting up to 50 percent and enter for- 21 contracts for the construc- already account for more The initiative to increase which is directly connected to equipment will be provided eign markets. tion and reconstruction of five entrepreneurs. than half of those engaged wages was supported by more Astana. for youth creative groups. In September 2018, the kindergartens, the installation These are the in small and medium sized than 2,000 companies in the We are focusing on the meat company launched a project of block-module boiler houses enterprises and two-thirds region, which have increased processing complex with the How many foreign invest- worth over two billion tenge in secondary schools and the areas of the of individual entrepreneurs. the wages of more than 58,000 capacity of 1,000 tonnes, ments were attracted to Ko- (US$5.2 million) to produce rental of premises for pre- economy which These are the areas of the employees since Jan. 1. which was commissioned as stanai region in 2017-2018? tractors of the Belarus brand. school institutions; economy which will create A great deal of work has part of the traditional telecon- Please tell us about the most The investor was Compos- – in the area of health care, will create the the high-paid jobs of the been done to reduce the maxi- ference bridge. significant projects in the ite Group holding (, based in 12 contracts have been con- high-paid jobs of future. mum tariffs for public utilities We are also implementing construction, manufacturing Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, cluded for the construction of The Government is and today, the tariffs for heat a project to build a livestock and agro-industrial sectors. which also has a branch in a medical and obstetric station, the future. working on its own, and have already been reduced to breeding complex in Arkalyk. Work on attracting invest- Kyrgyzstan. It should be noted the lease of a family medical with partners, to give these 14 percent; for water, sewer- In addition, the region is a ments, including foreign in- that the holding is working on outpatient clinic and premises As we have said before, businesses the help they age and municipal solid waste pilot region for the introduc- vestments, is one of the most the certification of OAO MTZ. for medical institutions; no country has yet closed need. Financial institutions removal to 10 percent and for tion of digitisation in the agri- important strategic tasks of Implementation of the pro- – in the sphere of physical the gender gap. Women have been encouraged to electricity transportation and cultural sector. the Kostanai region Akimat ject became possible due to culture and sports, six agree- everywhere still face remove unfair barriers to services of consumer co-oper- We are implementing a (government). At the same close cooperation between the ments on construction of a conscious and unconscious credit which can hamper atives to 8 percent. smart dairy farm (Olzha Sad- time, there is steady growth in state and business. On the ter- football arena, a sports and en- barriers and bias, which growth. The European In addition, since the begin- chikovskoye LLP), smart meat attracting foreign investment ritory of the industrial zone tertainment complex, a 50-me- their male counterparts do Bank for Reconstruction ning of this year the cost of farm (Terra LLP) and smart in the capital of the region. in Kostanai, the investor was tre swimming pool, an ice not. This certainly remains and Development has just maintenance of elevators and poultry farm (Zhas-Kanat In 2017 and 2018, 22.8 and provided with a brownfield palace in the city of Kostanai the case in Kazakhstan, as announced the female-led coal suppliers to the region has 2006 LLP) and introducing 31.6 billion tenge (US$59.6 site, i.e. a land plot with a and a sports hall in the cities of the Government has itself businesses across Kazakh- been reduced to 5 percent. precision farming technolo- million and US$82.6 million) ready-made production facil- Kostanai and Rudny; recognised. stan it will support through The work on reduction of gies. were attracted, respectively. ity and an existing engineer- – in the sphere of hous- But independent studies its fast-track programme. prices and tariffs will be con- The main issue of the next According to static data, the ing infrastructure built at the ing and communal services, have also found real im- There is more to do but, tinued in the current year. stage of the agro-industrial volume of foreign investments expense of budget funds and four agreements on leasing provements in recent years. as the Asian Development The real growth of the complex digitisation for 2019 in 2018 was three times higher leased to the enterprise for of specialised equipment for A comprehensive report, Bank reported, the right economy contributes to the is the scaling up of these pro- than in 2015 (10 billion tenge long-term rent. Thanks to this, municipal solid waste (MSW) for example, from the policy framework backed improvement of the quality of jects to other regions and the (US$26.2 million)). the production of tractors was removal and Asian Development Bank by real commitment from life of the population. strengthening of awareness The undoubted success of established in the shortest pos- – in the sphere of housing on gender equality and the top is in place to drive Thus, the growth in industry among agricultural enterprises the last two years is the attrac- sible time. construction, one contract for female empowerment pub- forward progress on gender amounted to 8.3 percent; con- and the establishment of com- tion of several large foreign In addition, negotiations reconstruction of a building lished late last year found equality. Delivering on this struction works, 22.3 percent. petence centres for training investors. with Petersburg Tractor Plant for a rental house in Lisako- that Kazakhstan’s overall goal is in everyone’s inter- A total of 299,300 square farmers (training centres) on The abundance of natural on the assembly of Kirovets vsk. performance had improved est, whether male or female metres of housing were com- the basis of pilot farms. resources and availability of tractors series K-744 on the so strongly since 2000 that and requires everyone’s missioned, or 113.1 percent, In the area of business sup- raw material base in our region territory of Agromashholding The full version of the in- it was now better than aver- involvement. compared to 2017. port and development, joint encourages investors to create is being conducted now. terview is available online.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Central Asia’s largest tin deposit expected to spur Kazakhstan’s non-ferrous metal industry plant KAZMEAL. An inactive plant will also be transformed into a modern data centre. “We allocate funds for the resto- ration of idle industrial facilities, which are then offered to inves- tors on terms that are favourable,” the akim said. “Today, seven large investment projects are under de- velopment, which will attract more than 80 billion tenge (US$211.76 million) to the regional economy and create more than 1,500 new jobs.” Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev tasked the new gov- ernment, appointed Feb. 25, to “take effective steps in improving living standards, stimulating the economy and implementing strate- gic objectives.” Funds from the state budget and the National Fund will be al- located to improve regional de- velopment policy, social welfare for citizens of low socioeconomic status and housing options for so- cially vulnerable groups. As a re- sult, akimats (administrations) are expected to play a greater role in advancing these socially-oriented an annual capacity of two million cally advanced non-ferrous metal Development of the tin deposit gion increased 8.1 percent, reach- measures. Staff Report tonnes of ore, said North Kazakh- industry. Tin deposit reserves are began in 2013 and will be complet- ing 212 billion tenge (US$561.16 “Akims, the government, the stan Region Akim (Governor) Ku- currently estimated at 99.2 million ed in 2021 at a cost of 100 billion million). There, Chinese company party and Atameken National ASTANA – Tin stripping op- mar Aksalakov at a late February tonnes, of which metal tin reserves tenge (US$264.7 million). This Tielin Logistics Invest Co. is im- Chamber of Entrepreneurs should erations will begin in May at Syr- meeting. are 484,940 tonnes, reports Skin- year, four billion tenge (US$10.59 plementing projects on feed and help people with social assis- ymbet, Central Asia’s largest and The facility is expected to help vest.kz. Extraction of tungsten, million) has been invested. woodworking, and construction tance,” said Nazarbayev Feb. 27 at Kazakhstan’s only tin deposit with develop a domestic technologi- copper and fluorite is also planned. In 2018, investment in the re- began on the wheat processing the 18th Nur Otan Party Congress. AIFC court launches eJustice, Finnish companies to build first electronic legal management waste recycling plants Approximately 97 percent of all industry will be developed and By Zhanat Tukpiyev waste in Finland is recycled com- then it will be possible to impose pared to only 11.5 percent of solid taxes,” he said. system in Central Asia ASTANA – Finnish compa- waste and 32 percent of industrial Finnish Foreign Trade and De- our clients for many years,” said The AIFC wants to make the ser- nies are interested in constructing waste in Kazakhstan, he noted. velopment Minister Anne-Marie By Yerbolat Uatkhanov Chair of the AIFC Court Lord Wolf, vices of the court and the Interna- waste treatment plants in Kazakh- “This is not enough. In the com- Virolainen noted Kazakhstan has according to an AIFC press release. tional Arbitration Centre convenient stan. The Kazakh Ministry of En- ing years, we set ourselves a task extensive potential to generate ASTANA – The Astana Interna- According to the AIFC release, and accessible for legal professionals ergy plans to increase the waste re- to reach 50 percent of recycling. electricity from waste. tional Financial Centre (AIFC) and eJustice is the first electronic court and business people. The system also cycling rate from the current 11.5 Here, we don’t need to reinvent “This is what Finland wants the International Arbitration Centre system to be used in Central Asia. provides support to judges and arbi- percent to 50 percent using Finnish the wheel; we need to attract green to offer to Kazakhstan today. A have officially launched the eJus- It was developed by the AIFC Court trators, helps in resolving procedural technologies and investments. technologies, attract Finnish busi- vivid example is the production tice system in Astana’s financial and the International Arbitration issues, and supports the prompt and The sides spoke about the issue in ness, know-how and capital. If of bioenergy in Almaty at the hub. The system allows lawsuits Centre in cooperation with Singa- cost-effective resolution of commer- the capital March 1 during the 11th now the legislation doesn’t al- city water channel. There, Finn- to be filed from anywhere in the pore-based company CrimsonLogic. cial disputes in accordance with the meeting of the Kazakh-Finnish in- low us to do this, then we need to world, and will help manage the le- According to CrimsonLogic highest international standards. ish entrepreneurs supplied the gal and electronic processing of all CEO Saw Ken Wye, the eJustice The eJustice system project was tergovernmental commission on change it,” he added. equipment that produces biogas. legal documents. system was built using the world- completed with the involvement trade and economic cooperation. Bozumbayev indicated relevant Then they asked for help, as “The AIFC Court and the Inter- class legal product Chrysalis, a of lawyers from Kazakhstan and “Today, we discussed all areas work is underway to amend the there are inconsistencies in the national Arbitration Centre strive proven application with function- throughout the Central Asian re- of relations between our countries new environmental code. legislation,” she said. to be innovative and technologi- ality and features used by the most gion, as well as international legal – education, healthcare, digital “Due to the new environmen- Trade turnover between Kazakh- cally advanced. One of the most developed countries. and business circles, who tested the technologies, energy, digital secu- tal code, we will make necessary stan and Finland in 2018 reached important tasks for us was to de- The system is a completely online system and sent comments as po- rity and green energy. We will sign changes to other laws. We will also $265.8 million. The gross inflow velop the eJustice system that could service that allows parties to file tential future users. relevant documents in the near fu- try to make changes to the tax code of Finnish direct investments to overcome geographical barriers claims to the AIFC Court and the From Feb. 18 to Feb. 22, more ture – this will be the basis for co- to achieve tax preferences for the Kazakhstan from 2005-2017 was and maximise access to justice. International Arbitration Centre in than 35 Kazakh lawyers in Astana operation between our countries,” industry, which practically does $329 million. The gross outflow of Implementing the eJustice system electronic formats from anywhere and Almaty underwent in-depth said Minister of Energy Kanat Bo- not exist now. We need to create Kazakh direct investments to Fin- is a significant achievement for the in the world without the need for a training in the eJustice system. Fur- zumbayev. it and get energy from waste. The land was $0.5 million. AIFC Court and the International physical presence in Astana and to ther training will be conducted in Arbitration Centre and will serve process them within the AIFC. the future. Number of mortgage loans increased 19 percent in 2018 Construction Savings Bank) of December. To date, 68,600 resi- Staff Report Kazakhstan (HCSBK) remains dents of the region, that is, every the biggest issuer of the loans tenth citizen, are saving up for ASTANA – The number of for the purchase of housing in future housing. The amount of home loans issued in Kazakhstan the system of housing savings. savings has already reached 34.6 grew 18.9 percent in 2018 over billion tenge (US$91.45 million). 2017. The total portfolio of loans The branch issued 11,700 loans issued grew by 3 percent in the In response to a high (59 billion tenge or 155.94 mil- same time period. lion). The mortgage loans grew 1.8 demand for bank Since the launch of Nurly Zher percent and reached 1.3 trillion services in the West state programme in the end of tenge (US$3.44 billion) in just 2016, in the West Kazakhstan Re- December 2018, according to a Kazakhstan Region, gion, 1,200 apartments were sold report by ranking.kz. In Decem- the HCSBK opened a for approximately 10 billion tenge ber 2018, Astana and Almaty (US$26.43 million). In 2018, 480 saw 25.5 percent and 26 percent new branch in Uralsk apartments for 3.7 billion tenge growth respectively. More rural (US$9.78 million) were sold. This areas saw growth of approxi- in December. year, the state programme plans to mately 3 percent. The Kostanai commission another 1,100 apart- Region had a 5.8 percent increase The share of financial institution ments with a total area of 62,400 (40.6 billion tenge or US$107.31 loans from the country’s mort- square metres. million), the Aktobe Region had gage portfolio was 51.4 percent In addition, the commissioned 3.3 percent (to 73.7 billion tenge in 2018 against 42.4 percent in volume of housing in square me- or US $194.8 million) and the 2017. tres has been growing steadily West Kazakhstan Region had In response to a high demand year by year and reached 12.5 3 percent (44.9 billion tenge or for bank services in the West million square metres in 2018, US$118.68 million). Kazakhstan Region, the HCSBK against 11.2 million square me- The Zhilstroysberbank (House opened a new branch in Uralsk in tres in 2017. A8 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Pavlodar to open Rakhat Confectionery shows stable Investor’s House to growth, leads in chocolate market

