WEEKLY REVIEW: New strategy of SamrukKazyna Fund to be business-oriented
On Monday, October 31, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov has started a working trip to Almaty region. The first facility, which the Premier visited, was the Moinak Hydro Power Plant, the construction of which started in 2006 and should be completed in this December - by the 20th anniversary of independence.
Karim Massimov also surveyed the progress of construction of the facilities at Altynkol station, Zhetygen-Korgas railway line. Construction of a modern railway station building and an administration building has been completed. Laying utility networks and installation of customs and border infrastructure is underway. On the whole, 60 facilities will be commissioned at Altynkol in the near future. Kazakh content in the project is 80 percent.
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov visited Nurkent village, Almaty region, on Monday. The Premier got acquainted with the construction of public and residential facilities, including a school, a kindergarten, an outpatient clinic, a fire station. Construction of these facilities is carried out specially for railway workers, who will serve the new line Zhetygen-Korgas.
293km long Zhetygen-Korgas railway line is planned to be launched in December 2011. The cost of the project is more than KZT 150 billion.
The Premier familiarized with the progress of construction of the facilities of Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center in Almaty region. This center is one of the biggest initiatives of Kazakh and Chinese presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Hu Jintao. The project is expected to boost border cooperation in trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural spheres, develop transit potential of the two countries. The total area of the center is 528 hectares. The Kazakh 185 ha part and Chinese 343 ha part are interconnected by a transport and pedestrian crossing.
On Monday, within an official visit of President N.Nazarbayev to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vice Prime Minister-Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev took part in a business forum in Hanoi. The Minister noted that Kazakhstan and Vietnam have good prospects for cooperation development. In particular, there could be created joint ventures of light industry in Kazakhstan. The Business Council is created for activation of trade-economic cooperation between business structures of the two countries.
On Monday, First Vice Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev and Minister for Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova took part in a videoconference on discussion of a number of documents of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.
On Tuesday, November 1, Prime Minister Karim Massimov has chaired a sitting on the issues of implementation of the mechanisms of repair of apartment buildings. Chairman of the Agency for Construction, Housing and Utilities Serik Nokin made a report at the sitting. According to the housing and utilities modernization program, this year there was started implementation of the two mechanisms of repair of apartment buildings. Under the first mechanism it is planned to repair 98 houses by the means amounting to KZT 1.9 bln allocated from the Government's reserve. As of October 31, 2011, repairs are conducted in 14 regions in 74 houses. Under the second mechanism it is planned to repair 413 houses by the means worth KZT 5.5 bln allocated from the Government's reserve. As of October 1, 2011, repairs are conducted in all regions, except Kostanay oblast. Following results of the sitting K.Massimov commissioned governors and akims to take measures on creation of housing inspections. K.Massimov also charged to hold a telephone session on November 14, at which the governors will make reports on the work done within implementation of the housing and utilities program.
On Wednesday, November 2, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov has chaired a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund. Deputy CEO of the Fund Kuandyk Bishimbayev informed of the progress of implementation of the People's IPO Program. Bishimbayev said that the Fund developed and submitted for the Government's consideration a package of proposals aimed at improving the legal framework, which is necessary for carrying out the People's IPO. The amendments are planned to be introduced in a number of legislative acts including the sectorial legislation, the laws "On the National Welfare Fund" and "On joint stock companies". In addition, the Board discussed the development of a new edition of the Law "On the National Welfare Fund". In accordance with the document, the Fund's new strategy will be business-oriented and approved by the Government for a decade. The draft law is expected to be submitted for the Government's consideration in the near future.
On Wednesday Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov told the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan that Kazakhstan is ready to continue to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. According to the Minister, Kazakhstan is ready to provide more grain, flour and food products for Afghanistan including under the procurement programmes of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Kazykhanov reminded that every year up to 200 Afghan students study in our country. A total of 1,000 Afghan students will get education as doctors and teachers at Kazakh universities under a special programme that runs from 2010 to 2018. Kazakhstan has allocated USD 50 million for that programme.
On Thursday, November 3, the Prime Minister attended the Senate's plenary session, where the draft national budget for 2012-2014 was discussed. Answering the Senators' questions, K.Massimov informed that all financial issues on construction of the Beineu-Bozoi-Shymkent gas pipeline are solved. The Premier noted that the gas pipeline construction will allow to provide the residents of the southern regions with gas and create new opportunities for industial projects implementation. The Premier assured the deputies that problems of energy deficit in South Kazakhstan and Almaty regions are to be solved in 2012. The Premier told the senators on his intention to make proposal on creation of a special commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at the level of economy ministers. The Prime Minister informed that a special commission of the Single Economic Space is set up and operates.
On Friday, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with Xiaoyu Zhao, Vice President of Asian Development Bank to discuss the progress of implementation of Western Europe - Western China project. The sides also discussed the issue of preparation of ADB's cooperation strategy with Kazakhstan for 2012-2016
