Astana Calling #297

Astana Calling

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan

Central Communications Service for the President of Kazakhstan

A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ ISSUE No 297 / FRIDAY, 29 MARCH 2013

President Meets Leaders of Southern Regions President highlights shortcomings in south Kazakhstan

Foreign Minister in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Bilateral, regional and international issues on the agenda

Modernizing Society in Kazakhstan

SPECA: Important for Regional Cooperation

Government to report on progress of plan to create a society of universal labour by 2030

UN body helps Central Asian economies

Also in the News

President Nazarbayev addressing the leaders of the southern regions on March 27

Government discusses Business Road-Map Half of Kazakhstan’s population lives in the country’s southern regions; the major scientific and industrial centres are here as are the principal agricultural resources; and the south of the country has huge potential as a transit region.

President Nazarbayev cited these facts at a meeting on March 27 with the leaders of Kazakhstan’s southern regions to emphasize the vital role which the area plays in the socio-economic development of the country.

The President was joined at the meeting in his residence in Almaty by the Head of the Presidential Administration, Karim Massimov; First Deputy Prime Minister, Bakytzhan Sagintayev; the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Gabidulla Abdrakhimov; the Mayor of the city of Almaty, and the Governors of Kyzylorda, South Kazakhstan, Zhambyl and Almaty Regions.

President Nazarbayev criticized the slow pace of de-industrialization in the southern regions and the fact that arable land could be put to better use. He spoke, too, about the need to develop better employment programs, and how it is essential to encourage the development of small and medium business in these regions.

Each of the regional leaders was given the opportunity to speak about the situation in their area. The Mayor of Almaty, Akhmetzhan Yesimov, told the meeting about measures which had been taken to improve ecological and food safety in the city, and also to regulate illegal immigration and solve transport problems.

The Governor of Kyzylorda Region, Krymbek Kusherbayev reported on measures taken to deal with violations of the labour code and what was being done to encourage innovation in the Region’s industry; he also spoke about the status of construction of the Western Europe to Western China transport corridor.

In the South Kazakhstan Region, according to Governor Askar Myrzakhmetov, there have been notable successes in building new schools and pre-school facilities. Kindergarten places have risen from 14% to 61% of the eligible population.

As for the Zhambyl Region, Governor Kanat Bozumbayev spoke about a number of successes in the social and economic development of the Region in 2012. In particular, Mr Bozumbayev highlighted innovative industrial projects and others concerned with alternative energy sources. Socio-economic development and innovative industrial projects were also on the agenda of Ansar Mussakhanov, the Mayor of Almaty Region.

Having heard what the regional leaders had to say, President Nazarbayev stressed how important it was for them to work with their people, actively reacting to any problems which might arise. The President noted that in 2012 there had been some 7,000 complaints addressed to the Presidential Administration from residents of the southern regions. Many of these spoke of bureaucratic difficulties and corruption among state officials. This cannot go on, the President concluded.

“People complain to me about formality in dealing with their requests, and about the law enforcement and legal bodies. Poor quality of state services and corruption make people very unhappy. This situation must be radically changed.

The basic task of state officials is to serve the people and ensure the quality of state services.”

President Nazarbayev

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President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov receives Foreign Minister Idrissov in Tashkent

Foreign Minister Idrissov in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Erlan Idrissov, headed south this week to the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the countries of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. On the way, Mr Idrissov paid a visit to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

The journey to Tashkent is one of the shorter foreign trips for Mr Idrissov to make, the capital of Uzbekistan being situated just a short distance over the border from Kazakhstan. Relations between the two Central Asian neighbours are warm, both politically and in terms of trade. In 2012, bilateral trade between the two countries crossed the $2 billion mark.

On March 27, Mr Idrissov met for talks with Uzbekistan’s President, Islam Karimov and his Uzbek opposite number, Abdulaziz Kamilov, and visited the construction site of the new Embassy of Kazakhstan. The main item on the agenda was President Nazarbayev’s visit to Uzbekistan that is currently being planned. Minister Idrissov also discussed a number of issues related to cooperation in the areas of trade, politics, transportation and logistics as well as joint work in the Central Asian region as part of international organizations.

The Foreign Minister’s first official meeting in Dushanbe on March 28 was with the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, Hamrokhon Zarifi. At the conclusion of this meeting, a cooperation agreement for 2013 was signed between the two foreign ministries. Mr Idrissov went on from the signing ceremony to a meeting with the President of Tajikistan, Emomalii Rahmon. Discussions in Dushanbe focused on strengthening economic and political cooperation as well as ways of resolving regional problems related to transportation and logistics issues and water resources.

“Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have been and remain true partners and allies” President Karimov

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Minister Idrissov is greeted by President Emomolii Rahmon at the Presidential Palace in Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Kazakhstan is an important trade partner for Tajikistan, occupying second place to Russia in terms of foreign trade. Last year bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan amounted to just over $700 million, the larger portion being exports from Kazakhstan.

President Rahmon opened the 11th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the ACD on Friday morning. His speech was followed by presentations by the heads of each of the delegations.

The ACD brings together 32 countries from the Middle East, Central Asia and the Far East. The organization was formed in 2002, with the primary aim of promoting interdependence among Asian countries in all areas of cooperation. The ACD does this by identifying Asia’s common strengths and opportunities, thus helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for the people of Asia. By developing a knowledge-based society within Asia the ACD hopes to enhance communities and empower people.

“Our companies want to work in Tajikistan. It’s important that we work hard together to create the conditions needed to broaden the participation of Kazakhstan’s companies and increase the flow of investments into your state.”