By Zhanna Shayakhmetova

boost regional economy ASTANA – Rakhat Confection- ery recorded positive growth in all key indicators last year, increasing revenue, profitability and market share, according to the company’s Feb. 26 press release. Income grew by 4.8 percent compared to 2017, with revenue of 59.171 million tenge (US$158 million). Market share grew 2 per- cent and reached 20.5 percent in the main categories. Profitability also increased, as the 8.758-million tenge (US$23 million) operating profit grew 9.1 percent compared to the previous year. The average price for choco- late increased 3 percent in tenge and fell 4.3 percent in dollars. “The last year was important tenge (US$1.25 billion) at the for the company because we man- By Aidana Yergaliyeva end of 2018. aged to maintain a stable growth “The fact that about 100 billion phase due to our traditional qual-

ASTANA – The regional ad- tenge (US$265.20 million) is an ity in all categories. We launched rakhat.kz. Photo credit: ministration of Pavlodar will investment of small and medium- a new chocolate production line open an “Investor’s House” to sized enterprises brings special and made changes in approaches start of the season. The company “We are proud that our choco- production facilities in Shymkent, operate as a one-stop shop for satisfaction,” Bakauov said. to work with retail. We moni- also launched new products in the late brand is popular. The an- has 4,500 employees. potential investors by the end of The region has approximately tor market trends and analyse Pepero line from South Korea. The nual increase in market share is 6 Its portfolio includes more than the year, Pavlodar Region Akim 44,000 operating businesses that the activities of other players in imported products demonstrated percent despite a decrease in this 400 confectionery products of 14 (Governor) Bulat Bakauov an- employ more than 131,000 peo- the market. We aim to maintain double growth last year. category as a whole. Kazakh con- different groups. Rakhat manu- nounced at a Feb. 15 meeting ple or 32 percent of the economi- growth trends and increase com- Rakhat has expanded its retail sumers choose quality and prefer factures diabetes care products in- with regional residents. cally active population. These petitive advantages in 2019,” said presence by opening five new to buy our chocolate, bringing us cluding chocolate, candy, cookies The Investor’s House will pro- businesses generate tax rev- Rakhat Chairperson of the Board stores in the capital, Almaty and closer to market leadership in this and waffles with reduced calorie vide potential investors with the enue of nearly 63 billion tenge Konstantin Fedorets. Shymkent. Export growth was 4.5 category,” noted the release. content and sugar alternative. full range of project support and (US$167.2 million) per year. The Almaty-based plant pro- percent among countries beyond Rakhat, with a 75-year history, is Lotte Confectionery acquired services, all accessible in one “Investments are the blood duced a new chocolate line last the Customs Union compared to one of Kazakhstan’s largest manu- the majority stake of the company location. Services will be facili- vessels of the economy. By at- year which allowed Rakhat to a 2.2-percent decrease in member facturers of confectionery prod- in 2013, increasing its share to tated through the 10 government tracting them, we support dy- meet increased demand by the countries. ucts. The company, which also has 92.44 percent in 2015. agencies that will also set up of- namic development,” said the fices in the building. akim. “In general, the region Regional authorities looked to keeps its bar [high enough] in the examples of South Korea, terms of the volume of attracted Japan and Georgia in developing investments.” Pavlodar’s Investor’s House. State programmes also sup- The Investor’s House will “im- port business development. Last EBRD launches Fast Track programme to prove the availability and open- year, the Business Roadmap ness of government agencies, as programme provided 2.6 billion tenge (US$6.89 million) in sup- port for 450 regional business boost women’s economic empowerment The region has entities. Another social initia- Fast Track targeted support pro- pants with the opportunity over terprises to further increase their approximately 44,000 tive and productive employment By Zhanna Shayakhmetova gramme aims to bring enterprises nine months starting from March potential. programme increased funding of with growth potential to a new to share experiences, to learn the Enterprises with an annual turn- operating businesses the state microcredit system by ASTANA – The European Bank level. The selected companies world’s best practices for promot- over of between $567,012 to $56 that employ more 1.5 times. This gave 450 start- for Reconstruction and Develop- represent various sectors of the ing women’s entrepreneurship, million, with up to 250 employ- ups opportunities to realise their ment (EBRD) in cooperation with economy, including light indus- to choose from different types of ees and that had been operating than 131,000 people ideas. The vast majority – 91 per- the Ernst & Young company an- try, medicine, education and tour- consulting services and business for two years in Kazakhstan were cent of the businesses – are oper- nounced the 15 women-led enter- ism. The companies are located coaching and to expand their busi- eligible for the project. Excluded or 32 percent of the ated by rural residents. prises that will participate in their in Almaty, Astana, Kokshetau, ness contacts. from eligibility were companies in economically active The regional economy should Fast Track accelerated programme Kostanai, Shymkent and Semei,” The entrepreneurs will take part the tobacco and alcohol industries, also improve with the new tax targeting businesses with growth reads the release. in group trainings and individual financial and insurance institutions population. amnesty for small and medium- potential, the EBRD press service Participants in the new project coaching sessions in financial and and gambling business; all others sized businesses that Kazakh reported Feb. 27. include Dulatov Kostanai Engi- personnel management, marketing were welcome to apply. President Nursultan Nazarbayev, The project was launched as part neering and Economic University, and sales, strategic and operational Overall, the bank has provided well as the development of a sys- in his state-of-the-nation ad- of the EBRD’s Women in Busi- Vienna, Actual Optic, Ecomed, planning, organisational develop- $92 million in equivalent local tem for obtaining public services dress, suggested launching this ness programme, which promotes KazSPO-n, Happy Cake, Smart ment, risk management and other currency and five lines of credit in one place,” Bakauov said. year. Being able to write off their gender equality and the sustainable Imperium, AGF Group, Tourop- areas. of $64.6 million. More than $2.7 The house will be located at debt interest will help more than development of women’s entrepre- erator Kompas, Mimioriki, Arsha, During the individual sessions, million was allocated for nonfinan- 5B Victory Square in the build- 3,000 entrepreneurs in the Pav- neurship in the country. Top Cleaning Service, Doctor Ernst & Young will help the en- cial services including consulting, ing that once held KazTransOil’s lodar region get a fresh start. To “Women’s entrepreneurship Dent, Stone House companies and terprises identify the challenges business coaching, mentoring and branch office. date, their collective debt to the plays a key role in job crea- the Georgievsky pump equipment in developing a roadmap of ini- market development activities as Investment in the region’s budget totals 18.4 billion tenge tion and in stimulating Kazakh- plant. tiatives to increase growth areas. part of the Women in Business fixed assets exceeded 473 billion (US$48.8 million). stan’s economic growth… The Fast Track will provide partici- The company will monitor the en- programme in 2018. Kyzylorda region sees industrial production and export growth melons again in 2016. Vegetables By Zhanna Shayakhmetova and livestock are shipped to Iran, Mongolia, the United Arab Emir- ASTANA – Approximately 1.7 ates (UAE) and Uzbekistan and trillion tenge (US$4.5 billion) was safflower oil to China. invested in the Kyzylorda region in Despite the lack of water, local 2013-2018, the regional press ser- farmers produced 473,000 tonnes vice reported March 3. Investments of rice and plan to export their increased last year by 25.5 percent, produce to Afghanistan, Mongolia mainly due to the growth of the in- and Turkey. They also started pro- vestments provided by the enterpris- ducing Iranian varieties of rice for es. Investments in fixed assets were further export to that country. 325.5 billion tenge (US$865 million). This year, there are plans to Fixed asset investment in the build a meat packing plant with manufacturing industry increased by a slaughtering capacity up to 200 2.3 times during the past three years, head of large and 1,000 head of gross value added by more than 12 small cattle per day. percent and export of non-primary The region also introduced high- products by 22.7 percent. yielding crops such as soybeans “The region’s policy is aimed at and forage crops, including Sudan diversifying the economy through in- grass and sugar sorghum. Plans are dustrialisation. As a result, the region underway to reduce rice crops by observed a positive trend in terms of 2,171 hectares and increase forage the gross regional product in 2017 for crops by 4,068 hectares. the first time in the last four years,” The first phase of regulating the reads the release. Syrdarya riverbed and preserving More than 70 production facilities the northern part of the Aral Sea was

have been put into operation since primeminister.kz. Photo credit: launched to revive fisheries on the 2013, with industrial labour produc- Small Aral. Eight processing plants tivity increasing by 25 percent. Pro- 930.4 billion tenge (US$2.4 billion). tonnes per year. The projects, worth or 101.6 percent over 2017. The task of ensuring the processing of raw operate in the region and export to duction in the manufacturing sector The region launched an oil well ce- 64.1 billion tenge (US$170 million), export of agricultural products in- materials and entering the foreign countries near and far. The catch in increased by 31.6 percent in 2018 ment plant with a capacity of one mil- have created 286 jobs. creased by 27 percent and 97 percent markets with high-quality products,” the Aral Sea region was more than compared to 2013, as industrial en- lion tonnes per year and lime produc- “The gross agricultural output was of these are the share of processed according to the press service. 8,000 tonnes last year including such terprises manufactured items worth tion plant with a capacity of 75,000 97.7 billion tenge (US$260 million) products. The local authorities set the The region started exporting varieties as pikeperch and plaice. B Nation&Capital

