WEEKLY REVIEW. Kazakhstan's chemical, machine-building industries show significant growth
On Monday, November 14, Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science announced the transition to the principle of six-level teaching qualification. At present, Kazakhstani teachers have three qualifications. Three more levels of qualification will be added. This principle will bring the whole system of secondary education in Kazakhstan to a qualitatively new level. Thus there will be formed a 'critical mass' of teachers with advanced qualification.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection informed that thousand of people undergo vocational and advanced training under the Employment Program-2020.
The Government also considered the issues of modernization of housing and utilities infrastructure, gas supplies to the southern regions, and the problem of debt in the household sector.
On the same day Kazakh Minister of Culture Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed was received by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, who instructed him to cooperate more closely with creative unions, the Kazakh intelligentsia, which should not remain aloof from the processes occurring in the country.
On Tuesday, November 15, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Kairat Kelimbetov reported the results of Kazakhstan's development for 10 months of 2011. The country's GDP grew by 7.2 percent in January-October 2011 against the same period of 2010. For nine months the foreign trade turnover increased by more than 40 percent and reached USD 91.9 bln. Goods export increased by 49.9 percent against the analogous period of 2010 and made up USD 65.8 bln. The country's import rose by 23.5% percent to make USD 26.1 bln.
Production in the manufacturing sector is growing in faster pace - 6.9 percent. This is possible mainly due to increase in the production of chemical products - by 22.8 per cent, machine-building - by 19.1 percent, metallurgical industry - by 7.6 percent.
Kazakhstan stepped up export of its goods to the Customs Union member countries, Kelimbetov said.
Export to Russia increased by 48 percent. The mutual sales with the Customs Union countries grew by 42.6 percent, including export by 53.3 percent, import by 43.0 percent.
International reserves of Kazakhstan rose by 26.6 percent and made USD 75 bln. The National Fund foreign exchange assets increased by 44 percent. International reserves of the National Bank grew by 12.6% to make USD 32.6 bln.
The real money income in Kazakhstan rose by 6.8 percent, actual wages by 5.5 percent. However, according to the Minister, there is a visible growth in consumer demand due to easing of the situation at the labor market. The unemployment level made 5.3 percent in October this year that is 0.2 percent less against last October, Kelimbetov resumed.
Kazakh Finance Minister Zhamishev said that Russia and Belarus transferred to the budget of Kazakhstan KZT 217.4 bln as a result of reallocation of customs duties of the Customs Union.
As compared with the same period of the previous year tax revenues to the budget for the past ten months of 2011 increased by KZT 863 bln.
On Tuesday the Prime Minister chaired the sitting of the State Commission for Economy Modernization to discuss the comprehensive plan on improving the energy efficiency of Kazakhstan in 2012-2015.
On Wednesday, November 16, Karim Massimov received ambassadors of the Unites States, Germany and Italy. The issues of strengthening cooperation were discussed.
On November 17 the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member countries held its 61st sitting in Almaty. The ministers debated more than 20 issues concerning multilateral partnership, analyzed the work of the bodies of the CIS Defense Ministers' Council for 2011 and considered the action plan for 2012.
On Friday Astana hosted the Third International Forum themed "Vocational education and business: dialogue of partners". Opening the forum Kazakh Education and Science Minister Bakhytzhan Zhumagulov read the address of Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov to the participants.
According to UNESCO, for the past 3 years Kazakhstan has been ranking among the top four in the Education for All Development Index. It is unconditional success of the national educational system based on the best world practice and the country's own experience. All this is the result of the policy pursued by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the message reads.
Kazakhstan needs a worthy educational model to get through all the problems it faces. Without decent education we will fail to settle all the problems the country. We are ready to conduct a multilateral dialogue to create a worthy educational system, Massimov said in his address.
At Friday briefing in the Kazakhstan Agriculture Ministry deputy head of the agro-industrial complex state inspection committee Mars Almabek informed that licensing of grain export operations would be canceled since February 1, 2012. The decision to cancel issuance of wheat export licenses was made to facilitate entrepreneurship. Issuing import-quarantine permits for import of sub-quarantine vegetables has been already cancelled.
On Friday Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Vuk Jeremic. The sides discussed the issues of boosting mutually beneficial ties between Astana and Belgrade. For 15 years of diplomatic relations the countries achieved concrete results, including in improving the legal framework of relations. In April of this year, the intergovernmental agreement on mutual trips of citizens came into force. According to the document, citizens of both countries can visit each other for up to one month without a visa. In June 2011 Serbia opened its embassy in Astana.
