WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan launches new development strategy, creates conditions for building a strong economy

Totally, 59 projects were approved within the formation of the food belt. Their implementation is currently underway. These projects were financed to the amount of KZT 30.7 billion.
These projects are implemented on the instruction of the Kazakh President and embrace 17 districts of Akmola region and 4 districts of Karaganda region.
On Tuesday, December 18, the Prime Minister's website posted information about how the Government would execute the tasks given by the Head of the State in his state-of-the-nation address Strategy "Kazakhstan-2050." It says that one of the tasks is to create conditions for the formation of a strong and competitive economy, sound social policy, high-tech industrial sector. The latter task provides direct and active participation of the regions. The regions are to become centers of attraction of investments, expansion and modernization of infrastructure, and opening of new productions.
The new strategy of national development involves a thorough and impartial inventory of existing projects. Given the scale of new tasks, their level and the degree of responsibility, in the near future the Government and regional administrations will meet to "synchronize watches" and find out whether the previous programs conform to the new strategy of Kazakhstan, the statement reads.
On Wednesday, December 19, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Akhmetov chaired a session of the Supreme Scientific-Technical Commission, where Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Zhumagulov reported on the process of implementation of the Law "On science". According to him, all institutional structures provided by the Law have already been formed and are presently function.
"Five priorities of scientific activities were approved. four of them including energy, processing of raw materials and products, IT, life science are focused on innovations. The fifth priority - intellectual potential of the country - includes fundamental studies and humanitarian studies," the Minister said. "Thanks to the President's support, the science financing increased 2.5 times over the last 2 years - from 20 billion tenge in 2010 to 48 billion tenge in 2012." The Minister also believes that it is necessary to change the structure of expenditures. "More funds should be invested in innovations, infrastructure, equipment and research quality. Science requires serious expenses - it is an axiom." In addition, the Minister emphasized the necessity to involve young people in scientific and research activities.
At the end of the session, S. Akhmetov gave a number of specific instructions to authorized agencies.
The same day, Minister of Transport and Communications Askar Zhumagaliyev informed that 4G communications would be launched in Astana and Almaty till the end of this year. "We hope 4G communication will be launched in Astana and Almaty this year. Then, we will introduce and develop it in the whole territory of Kazakhstan," A. Zhumagaliyev said. The Minister also noted that 3G communication would be available in towns with more than 50 thousand residents this year. Later it will be introduced in towns with more than 10 thousand people.
On Thursday, December 20, a presentation of the Kazakh-German center of energy efficiency was held in the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies. The center will aim at promotion of the policies of energy efficiency and energy conservation. It will prepare specialists in energy audit and offer proficiency development courses. Besides, foreign specialists in energy audit will be invited in Kazakhstan to teach energy audit at enterprises.
On Friday, December 21, Vice Prime Minister Krymbek Kusherbayev visited West Kazakhstan region to review the progress of housing construction under the program "Affordable Housing 2020" and the region's heating services. At a meeting with the regional authorities Kusherbayev said that East Kazakhstan region had enough capacities to effectively implement the long-term strategic tasks outlined in the Kazakh President's state-of-the-nation address.
The same day, First Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev chaired the first session of the Coordination Committee for the national consultations to form post-2015 UN agenda in the field of global development.
By the UN decision, Kazakhstan was named one of 50 countries to hold the national consultations. The main purpose of consultations is to develop recommendations on implementation of the millennium development goals adopted at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. Results of the national consultations will be outlined an the global report of the United Nations Development Group which is expected to be presented at the UN General Assembly in September 2013.
At the end of the sitting, Orynbayev instructed all the interested state bodies to define themes of consultations and submit recommendations drafted in accordance with "Kazakhstan - 2050" Strategy for consideration of the UN.