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

PEOPLE CULTURE SPORTS Peaceful sky, respect for each “The Kazakh Khanate. The Golden Galysheva wins gold in moguls at other unite us, says Bulgarian Throne” premieres in Astana Freestyle Ski World Cup community leader B2 B3 B7 Norwegian embarks on solo crossing of Dimash, Daneliya Balkhash Lake for first time in Kazakh history advance to next stage of CBS’ ‘The World’s Best’ Paul and Faith Hill, as well as an in- By Assel Satubaldina ternational panel of 50 experts from around the globe in various fields of ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s rising entertainment. Known as the “wall singing stars Dimash Kudaibergen of the world,” this international panel and Daneliya Tuleshova advanced to helps the judges make their decisions. the next round in the latest episode For both Kudaibergen and Tule- of “The World’s Best,” the global tal- shova, “The World’s Best” is not ent competition show that premiered their first international competition. Feb. 3 on CBS. Kudaibergenov, 24, is known for Kudaibergen and Tuleshova are his impressive vocal range of six oc- among 24 contestants. The latest epi- taves and two semitones. sode, which aired Feb. 20, saw them He was the Grand Prix winner of compete in the first round of battles the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, Be- that will eventually weed out all but a larus, in 2015. His popularity and fan winning five for the final stage. base, however, rose tremendously af- The show brings international per- ter his participation in Hunan TV’s “I formers onstage to be evaluated by Am the Singer” show in 2017. three judges, Drew Barrymore, Ru Continued on Page B3 Bublik wins fifth ATP Challenger Series tournament percent of his first service points. By Aidana Yergaliyeva He won his first trophy of the sea-

Photo credit: KazGeo Photo credit: son Feb. 10 at Hungarian Challenger William Byholt before the start of the expedition. ASTANA – Kazakh professional Open in Budapest. The second ATP tennis player Alexander Bublik won Challenger trophy brings Bublik 90 March 3 the inaugural Teréga Open ATP Ranking points and a cash prize the trip six months ago. His re- The lake, located amidst diverse “When we just arrived, the tem- Pau-Pyrénées in the singles final in of $10,431.5. The tournament’s By Assel Satubaldina search eventually led him to Mag- landscapes bordering the Almaty, perature was around ten degrees the city of Pau, France. This is his prize fund is $78,548.7. zhan Sagimbayev, an experienced Karaganda and Zhambyl regions, below Celsius. We were glad to second trophy of 2019 season and Earlier the same day, British Scott ASTANA – Using skis and ice mountaineer and traveller well- is known for the unique chemical see snow covering Balkhash, be- the fifth in his career on the Associa- Clayton and Canadian Adil Shamas- skates, Norwegian William Byholt known in Kazakhstan and beyond, composition of its waters. A nar- cause there was a problem with tion of Tennis Professionals (ATP) din won the doubles final of the tour- is in the midst of crossing Balkhash who is also working for the Ka- row strait, 3.5 kilometres wide and water. He now melts ice and cooks Challenger Tours. nament. The unseeded duo fought Lake in central Kazakhstan for the zakh Geographic Society. six metres deep, divides the lake using this snow. We were worried In the final match, Bublik beat about wild animals and I still wor- past No. 4 seeds Sander Arends from first time in the nation’s history. “I then contacted him on Face- into fresh and salty sections. Norbert Gombos from Slovakia 5-7, The solo expedition, supported by book and at first suggested doing Byholt will cover 570 kilome- ry about this. This is quite a huge the Netherlands and Tristan-Samuel 6-3, 6-3, reports sports.kz. During the Kazakh Geographic Society, it together, but he said he wanted tres on his east-west route, trek- habitat for animals, particularly Weissborn of Austria with scores the one hour and 44 minutes match, started Feb. 20 and is expected to to do it solo, without assistance. I king approximately 25 kilome- wolves,” he noted. 7-6(4), 5-7, 10-8. Bublik fired 13 aces, winning 77 Continued on Page B7 take 20-23 days, said Kazakh Geo- agreed. I decided to help him in or- tres per day. As of March, he has The rising temperature makes graphic Society project manager ganising it. There were many ques- crossed 230 kilometres, almost the route more difficult and de- Magzhan Sagimbayev. tions regarding wild animals, fuel, half of the distance, and plans to creases the pace. Byholt, 27, is an explorer and route, drinking water. I contacted finish the expedition by March “He wrote a message to me just traveller. He has summited such our society and suggested this pro- 14. He was motivated by the feats a few days ago that he started go- peaks as Mont Blanc (4,810 me- ject. They approved,” Sagimbayev of fellow countrypersons such as ing at night, as the weather is cold- Nomad Fortress serves as tres) and Huyana Potosí (6,088 told The Astana Times. Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian er and it is more comfortable,” said metres) in addition to mountains Byholt spoke about his previ- explorer who led the first expedi- Sagimbayev. in Armenia, Georgia, India, Nepal, ous travelling experience during a tion to the South Pole in 1911 and “We communicate via SMS. He Peru and Venezuela. presentation in Almaty preceding flew over the North Pole in 1926. has a tracker, inReach Explorer filming location, unique He is also the first Norwegian the expedition. “He said that such people inspire [Garmin] and also a portable sat- to complete the Indonesian seven “As he said during the lecture, him and make him achieve some- ellite phone. I monitor his route summits. His most recent achieve- he was once just sitting and saw thing new, tap into something un- through this tracker, his pace and ment is his January ascent of Ac- Kazakhstan and Balkhash on the explored. His friend also crossed his coordinates. We agreed on the tourist attraction oncagua (6,962 metres), the high- map. He became interested in it Baikal Lake [in Russia], but many coordinates where I will be taking est peak in South America. due to its interesting composition,” know about Baikal,” said Sagim- him from. He has texted me once but, walking through it, visitors Byholt began preparations for said Sagimbayev. bayev. in four days,” said Sagimbayev. By Dilshat Zhussupova feel as if they have stepped back in time. That is, until further inspec- ASTANA – Nomad Fortress, a tion reveals that its buildings are medieval-looking site built on the composed of wood and styrofoam. Ili River bank for the 2005 Kazakh These buildings are reminiscent of historical epic film “Koshpendiler” the 18th century, featuring towers, (Nomad: The Warrior), indulges fortress walls, residential quarters Foreign Ministry presents book about young tourists’ imaginations of a bygone and a mosque with minarets. And era of steppe warriors. standing on a rampart will reveal The fortress, located approxi- the best view of the site’s sur- mately 30 kilometres from Ka- rounding scenery. diplomats, supports their professional growth pchagai city, is not a historic site Continued on Page B6 call to youth to show themselves By Aidana Yergaliyeva more actively for the benefit of the motherland,” said Vassilenko. ASTANA – The Ministry of In a few decades, Kazakh diplo- Foreign Affairs presented a book macy has made great strides, said THINGS TO WATCH & called “New Faces of Kazakh Di- the country’s foreign minister in plomacy” at the March 5 meeting 1991-1994 who was present at the PLACES TO GO with its contributors and the Insti- event, Tuleitai Suleimenov. tute of Diplomacy of the Public It “had gone through the hard- BARYS ARENA Administration Academy under est times in the first years of inde- March 14 at 7.30 p.m. HC Barys – HC Avangard Omsk, the President. pendence. We had one computer March 16 at 5 p.m. 2019 Gagarin Cup play offs Presented as a part of events for the entire ministry and now during the Kazakh Year of Youth, everyone has their own,” said the book collects 26 interviews of Suleimenov as he extolled the ASTANA OPERA young diplomats who share their youth to be proud of their country March 16, 17 at 6 p.m. Turandot, opera experiences and visions of Ka- and its foreign policy. zakhstan’s diplomatic future. The meeting participants March 22, 23 at 6 p.m. Kyz Zhibek, opera “Our youth, the Independence stressed the increasing importance Era generation, is well represented of developing digital diplomacy. SARYARKA VELODROME at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. mfa.kz. Photo credit: The promotion of the state bodies And their stories, their worldview minds, teach them new disciplines form a council of young diplomats at the social media became a vital March 17 at 8 p.m. BC Astana - BC Tsmoki-Minsk are vividly presented in the book,” and to give them new knowledge. that should work to provide more part of communication. said Deputy Minister of Foreign For example, the students of the opportunities for them. “In a rapidly changing world, ASTANA BALLET Affairs Roman Vassilenko at the Institute of Diplomacy are tak- The agenda for this year also where digital diplomacy, the event. ing a very interesting course that includes sending Kazakh youth to struggle for technology, invest- March 20 at 7.30 p.m. Legacy of the Great Steppe The professional development is not commonly lectured. It is a London’s Young Diplomats Fo- ment and markets and, yes, pub- of the younger generation is a Big Data analysis,” said Academy rum in July. In addition to this, 10 lic opinion come to the forefront, ASTANA ARENA Kazakh government priority. The Vice President Aigul Kosherbaye- best students will be offered spon- , a young Kazakh diplomat must March 21 at 9 p.m. Kazakhstan – Scotland, young diplomats periodically re- va. sored internships in Germany, Ja- combine the already established ceive qualification trainings at the This year, the foreign ministry pan, Egypt, China, France, Roma- traditions of our diplomacy and 2020 UEFA Cup Qualifier academy and are able to receive plans more activities to facilitate nia, Singapore, Indonesia, Chili new trends, to which we need to March 24 at 8 p.m. Kazakhstan – Russia, Masters and PhD degrees from the the professional growth of more and the Netherlands. adapt quickly to stay ahead of Institute of Diplomacy. young people interested in careers “The idea of conducting the events and trends,” said the depu- 2020 UEFA Cup Qualifier “We try to transform their in diplomacy. The ministry will Year of Youth is, first of all, a ty foreign minister. B2 NATION&CAPITAL PEOPLE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Best university Peaceful sky, respect for each other unite teacher is one of us, says Bulgarian community leader

