WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan plans to harvest 17 million crops this year
On Monday, August 18, Chairman of the Statistics Committee under the National Economy Ministry Alikhan Smailov revealed that Kazakhstan's GDP increased by 4% during the period of January-July, 2014. In his words, the GDP expanded at 3,9% in real terms over January-July. Mr. Smailov also noted recent increase in food prices almost by 5%. For the past seven months the inflation rate remained at the level of 4,9%.
On Tuesday, August 19, Defense Minister Serik Akhmetov awarded Kazakhstani tankers who participated in the Tank Biathlon World Championship in Moscow and were ranked second among national teams from 12 countries. Minister Akhmetov noted that at the event the team demonstrated its professionalism and high level of combat training.
"We've proved that we are capable to win. The entire team showed its will to win, combative spirit and teamplay," he added.
On Wednesday, August 20, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that this year's crops harvest is expected to reach 17 million tons. It was noted that the cropped land made 21,8 million ha in Kazakhstan in 2014.
On Thursday, August 21, Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov met with the newly appointed Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Gong Jianwei in Astana. During the meeting the parties discussed the results of the IV CICA Summit held on May 21 in Shanghai and further development of the CICA process. The Kazakh minister reiterated the importance of further institutional strengthening of the organization and creation on its basis of the Organization for Security and Development in Asia (OSDA).
On Friday, August 22, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev launched new Zhezkazgan-Beineu and Arkalyk-Shubarkol railway lines in Zhezkazgan. At the launching ceremony, the President also announced that the Kazakh Government was tasked to map out a special program for revival and development of the Zhezkazgan economic and industrial region.