By Saltanat Boteu

100 New Faces ASTANA – Olga Andriyevs- kaya, founder and chair of the Bulgarian Zlata Cultural Centre in the capital, represents the fourth generation of Bulgarians living in Kazakhstan. She feels mutual respect is the basis for the friend- ship and understanding among those living in the country. “We are united by our peace- ful sky. The credit for the fact that people of 130 ethnicities live peacefully in one country should go to our President… These are not timid words; I witness what I say. In my childhood, all children played together and did not di- vide into ethnicities. Now I work at school, where 1,300 students Photo credit: 100esim.el.kz. Photo credit:

study. No one is divided into eth- astana.gov.kz. Photo credit: Zhanar Baiseitova nicities; on the contrary, we unite Olga Andriyevskaya into one… Respect unites all in Pavlodar’s schools and univer- ethnicities living in our beautiful By Anzhela Kaliyeva sities and are used to prepare stu- state,” she said in an interview to the Assembly of the People of “We have two groups – vocal events and inviting the embassy dents in pedagogical specialties for with assembly.kz. Kazakhstan. and choreographic. The Tsvetanka to festivals and holidays it organ- ASTANA – Zhanar Baiseito- professional activities. She is also Andriyevskaya’s ancestors, “My father is a Bulgarian, my vocal group works with the sup- ises. va, winner of the best university the winner of the state scientific who settled nearby Pavlodar in mother is Ukrainian and my hus- port of the School – Gymnasium “Last year, we held the Memo- teacher, has also been selected as scholarship for talented young Ka- 1910, founded two villages. The band is Russian according to his No. 6. The adult Zlata vocal group rable Evening of the Holocaust one Kazakhstan’s 100 New Faces. zakh scientists. settlers made friends with the passport, but he has Ukrainian, performs Bulgarian songs. The at Gymnasium No. 6 attended by The teacher from Pavlodar never “I was born in the Mayskoye locals and exchanged traditions Polish and Czech blood flowing in Izvor dance and choreographic the Ambassadors of Bulgaria and village in the Pavlodar region. My and customs while mastering the his veins. My daughter-in-law is group is for children who share an Israel. Very often, the Bulgarian Baiseitova college entrance after grade nine is Kazakh language. Kazakhs taught Tatar; therefore, our family is the interest and love for choreograph- Embassy provides us with infor- largely due to my father. He was Bulgarians cattle breeding in lo- Small Assembly,’” she said. ic folk art,” she noted. mation about competitions that is constantly always [encouraging] me to de- cal climatic conditions; in turn, Andriyevskaya has lived in the The centre currently faces two take place in Bulgaria,” she said. working to improve velop, to study, to broaden my ho- Bulgarians taught them to grow capital since 2000, teaching biol- issues – difficulty in finding a “This summer a woman, Gul- rizons and to see the world,” she vegetables. ogy for the last 19 years at School choreographer proficient in the mira, who has been living in her personal, said. “My ancestors are voluntary – Gymnasium No. 6. Her late fa- basics of Bulgarian folk dancing Bulgaria for 11 years, came to Baiseitova is constantly work- settlers from Bessarabia. During ther, Oleg Dymov, has worked at and organising Bulgarian lan- Kazakhstan. She is a Kazakh scientific and ing to improve her personal, scien- the Stolypin reform, two settle- the assembly since it was formed. guage courses. woman, married to a Bulgarian educational level. tific and educational level. She has ments migrated towards Kazakh- “When our President founded “When I am in Bulgaria, I need man. She has a great desire and participated in scientific seminars, stan to look for empty land. In this unique structure, my father three-four days [to get used to lan- interest for Kazakhstan and Bul- She has participated training courses and internships 1910, they settled 30 kilometres began working in the Secretariat guage,] understand and speak [it]. garia to closely cooperate and in Austria, the Czech Republic, from Pavlodar’s Irtysh Land and of the Assembly and devoted his My father spoke Bulgarian, but, exchange culture. She provides in scientific seminars, Germany, Israel, Italy, Russia and founded the Andrianovka and Ra- whole life to it. Everyone in our unfortunately, he did not teach great assistance and support to the training courses Turkey. zumovka villages,” she said. family was aware of events that me,” said Andriyevskaya. “There centre in organisational matters,” “She is a person who passion- “I already represent the fourth took place at the assembly,” she is a Sunday school in Pavlodar she noted. and internships ately loves her profession. She generation of Bulgarians who live said. where volunteers teach Bulgar- Bulgarians celebrate March 1 as is a talented teacher. Calmness, in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is our In 2011, they founded the Zlata ian. In the Aktobe Region, there Baba Marta national holiday that in Austria, the kindness and gentleness in com- homeland which we love and ap- Cultural Centre in the capital with is the Bulgarka village that has a indicates the beginning of spring. Czech Republic, munication easily help her to find preciate and we try to pay tribute 20 people; it currently has ap- Bulgarian school.” The holiday is similar to Nauryz a common language with any to our ancestors and the local peo- proximately 40 Bulgarians. The The centre actively participates (Traditional New Year celebrated Germany, Israel, person. It is characterised by de- ple for sheltering us,” she added. centre welcomes people of any in city events showing Bulgarian in Kazakhstan and numerous oth- Italy, Russia manding self, integrity, diligence Andriyevskaya’s family is mul- ethnicity; its vocal and dancing culture, songs and dances. It also er countries in the region and be- and accuracy in all that relates to tinational and she calls her fam- groups have participants of differ- works closely with the Bulgar- yond). People prepare treats, play and Turkey. the case. Her studies are emotion- ily the Small Assembly, referring ent backgrounds. ian Embassy, participating in its games, sing songs, arrange ring al and unexpected. She conducts dances and exchange martenichki them at a high professional level, (red and white tassels worn on the ceases to improve, both personally thanks to her pedagogical skills, wrist), which symbolise health, and professionally. and engages students in the won- cleanliness and well-being. Baiseitova, who participates in derful world of self-knowledge “Many legends are associated scientific conferences at various and self-development. All her with the holiday. One of the most levels, has published more than activities are like an interesting 120 articles. Four were included world filled with stories, life sto- popular is about the founder of the in magazines with non-zero im- ries, parables and tasks that make Bulgarian state, Asparuh Khan… pact factor in the Scopus database, you think and understand your One day, being away from home, which means the magazines are in feelings and actions,” said one of the khan decided to send a mes- good standing. The East West As- her students. sage to his sister about his health sociation published two of her six “For me as a teacher, the big- state by a pigeon. After receiving teaching manuals, including the gest reward is when students excel the news from her brother, she Association for Advocations and beyond me. This is an indicator of was delighted and tied the paw Higher Education, and her mono- my work. I also want to note that of the pigeon with white threads. graph “Deviant Behaviour: Theory after I became the winner of the On the way, the pigeon injured and Practice” was released accord- 100 New Faces project, the sense the paw and one thread turned ing to the results of scientific re- of responsibility increased several red. After the pigeon delivered search conducted in 2015. times. Now, I have to be a real ex- the news about the sister’s well- All of Baiseitova’s studies have ample. For me, this is an incentive being, the khan ordered making a been introduced into the educa- to work even more and more effi- Ambassador of Bulgaria to Kazakhstan Vasil Petkov (C) and his wife meet with members of the Bulgarian community in celebration of that day,” explained tional and methodological process ciently,” said Baiseitova. Kazakhstan. Andriyevskaya. B3 NATION&CAPITAL CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 “The Kazakh Khanate. The Golden Throne” premieres in Astana cal data,” said executive producer By Yekaterina Yelisseyeva Arman Asenov. The first season was popular and ASTANA – “The Kazakh Khan- the creators received many posi- ate. The Golden Throne” pre- tive reviews on social media, said miered Feb. 26 in the capital. The director Rustem Abdrashov. series, based on Ilyas Esenberlin’s “There were a lot of discussions novel “Diamond Sword,” retells and disputes. We see that people the story of the struggle for the are interested; they want and they great steppe and Kazakh statehood are waiting for the continuation of from 1470-1485. the series, which is important for us. Our film shows not only his- “The first season torical events, but also shows the life and rich culture of the nomadic was popular and the people,” he added. creators received Actor Niyazbek Shaisultanov, who plays Abulkhair Khan’s grand- many positive reviews son, noted the historical event was the focus of the first season. on social media.” “We made the film for almost half a year and we faced a lot of “This is one of the most difficult difficulties. Film production is periods in the history of the Kazakh challenging work. For the battle Khanate. The film tells about the scenes, we trained for about three- battle of the khans Zhanibek and four months. There were different Kerei against the descendants of situations. As a result, the film is Abulkhair Shaibani for power and good and exciting,” he said. for Syganak. The second season The first season’s TV premiere has more drama and action. We be- in March 2017 was devoted to the lieve the audience will be excited. 550th anniversary of the Kazakh We have added more events to the Khanate. The film has now been script, but we are close to histori- released in theatres nationwide. Astana Opera presents classical masterpieces Japanese spring festival The vocal music was featured in toire includes my past, present and Chotabaev noted it is a great By Zhanna Shayakhmetova the second part of the concert. future roles,” Mudryak said. pleasure to sing a duet with “I will perform on the eve of She performed Norina’s aria Mudryak. ASTANA – Soprano Maria my 25th anniversary, April 6, at from Gaetano Donizetti’s “Don “I will perform new arias in this celebrates Japanese, Mudryak and tenor Medet Cho- the Astana Opera. My concert is Pasquale,” the solo she sang when concert. I will present together tabaev presented “Masterpieces dedicated to my Kazakh fans. I she started her career. This year, she with the orchestra the aria of Loris of Musical Art” March 2 at the invite everyone to the concert and will debut as Margarita in David from Umberto Giordano’s opera Astana Opera House in the capital. the premiere of Giacomo Puc- McVicar’s production of “Faust” ‘Fedora.’ It is an amazing compo- Kazakh culture The Astana Opera Symphony Or- cini’s opera ‘La Bohème’ April 19. with Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu at sition. I will sing Agustin Lara’s welcomed many famous figures chestra performed for the first time I will also perform this part at the the Melbourne Opera House. aria ‘Granada’ and Kavaradossi’s By Assel Satubaldina from Japan. with maestro Ilya Mashkevich. Bolshoi Theatre and in ‘La Travia- “I will sing the aria of Leonora aria from ‘Tosca’ opera,” he said Among them were Japanese The programme included Sym- ta’ opera in Beirut. But most of all, from ‘The Troubadour’ opera. We prior to the concert. ASTANA – Capital residents jazz virtuoso Akikazu Nakamura, phony No. 9 by Czech composer I want to meet with the audience will also present the most beauti- The theatre will stage “Kyz had a chance to get acquainted Toshiko Kuto playing traditional Antonin Dvořák. in one of the best theatres in the ful duets from Verdi and Puccini’s Zhibek” national opera (March 22 with Japanese traditional mu- Japanese string music instrument “I perform this music quite often. world, Astana Opera. The reper- operas at the concert,” she added. and 23). sic and classics, as the Japanese koto, world renowned violinist In my opinion, this magical compo- Spring Festival came to the city Ken Aiso, jazz trio of Kishi Mit- sition is full of energy and beautiful Feb. 27 for its eleventh edition this suaki, jazz trio of Ayako Shirasaki, melodies. Dvořák was passionate year. famous drummer troupe Yamato about Czech traditional music, but The Organ Hall of the Kazakh and famous musician Yasuo Kino- there is also an atmosphere of Native National University of Arts hosted hati, a master of playing the Japa- America in the symphony, especially the concert. nese bamboo flute shakuhachi. in the second part,” said Mashkevich. The concert featured the perfor- The goal of the festival is to The musician has a busy tour mance of Toshiko Yonekawa the provide an opportunity to people schedule as a guest conductor in Second, playing koto and sangen, to get acquainted with best pieces France, Germany, Japan, Rus- a three-stringed instrument. She of Japanese music, gear cultural sia and many other countries. He is one of the leading koto masters exchange and reveal parallels be- gives master classes and writes for over 80 years in Japan and has tween the cultures of the two coun- music for theatre and films. been awarded a living national tries. “I feel respect for every musician treasure title in 1996. Organisers note the project has a I work with. They perform and I Her student Tosisato Kamikawe significant education purpose. As just show the direction. During the playing samisen and Kazakh mu- part of their visit to Kazakhstan, first minutes of rehearsal, I try to sicians Venera Tabys, Sanzhar Japanese performers also meet assess the professional level of the Almishev and Marina Pak also Kazakh students, conduct master orchestra and each musician. Then, performed for the audience. classes and art meetings narrating I offer my own vision of the music. The festival has been open to for the young people the Japanese Orchestras are different, but the the public and has been organised music history and the peculiarities principle remains,” he said. Maria Mudryak twice a year in spring in Astana of Japanese traditional music in- and in fall in Almaty since 2011 struments. by the Degdar humanitarian fund The concert programme also with the support of the Japanese features performers telling Japa- embassy in Kazakhstan. nese haiku and tanka as well as po- Dimash, Daneliya advance to next In different years, Kazakhstan ems of the classic Kazakh poetry. stage of CBS’ ‘The World’s Best Continued from Page B1 gin” with his performance of Tuleshova is a rising star not Sen” (“Believe in Yourself” in Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself,” only on the stage of her home Kazakh) that placed her sixth in For his audition stage, Kudai- which showcased his unique vo- country, but also beyond. the competition with a total of bergen performed his famous ren- cal range.“If I closed my eyes, I She became popular after 171 points. ditions of “S.O.S d’un Terrien en would have thought there were at winning “The Voice Kids” in Tuleshova gave a powerful per- Détresse,” a popular French opera least eight to 10 people singing. It Ukraine in 2016. Following her formance in the audition stage, song, receiving an almost perfect is like one minute you are Queen win, Tuleshova went on to rep- singing Andra Ray’s “Rise Up.” score of 98 points out of 100. and the next minute you are Pa- resent Kazakhstan at the Jun- Her performance earned her 96 In the first battle round, he varotti, and I’m like, ‘How is this ior Eurovision Song Contest points out of 100. moved past Sister Cristina’s ver- all happening out of one person?’” last year, where she performed “I like you very much. We hope sion of Madonna’s “Like a Vir- Barrymore said of Kudaibergen. an original song called “Ozine for these moments on the show. And you moved me to tears,” Bar- rymore told Tuleshova. Tuleshova went on to perform a rendition of Demi Lovato’s “Stone Cold” in her battle round victory over Manami from Japan. Ru Paul described the perfor- mance as the “birth of a child su- perstar.” “I was so excited because I’ve always dreamed about America! When I arrived in America I was so, so happy and I’ve met so many great people. The producers and other participants are so kind and very welcoming,” Tuleshova told CBS in an interview. The show will continue with six more episodes. The next episode aired Feb. 27 with another battle round stage, yet the Kazakh sing- ers were not meant to take part in that. B4 NATION&CAPITAL COUNTRY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 More than 100 clinics and hospitals Government offer free healthcare in Almaty implements Economy trepreneurs for compulsory social By Zhanna Shayakhmetova health insurance in the period from July 1, 2017 to Feb. 28. In terms of ASTANA – Approximately 104 regions, the largest amounts were of Simple Things private organisations and 81 gov- allocated in the Almaty, Astana ernment organisations provide free and the Karaganda regions. government-sponsored healthcare Children under 18 years old, to Almaty residents, said Social pregnant women, people with dis- Health Insurance Fund director abilities, and retired people with Tleukhan Abildayev at a March 5 acute dental pain receive free den- press conference. tal care as part of the guaranteed “The number of private health- free healthcare policy. care providers working with gov- Recently, the Ministry of Health- ernment has doubled over the past care reported that public health two years. Also, 77 clinics including expenditures will increase by two- 38 private offer services,” he said. “We need to ensure that the doc- The mobile apps were developed fold due to the expansion of the The residents should choose tor can fulfil duties and is able to based on the Damumed medical vaccination programme, screening the hospital close to their place of improve the level of qualifica- information system to make an ap- of major diseases, raising aware- Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Saparkhan Omarov. residence taking into account other tion,” said Deputy Head of Almaty pointment, call a doctor at home or ness of healthy lifestyles. The preventive services. Healthcare Department Assel Bis- get the laboratory results. spending will be about 74 billion of local manufactured goods up to “If a person chooses the hospi- senbayeva. The total contracts of the So- tenge (US$195 million) by 2022. By Yerbolat Uatkhanov 50 percent. The quality of products tal, which is located in another dis- “The digitisation programme is cial Health Insurance Fund with Kazakh healthcare officials also will increase, while decreasing the trict or located far from his or her being implemented. Some 79 med- Almaty medical organisations are hope to strengthen the role of pri- ASTANA – The Ministry of volume of counterfeit products. home, free services are not avail- ical organisations launched the pa- worth 105.2 billion tenge (US$278 mary care physicians, reduce hospi- Industry and Infrastructure De- able,” he said. perless medical documentation. million). talisations and improve early detec- velopment has implemented an Some 88 hospitals will be More than 1.5 million people have Overall, 149.2 billion tenge tion of oncological diseases. They Economy of Simple Things, a new The government is opened this year to reduce the bur- electronic passports. The work in (US$400 million) were allocated also hope to decrease the number of programme focused on developing den on primary care physicians. this direction continues,” she said. by employers and individual en- vaccine-preventable infections. light manufacturing and the con- planning a 20-percent struction and furniture industries. annual increase in the The ministry plans to create 16,000 new jobs by 2025 and reduce im- share of purchases ports from 59 to 37 percent. Approximately 400 billion tenge from domestic Inbound tourism increased 10 percent (US$1 billion) will be allocated producers. The to support manufacturing, said Prime Minister Askar Mamin on manufacturers will be March 5. Developing and support- required to confirm in 2018 over previous year ing business projects under the “The adoption (of the draft law) platforms, he said. cent Kazakh Tourism initiatives. programme will bring 1.1 trillion their production By Dilshat Zhussupova will enable the systematic promo- “At the second stage (of the pro- “The bloggers visited tourist des- tenge (US$2.9 billion) in taxes to tion of Kazakhstan as a new tourist motion strategy), the focus will be tinations in Astana, Shchuchinsk- the budget. capacity through a ASTANA – Approximately 8.49 destination on the world tourism on advertising key tourism prod- Borovoe resort zone, Almaty and “Roadmaps for the development special industrial million people visited Kazakhstan map,” said Kuzembayev on plans ucts,” the chairman added. “The the Almaty, East Kazakhstan and of these industries have been de- in 2018, which is 10.2 percent to increase inbound tourism. third stage involves working with Turkestan regions. Their posts veloped to solve these problems. certificate. more than in the previous year, said Kazakh Tourism seeks to be- high-potential markets and target were read by more than 150 mil- They envisage measures to devel- Kazakh Tourism national company come the country’s brand manager countries.” lion readers.” op the resource base, protect the chairman Rashid Kuzembayev in a and hopes to involve the public, Tourist areas prioritised for Kazakh singer Dimash Kudai- domestic market by improving the “The implementation of the pro- Feb. 22 interview with Primemin- local executive bodies, business- promotion include the lakes Ala- bergen is the national company’s measures of customs administra- posed measures will allow increas- ister.kz. es, Atameken National Chamber kol and Balkhash, the Almaty first tourism ambassador and was tion and technical regulation and ing the production of construction The country experienced 50 per- of Entrepreneurs and the Kazakh mountains, the resort zones of recently joined by former cosmo- create national standards aimed materials and products of the light cent growth in tourism from the ministries of culture and sports, Bayanaul, Imantau-Shalkar and nauts Anatoly Artsebarsky, Yuri at improving the quality of goods and furniture industries by 73 bil- United Arab Emirates, 49 percent Baturin, Yuri Malenchenko and and services,” said Minister of In- lion tenge (US$190.7 million) an- growth in tourism from India, 44 Talgat Mussabayev in promotional dustry and Infrastructure Develop- nually,” said Sklyar. percent growth in tourism from activities. In a July visit to Alakol ment Roman Sklyar. Similar funding will be provid- Malaysia, 22 percent growth in Lake, the former cosmonauts re- The government is planning a ed for the country’s agricultural tourism from Hong Kong, 16 per- called their time spent undergoing 20-percent annual increase in the and industrial complex, where the cent growth in tourism from Po- post-spaceflight rehabilitation at share of purchases from domestic main task is to ensure food secu- land, 15 percent growth in tourism the resort zone. producers. The manufacturers will rity and the most important com- from South Korea and 5.8 percent “Dimash performed concerts in be required to confirm their pro- ponent is the food industry, noted growth in tourism from the United Kazakhstan, which his fans [from duction capacity through a special Minister of Agriculture Saparkhan States. Kazakhstan and overseas] planned industrial certificate. Omarov. To that end, the ministry In an Oct. 5 state-of-the-nation to attend in advance, and tourists In addition, the government has allocated 200 billion tenge address, Growing Welfare of the were able to visit Kazakhstan’s cit- will take corresponding measures (US$529 million) to lend to the Kazakh Citizens: Increase in In- ies as part of his promotional tour,” to improve representing domestic complex. The funds will be pro- come and Quality of Life, Kazakh noted Kuzembayev. goods in retail chains, provide en- vided to produce approximately President Nursultan Nazarbayev Additional Kazakh Tourism terprises with highly qualified per- 118 priority types of processed tasked the government with de- Rashid Kuzembayev initiatives include producing the sonnel and attract investments in agricultural products. The money veloping a state programme on Tourist Map of Kazakhstan with the three industries to implement will be divided evenly between tourism development. Kazakh foreign affairs and information and Shchuchinsk-Borovoe as well as the Kazakh Ministry of Culture advanced technology projects. loans for agricultural product pro- Tourism’s programme will begin communications in tourism devel- the Mangystau and Turkestan re- and Sports and regional akimats The roadmap will organise more cessing and producing raw materi- operating in three to four months, opment. gions. (administrations), supporting Ka- than 150 events, which in the me- als for the food and manufacturing and the draft law on tourism will Promotion will primarily target “In 2018, we organised a visit zakh business participation in in- dium term will increase the share industries. be submitted for review by the the demographic cohorts Gen- from popular Chinese bloggers ternational tourism exhibitions and Kazakh Parliament within six eration Y and Z, who often shape with more than 100 million fol- conducting expeditions across the months. today’s trends in travel, on digital lowers,” said Kuzembayev on re- country. National Security Committee to protect from information leaks hardware and software starting this By Laura Tussupbekova year. The work will be a complete ASTANA – The National Secu- Kazakh product, as the nation has rity Committee will be equipping several competent centres in cryp- government agencies with systems tographic information§ protection. to prevent information leaks. The “They are really capable of pro- Ministry of Defence and Aero- ducing software and the implemen- space Industry scientific and tech- tation of very serious, persistent nical council has selected the spe- crypto algorithms for embedding cific IT security projects. into mobile communication sys- “At present, the projects are tems, information transfer systems being examined by the Ministry or data archiving. Solutions of such of Education and Science. All of a domestic developer are available them are related to IT security in in the country. It is also available one way or another. The budget is for the civil sector. By the way, it providing funding worth 2.7 bil- is for the civil sector and more in lion tenge (US$7.2 million) for demand, because we are still look- 2019-2021. One of the defence ing for ways to encourage govern- plants is currently working on a ment agencies to acquire domestic protected computer,” said Min- products. We are trying to change istry of Defence and Aerospace the situation in this sense,” said Industry committee on informa- Goloburda. tion security Chairperson Dmitry Information leaks are not only Goloburda at a Senate meeting on embarrassing, but also extremely developing public-private part- dangerous for any government. nerships. Preventing them – whether from He added the National Security accidents or intentional attacks – Committee plans to outfit govern- remains a top priority for the Na- ment agencies with the necessary tional Security Committee. B5 NATION&CAPITAL SOCIETY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Mama Pro empowers socially-vulnerable Documentary commemorates women, presents first trainees’ results Nevada-Semipalatinsk anti- ing. The courses inspired them to open support centres similar to Mama Pro, reinforcing its im- portance. The participants shared nuclear movement anniversary their ideas for centres with more specified direction such as psy- chological support for women and special schools for children with Down Syndrome. “They have wonderful projects and now go back to their com- munities and make a difference. I think it is especially important during International Women’s Day to celebrate the accomplish- ments of women, because they really provide for their families and support communities. This was an important project for us to support,” said U.S. Embassy At- taché for Culture and Education Ann Perrelli. In just six months, Mama Pro’s organisers developed the programme; prepared the equip- U.S. Embassy Attaché for Culture and Education Ann Perrelli (L) and members of the Mama Pro project. ment, workspace and materials and found coaches such as social activist Emin Askerov and other Karipbek Kuyukov (R) and his sister Zaure Kuyukova at the Feb. 26 event. the professional growth of wom- Kazakhstan and Soros Foundation U.S. government programme By Aidana Yergaliyeva en who are stay-at-home moth- also support the project. alumni. As a result, the fund man- ers, have had employment diffi- Approximately 120 women ap- aged to form a small community offices, seeing these stacked papers ASTANA – In conjunction with culties due to the special needs plied to be part of the pilot pro- of women inspired to change their By Dilshat Zhussupova with signatures reaching the office the International Women’s Day, of their children with disabilities gramme, but because of limited own lives, as well as bring positive ceiling.” capital-based Mama Pro public or are victims of domestic vio- funds, only 40 were selected. Ten change in their neighbourhoods. ASTANA – Achieving the entry Kazakhstan’s anti-nuclear move- fund presented the results March lence. women came to the capital from “A lot of work has been done into force of the Comprehensive ment, led by Olzhas Suleimenov and 1 of its inaugural one-month in- Co-founder Aizhan Alzhanova, other cities in Kazakhstan. from creation to implementation Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) re- formed in 1989, served as a major tensive training course launched a U.S. State Department gradu- Mama Pro trained them in com- of the project. Today was such a mains a global priority 22 years after popular support for President Nur- in January for socially-vulnerable ate, applied last year for funding puter literacy, copywriting and day, which showed what results its introduction, said speakers at the sultan Nazarbayev to shut down the women. to realise the project. Mama Pro entrepreneurial activity and the we have as women were inspired Feb. 26 film screening and discus- nuclear test site in 1991, four months Mama Pro is a small centre was chosen among 1,000 ideas women presented the business by this project and what prospects sion of André Singer’s documentary before the collapse of the Soviet Un- that makes big efforts to support worldwide. The U.S. Embassy in ideas developed during the train- we have,” said Alzhanova. “Where the Wind Blew” that com- ion. memorated the Feb. 28 anniversary “For the people of Kazakhstan, of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk Inter- having felt the horrific consequences national Anti-Nuclear Movement. of nuclear tests, the prohibition of “Where the Wind Blew” draws nuclear testing has been vital. Dur- on archival footage and interviews ing 40 years, 456 nuclear tests were Kazakh musicians release songs in French with Kazakh and U.S. anti-nuclear conducted at the Semipalatinsk Test activists and nuclear weapons testing Site. One and a half million people with the same accent. We can- terpretation, trying to preserve degree as part of the Erasmus survivors and participants to show suffered as a result, and many are still Staff Report not define our singing genre. We authenticity and adding our own Mundus programme. She also how citizens were subjected to great affected. A vast territory of approxi- play and sing Kazakh folk songs, musical vision,” she added. participated in the Coperni- danger in the name of national secu- mately 300,000 square kilometres ASTANA – Almas Duo, com- jazz, world classical songs, An engineer by occupation, cus programme at the French rity and, importantly, how they cou- was contaminated with radiation in posed of Asem Abdykasymova Embassy in Kazakhstan. She rageously advanced a global ban on one degree or another, comparable and Polina Tyrina, released Fran- currently works at the France- nuclear testing. to the size of some European states. çais À La Kazakh March 9 in the Kazakhstan Chamber of Com- “Let this movie remind us of what It is deeply symbolic that the date capital. merce. is at stake,” said Swiss Ambassador of the closure of the test site, Aug. The 15-track album includes “I [have been] writing music to Kazakhstan Urs Schmid at the 29, was declared the International five Kazakh folk songs, five oth- since my teens and I play the event organised by the Centre for Day against Nuclear Tests by the ers translated into French and five guitar and the ukulele,” she said. International Security and Policy and UNGA,” said Kazakh Deputy Min- French songs. The tunes feature Tyrina graduated from Astana the Swiss Embassy in Astana and ister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vas- traditional Kazakh instruments – Polytechnic College, then be- hosted by KAZGUU University. “It silenko prior to the screening. dombra (akin to lute), zhetygen came a reporter after studying at is about the survival of mankind. It “With the closure of the Semipa- (zither), sybyzgy (flute) – and cel- Omsk State University. is about the prevention of unaccep- latinsk Test Site, a new stage in the lo, violin and guitar. “I managed a music studio for table and catastrophic humanitarian global process of nuclear non-pro- “Katrina Viloria performed a three years. Unfortunately, diffi- consequences.” liferation and disarmament began,” percussion part. She is from the cult financial conditions forced Following the screening, the audi- he added. “It was possible to adopt Philippines and she often laughs me to leave this business, but I ence reflected on the legacy of nu- a document of historic importance – that she is the first Filipina who continue to conduct guitar les- clear testing with The ATOM Project the CTBT.” participated in the recording of sons. I have been practicing mu- Honorary Ambassador Karipbek In addition to signing and ratify- Kazakh folk songs in French. sic since I was seven years old, Kuyukov, who was featured in the ing the CTBT, Kazakh President She teaches English at the Mi- but I don’t have a professional documentary. Through his moving Nursultan Nazarbayev’s anti-nuclear ras International School,” said music education. When I was speeches and paintings, which he initiatives include launching The Tyrina. 12, I started playing the guitar in creates holding a brush with his feet ATOM Project and producing the The duet won the grand prix the bard band,” she said. and mouth having been born without anti-nuclear manifesto “The World. at a festival in the capital per- The duet was founded in 2016. arms, he hopes to ensure that such The 21st Century.” In June, Kazakh- forming Anna Herman’s “Echo songs from Soviet films and pop Abdykasymova studied ecology Its repertoire consists of songs nuclear testing and its consequences stan will assume the Chairmanship of Love.” songs. But we have more Ka- and urban planning in Nantes in English, French, Italian, Ka- are never repeated. The activist de- of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a “The musicians are able to zakh songs. We perform them (France) and received a business zakh, Polish, Portuguese, Rus- livered a powerful plea on banning multilateral export control regime, sing in the original language in an acoustic version in our in- and management post-master’s sian, Spanish and Ukrainian. nuclear testing at a special Sept. 6 Schmid noted. session of the United Nations Gen- “We urge everyone to join Ka- eral Assembly (UNGA) devoted to zakhstan in saving humanity from the International Day against Nu- the nuclear danger that still threat- clear Tests and received Oct. 24 the ens the peace and prosperity of our Nuclear-Free Future Award by an shared planet. In this regard, we are organisation in Austria. closely watching the upcoming sec- “It really was an honour to par- ond summit of U.S. and North Ko- ticipate in the anti-nuclear move- rean leaders in Hanoi in the coming ment, having been born in the village days, which we hope will consolidate called Yegindibulak, located 100 positive trends in reducing tensions kilometres from the Semipalatinsk on the Korean Peninsula and lead Test Site,” he said on the Nevada- to its eventual de-nuclearisation,” Semipalatinsk Movement’s 30th said Vassilenko on the 2019 North anniversary. “I remember seeing Korea-United States Hanoi Summit students going around with plain A4 Vietnam. papers collecting people’s signatures “Where the Wind Blew” is a Spring to demand the closure of the test site Films production, and its trailer may and, when visiting the movement’s be viewed at www.springfilms.tv.

The members of the Almas Duo project. B6 NATION&CAPITAL TOURISM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Nomad Fortress serves as Museum collections filming location, unique to digitise by 2025

By Saltanat Boteu

tourist attraction ASTANA – The first results of digitising collections in Kazakh museums will be seen in 2025, said Library of the First President of Kazakhstan Deputy Director Kulyash Aktayeva at the forum ti- tled Kazakh Museums: Ideas and Realities in the Epoch of Globali- sation and Information. “The most important thing is to start this process and make it sys- tematic and consistent and then we will get the result – the digital for- akorda.kz. Photo credit: mat of our heritage. I think it will systems. If automated accounting The Feb. 25 forum, held for happen closer to 2025… The year systems and equipment that turns the first time in the library, gath- 2025 is a kind of milestone that the exhibits into digital images ered more than 120 participants will show the first results,” she exist, then we can say that the era including cultural department said. of digitisation has achieved its re- employees; heads of regional, In addition to digitising museum sults,” she added. city, district and rural museums; collections, creating a database for Museums in many regions are restorers; custodians and other the digitised funds is also on the ready for the digital format transition. museum workers. The open agenda, she noted. “I think that they are ready, be- space format allowed them to “First of all, there is a need to cause the fact of their participation become acquainted with inno- raise the issue of creating electron- in this session suggests that these vative technologies, exchange ic databases. To do this, we need issues are the most urgent now,” professional views and discuss to introduce automated accounting said Aktayeva. current issues.

Continued from Page B1 Watch, Rustem Abdrashev’s 2017 Tamgaly Tas (Stones with Signs) historical series Kazakh Khanate for rock carvings of Buddha and Kazakhstan, Tajikistan to Koshpendiler was the most ex- and Aisultan Seitov’s 2018 mu- bodhisattvas (beings dedicated to pensive Kazakh film ever made, sic video for Jah Khalib’s song achieving Buddhahood) and the with the Kazakh government Medina after Koshpendiler film- United Nations Educational, Sci- increase airline flight frequency investing $40 million in its pro- ing wrapped up. entific and Cultural Organisation’s duction. The massive scale of Make a day trip to Nomad For- World Cultural Heritage Site Tam- ceased operations in January as the man Sklyar at a March govern- Kazakhstan’s official entry for tress by car, taxi or on a group tour galy for more than 5,000 petro- By Dilshat Zhussupova world’s then eighth-oldest airline. ment meeting. Fly Arystan will operate similarly to low-cost air- Best Foreign Language Film for with a local tour operator for up to glyphs of the Middle Bronze Age. Airline representatives also dis- cussed commercial agreements on lines easyJet, Indigo, Cebu Pacific the 79th Academy Awards can be 8,000 tenge (US$21.26), and bring Catch a glimpse of locals fishing, ASTANA – The number of flights between Kazakhstan and code sharing and seat provision and AirAsia and, in its first year felt in observing the sheer size a bathing suit for a swim in the Ili picnicking and camping along the Tajikistan will increase from 18 to among Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and of operation, will transport up to of Nomad Fortress. It is no won- River after a day under the sun in river, as well as the occasional 32 per week this year, reports the third-party airlines. one million passengers at prices der the enormous site has been the summer. While you’re there, yurt, and stay to watch the sun Kazakh Ministry for Investment “To develop transit passenger that are twice as low as Air Astana used as a set for Timur Bekmam- take a scenic boat ride across the setting across the Zhetysu (Seven and Development’s Civil Aviation traffic in Kazakhstan, the launch of flights. It will operate a fleet of betov’s 2006 fantasy film Day river to the Buddhist sanctuary Rivers) landscape. Committee press service. direct flights between Kazakhstan Airbus A320 aircraft configured to The countries’ aviation authorities and Tajikistan’s regional airports is an all-economy class of 180 seats. and representatives from airlines being worked out,” a Civil Aviation Sklyar also noted that the Min- Air Astana, SCAT Airlines, Tajik Committee representative noted. istry of Industry and Infrastructure Air and Somon Air recently signed Kazakhstan will also expand its Development and Air Astana will a protocol and determined flight fre- air services in the first half of the begin the accreditation procedure quency, which will increase to six year by launching its first national for flights to the United States this flights per week on the Astana-Du- low-cost airline Fly Arystan, said year, with the intergovernmental shanbe route, 12 flights per week on Kazakh Minister of Industry and agreement on Kazakh-U.S. air com- the Almaty-Dushanbe route and 14 Infrastructure Development Ro- munication to be signed this month. flights per week on other routes be- tween Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Taraz and Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar and Kulob. Air Astana is Kazakhstan’s flag carrier and operates scheduled do- mestic and international services on 64 routes from Almaty International Airport and Astana International Air- port. SCAT Airlines, headquartered in Shymkent, caters to 33 destina- tions with a fleet size of 18 planes. Tajikistan’s Somon Air is the coun- try’s first private airline headquar- tered in Dushanbe, while Tajik Air Shabanbai Bi village offers traditional cuisine, tours to Uplands’ highest point Located at the foot of Aksoran ernmost pine-growing area in the raspberry, honeysuckle, meadow- is a habitat for roe deer, saiga Kyzylarai forestland, measuring By Saltanat Boteu Mountain, the highest point of the region’s ecosystem. Juniper and sweet and currants. (antelope), wild boar, wolf, fox, 15-25 kilometres, is recognised as Kyzylarai Mountains and Kazakh birch also grow in the forest and The 1,565-metre Aksoran hare, ermine, corsac (fox), badger, the nation’s only large habitat of ASTANA – The Kyzylarai Uplands, Shabanbai Bi is devel- flora include wild rose, hawthorn, Mountain, or Roof of the Steppes, polecat, marmot and muskrat. The argali (mountain sheep). mountainous forestland in the oping ecotourism based on local Karaganda Region is a combi- communities. Travellers are of- nation of untouched nature and fered stays in residents’ homes, ancient historical monuments. giving them an opportunity to be- Nearby Shabanbai Bi village is an come acquainted with the simple ecotourism destination famous for rural life and taste dishes of tra- its traditional Kazakh cuisine and ditional Kazakh cuisine. Villagers hospitability. also create various felt products In 2014, the forestland and vil- both as household items and sou- lage entered the top 100 sustain- venirs. able tourism destinations of the From the village, tourists can world, according to the Avalon travel to diverse historical sites Historical and Geographical Soci- within the Kyzylarai forestland, ety ranking. including the Begazy monumen- “If you are in Karaganda or Asta- tal tombs, stone sculptures of the na… where late March is not win- Turkic period and Kazakh-Jungar ter, but also far from spring, then Wars’ mausoleums. The Begazy a trip to Kyzylarai will be a good granite tombs, cultural monu- option for a weekend. The typical ments of the Bronze Age, are one Kyzylarai tour in the cold season of the most mysterious archaeo- includes accommodations in guest logical discoveries in the region, houses of the Shabanbai Bi vil- reported karaganda-region.gov. lage, short walks in the mountains kz. around the village, sleigh rides or For those interested in nature, horseback riding, and… participa- the area provides diverse flora tion in the preparation of dishes of and fauna among forest, mountain [Kazakh] traditional cuisine,” so- and desert landscapes. Kyzylarai’s ciety founder Vitaly Shuptar told pine forest on granite rocks is of tengrinews.kz. interest to scientists as the south- photosafari.kz. Photo credit: B7 NATION&CAPITAL SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 Galysheva wins gold in moguls Football player is at Freestyle Ski World Cup among 100 New Faces the World Cup rankings are An- By Dilshat Zhussupova thony with 545 points, American By Anzhela Kaliyeva skier Jaelin Kauf with 570 points ASTANA – Kazakh professional and Laffont with 780 points. ASTANA – The Union of Euro- freestyle skier Yulia Galysheva The 2018-2019 FIS Freestyle pean Football Associations’ player won a gold medal March 2 in mo- Ski World Cup is the 40th World of the season Bauyrzhan Islam- guls at the 2018-2019 International Cup season in freestyle skiing or- khan has been named one of Ka- Ski Federation (FIS, Fédération ganised by FIS since 1980, featur- zakhstan’s 100 New Faces. Internationale de Ski) Freestyle ing the disciplines such as moguls, Islamkhan has been playing Ski World Cup stage in Almaty, re- aerials, ski cross, halfpipe, slope- sports since childhood. Initially, ports the National Olympic Com- style and big air. The season began however, he was attracted to mar- mittee press service. Sept. 7 and ends March 30. tial arts, especially taekwondo. She earned first place in the mo- World Cup competitions have Islamkhan came to football by guls final stage with 79.69 points, olympic.kz. Photo credit: been hosted in Australia, Austria, chance after being injured during followed by French skier Perrine Yulia Galysheva Belarus, Canada, China, Croatia a training fight. He began play- Laffont with 79.11 points and Czech Republic, Finland, France, ing for the Taraz club in 2011. Canadian skier Justine Dufour- guls in China, a gold medal Jan. 12 Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zea- Within a few months, he became Lapointe with 76.64 points. in moguls in Canada and a bronze land, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, a captain. The footballer took part “I could have performed better – medal Feb. 23 in moguls in Japan. South Korea, Spain, Sweden, in the 2014 Commonwealth Cup I made a mistake on my jump,” said She also won a gold medal Feb. 9 Switzerland, Ukraine and the Unit- tournament as part of that club. 100esim.el.kz. Photo credit: Galysheva, who competed with a with 79.14 points at the 2019 FIS ed States. This March, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan took the fifth place in transfer fee was $200,000. How- zakhstan Cup for the second time. shoulder injury, to the press service. Ladies’ Moguls World Champion- hosted the cup for the first time. the Commonwealth Cup. The na- ever, the team began to change His career successfully developed “All top three athletes made mis- ship in the United States, ahead of “It is not my first time compet- tive of Taraz showed outstanding coaches. in 2016, too. In particular, accord- takes, I just had the fewest.” Australian skier Jakara Anthony ing in Almaty so I am used to it,” leadership qualities. The Kairat football club con- ing to BT Sport (British television Previously, this World Cup sea- with 78.99 points and Laffont with said Galysheva on the Shymbulak That performance attracted the cluded a transfer agreement with channel), the goal of Islamkhan son, Galysheva won a silver medal 78.70 points. ski facilities. “You can hear fans, attention of several internation- the Kuban Club at the end of win- became the most spectacular in the Dec. 7 in moguls in Finland, a She now ranks fourth in moguls which doesn’t happen abroad. al teams. Nikolai Pisarev, who ter 2014. Islamkhan scored his first UEFA Europa League. It scored 86 bronze medal Dec. 16 in dual mo- with 533 points. Ahead of her in They really liven up the place.” trained the Russian national team goal in his native Taraz. Kairat percent of the vote on the channel at that tournament, said he was won bronze medals and won the official website. very impressed with Islamkhan: Kazakhstan Cup in 2014. Islam- “He has qualities that many top “He sees development of attack khan was recognised as the best players in Europe do not have,” two or three steps ahead. Just player in this country’s Premier said the then head coach of Ka- awesome! Such players make the League for 2014. zakhstan’s national team, Stan- Barys beats Torpedo to game so exciting.” From the 2015 season, Islam- imir Stoilov, answering the ques- In 2013, Islamkhan signed a khan became the captain of his tion whether Bauyrzhan is good contract with the Kuban team of team. At the same time, Kairat enough to become the leader of reach KHL semifinals the Russian Premier League. The won silver medals and the Ka- national team. experience in the playoffs yet. dedication during the last match. By Saltanat Boteu Many (players) are just taking the “During the break, he (Dietz) first steps on this path. Any game, said that he will make a goal and ASTANA – The Astana’s Bar- especially in the playoff, is impor- he did it. We need to pay tribute ys Hockey Club beat Nizhny tant. Important for experience and to this hockey player. He sat qui- Bublik wins fifth ATP Novgorod’s Torpedo Hockey Club formation of the team. Everyone etly in the locker room, got up and March 10 with a 3:2 score in the understood what playoff is and said: ‘I will do it,’” said Frattin. seventh game in a series of quar- that nothing will be reached with- The players also stressed the im- terfinals of the Continental Hock- out efforts,” he added. portance of fans’ support and their Challenger Series tournament ey League’s playoff in Astana and Although the series of games gratitude for them. Continued from Page B1 At the age of 21, Bublik is 153rd Pau is the cultural and sports made it to KHL playoff semifinals with the Torpedo was tough, it was “The fans were the best. They in singles, 300th in doubles in the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquit- for the third time. a good experience and test of the supported us and helped us to win. In his previous matches in the world ranking. He is seven-time aine region in France located at Astana defenceman Darren Di- team’s abilities, said some of Asta- I am happy that we managed to tournament, Bublik encountered winner of tournaments of the In- the northern edge of the Pyrénées etz scored in the first minute, but na’s players. give them this victory,” said Barys Javier Barranco Cosano of Spain ternational Tennis Federation Mountains. Torpedo’s defenceman Anton Vol- “It’s hard to describe this series. player Dustin Boyd. and beat him 6-4, 6-4. Also, he beat (ITF) Futures series, the lowest The ATP Challenger Tour win- chenkov equalised it with a goal. From the very first match, we be- “It was an incredible atmos- Jan Choinski from the United King- ladder in world professional tennis ners can advance to play for the Later, Barys’ Matt Frattin recap- lieved in ourselves. That was not phere. We gave much energy, I dom (6-4, 6-2) and two players from tournaments, in years 2014, 2015 main draw or qualifying draw tured the lead but again Torpedo’s easy. The rival was very good, hope they [fans] will come to the France, Maxime Janvier (6-1, 7-5) and 2016. Bublik won silver at the entry at ATP World Tour tourna- Dmitriy Semin levelled the score. played tough... I am proud of our next games and create the same and Grégoire Barrère (7-6, 7-5). Asian Games in 2018. ments. The final twenty minutes decid- team. We won a big match. We noise. It is great, we felt like the ed the outcome of the game. Dietz played for our fans. I want to thank whole city is here. Thank you brought his team the victory, scor- them for their incredible support. I all!” said Barys goaltender Henrik ing a double eight minutes before want to enjoy this moment a little Karlsson. the final whistle. The Barys Club and then we will prepare for the The team will play the next se- goes to the next playoff round of game against Avangard,” said Di- ries against the Avangard Hockey the Gagarin Cup,. etz. Club from Omsk. The first game “First of all, I want to thank “We got a good lesson. Yes, we will be March 14 at Barys Arena in the fans. Such energetic support. won the first two games at home Astana. Tickets can be purchased Congratulations to Astana and the [in Astana], but then it was not online at hcbarys.kz. fans of Barys that we continue the easy. We did not think it would “It is no secret that they have a playoff. Thanks to the team for be easy. Both teams fought. The strong team. We met with Omsk’s their (strong will), the game and Torpedo was a good test for us,” team in the regular season, and the series were not easy, but we he added. each game was hard. We will have managed to move it in our favour. “We laid out in each game to a day to rest, and we need to go Thank you for this victory. I would move on... We fought. This is an ahead working hard,” said Boyd. also like to thank the rivals. The se- interesting series. We have proved “This is an important part of the ries was combative, no one wanted that we are ready to fight to the tournament, and there are no weak to give in,” said Barys Hockey end, and we deserve to go further,” teams. Therefore, we must work Club’s Head Coach Andrey Ska- said Barys defenceman Victor even harder to prove our worth belka at the press conference after Svedberg. in each match. We will stick to the game, reported hcbarys.kz. Frattin expressed his fascination our system and play to win,” said

“Our team does not have much with Dietz’s determination and Svedberg. larepubliquedespyrenees.fr. Photo credit: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan form Central Asian Triathlon Association to engage more people in region prohibited by the World Anti-Dop- first run of the Temiradam Chal- By Aidana Yergaliyeva ing Agency (WADA) and the In- lenge series (at distances of five ternational Triathlon Union (ITU). and 10 kilometres) were held Feb. ASTANA – Swim, bike, run. The members elected an ex- 24 in the capital’s triathlon park. The national Kazakhstan, Kyr- ecutive committee, unanimously In February, Kazakh Women gyzstan and Uzbekistan triathlon choosing Galymzhan Yessenov, Tri Club Almaty launched its first federations joined to form the Cen- vice president of the Kazakhstan free-of-charge classes with a pro- tral Asian Triathlon Association Triathlon Federation and head of fessional coach to prepare women (CATA) at the March 3 meeting in the Almaty Triathlon Federation, of all ages and training levels to the capital chaired by Kazakh Tri- to lead the association. participate in a triathlon. athlon Federation President Karim In the last few years, the popu- “It is a sport for those who can Massimov. larity of triathlon sports has been dream and believe in themselves The parties signed a memo- gaining momentum in the region, or they dream to believe in them- randum of cooperation and mu- especially in Kazakhstan. The first selves,” says Elena Kun, project tual understanding to develop and amateur triathlon championship in organiser and an athlete who has popularise the multi-race sport in the country was held in Almaty in completed more than one Ironman the region, reported the National 2015. In 2018, the country hosted distance, as quoted by tengrinews. Olympic Committee press service. world races such as Ironman 70.3 kz. The association will ease commu- and ITU World Cup for the first Ironman 70.3 (also known as nication between Central Asian time. Half Ironman) is a triathlon race athletes and organisers in sharing This year, amateur athletes can with an overall distance of 70.3 their experiences. participate in 16 starts at Ironman miles (113 kilometres). It is di- CATA members also agreed to 70.3 Astana, Temiradam Challenge vided into swimming (1.9 kilome- combine their efforts to combat the and Almaty Open Championships. tres), cycling (90 kilometres) and use of substances and procedures The first start of the season and running (21 kilometres). Photo credit:http: triathlon.org.kz. Photo credit:http: B8 NATION&CAPITAL CAPITAL

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 City administration launches integrated approach to the capital’s governance “Akims, the government, the landscape design,” said Sultanov By Dilshat Zhussupova party and Atameken National on the latter department, which Chamber of Entrepreneurs should will unite efforts on urban regen- ASTANA – The new Kazakh help people with social assis- eration, environmental protection government’s measures to im- tance,” said Nazarbayev Feb. 27 at and management and construction prove living standards requires a the 18th Nur Otan Party Congress. and housing policy management. new, integrated approach by the “Akims should review their assis- “Environmental safety and conser- capital’s akimat (administration) tance programmes for families in vation approaches should be based toward governance, said Astana need.” on project management methods Akim (Mayor) Bakhyt Sultanov Former Astana Akim Asset Is- and long-term forecasting.” at a Feb. 26 city akimat meeting, sekeshev began transforming the The Department of Social De- reports its press service. city akimat in 2017, saving it 27.6 velopment will now combine the Kazakh President Nursultan billion tenge (US$73.14 million) functions of the departments of Nazarbayev tasked the new gov- since then. As part of the second culture and sports, language devel- ernment, appointed Feb. 25, to stage of transformation, led by opment and archival affairs. This “take effective steps in improv- Sultanov, the departments of fi- new social unit, to be overseen ing living standards, stimulating nance and strategic and budget by Astana Deputy Akim Nurlan the economy and implement- planning will focus on developing Nurkenov, will seek to contribute ing strategic objectives.” The the priority sectors of the econo- to the modernisation of Astana res- new government will allocate my. Departments on digitisation, idents’ public awareness and the two trillion tenge (US$5.3 bil- public service and urban envi- promotion of a healthy lifestyle, lion) from the state budget to so- ronment renovation will also be said Sultanov. cial support over the next three formed. At the meeting’s conclusion, the years, and Sultanov sees a role “It is necessary to change our akim tasked deputy akims with for a restructured city akimat in approach to greening urban areas conducting analyses of administra- advancing these socially-orient- and to develop new regulations tive bodies’ activities and propos- ed measures. astana.gov.kz. Photo credit: that meet current trends in urban ing optimisation strategies. PM examines SABIS to build school in Astana

By Saltanat Boteu

infrastructure ASTANA – SABIS, a global educational network spanning five continents, is making its initial improvements foray into Kazakhstan. The inter- national school, the educational investment project in Kazakhstan fully funded by local and foreign investors, will be built in the capi- tal by 2023. Funding for the inau- gural construction phase is $15.5 million and the city akimat (ad- ministration) will provide the land. The school will help manage the student population in the capital system, which has 1,000 school and 250 kindergarten places. It will also create 200 jobs. “This is a 100-percent private in- vestment. We have provided a land plot… free of charge as part of an investment contract. In education, “This is a historic moment for cational process, Kazakh President ful to private initiatives by virtue of this is the first contract in the coun- SABIS and Astana. We will bring Nursultan Nazarbayev initiated whom such important projects will be try to provide a full-scale grant for our 130 years of experience to the measures to develop schools by implemented in Astana,” he added. the construction of a school,” said city and become a part of your introducing per capita funding in Per capita funding allows pri- nor) Malik Murzalin reported on Deputy Akim (Mayor) Malika 2050 Strategy,” said SABIS Group a number of regions, including the vate schools to work fully or par- Staff Report the process of transferring the Bekturova, reported astana.gov.kz. Vice President Victor Saad. capital, said Sultanov. The funding tially on state orders. village of Karaotkel to within The contract was signed Feb. 28 Representatives of the Foreign system includes special compo- “These private schools that are ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Astana’s border, the implemen- during the akimat roundtable with Ministry’s Committee for Invest- nents that allow increasing private being built today rely on this state Minister Askar Mamin reviewed tation of the Comprehensive the participation of Akim (Mayor) ment and Astana Invest, who also investment in education. funding. Some schools will be March 2 improvements made to Social and Economic Develop- Bakhyt Sultanov, Vice Minister attended the event, signed agree- “We set the task in the next five partially commercial, while some housing, education, medicine, ment Plan for the Tselinograd of Education and Science Rustem ments with five local investors to years to ensure the creation of others will be completely free. It transport, provision of power and District and the development of Bigari and United Arab Emirates’ construct private schools in the 120,000 school places, which is al- depends on the level of the school water supply and street lighting the Koyandy village. They also Ambassador in Kazakhstan Mo- capital. The investment exceeds most two times more than today. and from the chosen strategy for on the outskirts of Astana. discussed the construction of a hammad Ahmad Al-Jaber. 17.4 billion tenge (US$46.5 mil- Among them, 20,000 places will be returning their investments. We The inspection follows a di- dam to protect the population lion), according to the Kazakh In- created by building private schools provide the opportunity for [both rective from Kazakh President from flooding and supply utility SABIS, with 132 schools and 70,000 students, operates in 20 vest national company. involving domestic and foreign in- schools] because there is a demand Nursultan Nazarbayev for local networks to the houses located In an effort to improve the edu- vestors. We are pleased and grate- for both models,” said Bekturova. officials to improve citizens’ in the east of the village countries around the world. quality of life. One of the major projects on During the inspection of the the agenda was the construction Prigorodnyi residential area, of Astana’s South-West bypass Astana Akim (Mayor) Bakhyt road, which will round up the Sultanov briefed the prime min- ring road around the city. This ister on progress made accord- will provide an opportunity to di- ing to the Comprehensive De- rect the flow of vehicles traveling velopment Plan of the capital through the city bypassing the until 2023. They discussed the capital. According to the infor- construction of light rail trans- mation of KazAvtoZhol, the by- port, which will connect certain pass road will be a free highway. areas of the city with its centre During the visit of the Ondіrіs allowing passengers to get to residential area of the Baikonyr destinations faster. District, the prime minister ex- The city also converted plots amined the kindergarten of the that had been intended for week- primary School No. 12 that has end homes to land that will be 120 students. Mamin discussed used to provide municipal hous- the prospects of road and trans- ing for families. port infrastructure development, The officials also discussed the increasing the number of streets expansion of the city’s central and improving mechanical, elec- road, Kabanbai Batyr Avenue. trical and plumbing systems. At the Ilyinka residential area, Mamin also visited Koyandy Mamin visited a medical ambu- village where a government lance station and School No. 6, health centre is able to serve examining the quality of educa- 2,500 people and where the tion and healthcare in the area. government is building a high Akmola Region Akim (Gover- school for 1,200 students.