Foreign Minister Idrissov

Foreign Ministers Idrissov and Zarifi discuss furthering cooperation between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan

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President Nazarbayev keeps in close contact with the citizens of Kazakhstan

Modernizing Society in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan’s government and the ruling Nur Otan Party are due to report in April on the progress of the plan for the modernization of Kazakhstan society. In an address in July 2012, President Nazarbayev called upon them to draw up the plan by April this year.

In the address, entitled, “The Social Modernization of Kazakhstan: 20 Steps to a Society of Universal Labour”, the President called upon the government and society as a whole to take upon itself the task of bringing society up to date, to ensure that citizens were equipped to live in a modern, consumer society. The President had raised this issue in a speech to parliament in January 2012. But in July he spoke of his dissatisfaction at the way in which his instructions were being carried out; hence the order to the government and Nur Otan to produce a concrete plan by April 2013.

The government program will be expected to follow the guidelines which President Nazarbayev laid out last July. He acknowledged that in Kazakhstan the state is the driver of economic and social progress. But he emphasised, too, that each individual citizen has a part to play in the modernization of society. In this way, society can move from a system based on social security, to one where social progress takes over.

The plan for modernization should stand on a number of pillars, the President said. Social interaction should be governed by fair and just laws and legal norms. The social standards by which the people of Kazakhstan live must be raised, as should professional qualifications.

There should be a clear mechanism for defining the partnership between the state, the private sector and professional bodies.

More must be done to develop the institutions of civil society, so that they become genuine instruments through which citizens can carry out social initiatives – at the local as well as the national level.

“New methods of production, new systems of education and science, the development of the middle class and the expansion of social guarantees all call for major changes in the consciousness of the people of Kazakhstan.

This will mean making timely corrections to the whole system of relations in society.”

President Nazarbayev

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The information revolution has to be a crucial part of Kazakhstan society, ensuring that citizens have access to the internet and are kept informed of societal developments. And there must be a strong two-way link between the state and the people.

A key factor in all of this is to ensure the unhindered growth of the middle class; the flourishing creativity of this social group is the main driving force behind the innovation economy. Hand in hand with this is the need to reduce the individual’s dependency on the state. Citizens must be encouraged to take on responsibility for their own actions and their own business.

The state still has an important role to play, though, and it is essential that a truly professional body of experts and managers is in place at every level in the power structure. All state bodies should be geared to solving these questions.

The President went on to outline five key principles on which the modernization of society must take place: evolution, responsibility, partnership, encouragement and professionalism.

“Evolution” means that progress must go hand in hand with the development and capabilities of the country’s economy.

Modernization will not work if certain regions, sectors or groups race ahead, leaving others behind.

“Responsibility” refers not only to the responsibility of the state at all levels of government, but that of the private sector and society as a whole. Each individual citizen of Kazakhstan should serve his country in his or her own way. If modernization does not reach every citizen, then it cannot succeed.

“Partnership” will be seen in the close cooperation between the state, business and the citizen. The authorities must provide a rational balance between the interests of the state, society and the individual; but everything must be done for the private sector to play its part in the modernization of the country, first and foremost in the social sphere.

“Encouragement” indicates that the state must create the conditions whereby each citizen of Kazakhstan is in a position to improve the quality of his or her own life. The state must provide support, so that each individual can fulfil their creative potential in every area of life.

“Professionalism” means not only that professional standards must be applied in Kazakhstan, but that the country also takes into account best practice around the world.

Global experience, President Nazarbayev said, shows that the world is tending towards a society of universal labour. Kazakhstan should be headed down this road, too.

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SPECA: Important for Regional Cooperation

Dr Nikolay Pomoshchnikov, Head of ESCAP North and Central Asia Office

The UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) addresses key economic and environmental cooperation issues among its members, directly influencing sustainable development, stability and security in the region. SPECA was established in 1998 by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and joined later by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan.

It is supported jointly by two UN Regional Commissions - the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

SPECA has some distinct advantages for its member states. It was established by its member countries and is governed by them, and can take advantage of international legal instruments, norms, standards and recommendations which fall under the remit of ESCAP and UNECE. SPECA provides a neutral forum for the discussion of complex strategic issues of intra- and interregional cooperation.

The coordination of SPECA activities increased with the establishment in Almaty in 2011 of the ESCAP Sub-regional Office for North and Central Asia. This Office works to support enhanced economic cooperation within a regional framework for closer economic integration. It focuses on the promotion of sub-regional and regional trade, sustainable infrastructure development and the sustainable management of energy, water and other natural resources.

Through Project Working Groups, the SPECA Economic Forums and sessions of the SPECA Governing Council, member States have the opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned in the areas covered by the Program. These include transport, trade, water and energy resources, knowledge-based development, statistics and gender and economy.

The 2012 SPECA Economic Forum and the seventh session of the Governing Council were held last November in the ESCAP Headquarters in Bangkok. Government and business leaders from SPECA member states together with observers, intergovernmental organizations and financial institutions working in Central Asia, discussed how integration experiences of other Asia-Pacific sub-regions could help promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNECE, Sven Alkalaj noted: “The lack of functioning regional organizations and institutions in Central Asia has negative consequences for these economies. SPECA offers neutral UN expertise in the very areas where regional economic cooperation provides the greatest added value such as trade, transport and border crossing.”

The Forum offered an opportunity to SPECA member countries to learn more about the successes and challenges of regional economic cooperation in Asia, in particular the experience of regional and sub-regional organizations, like ASEAN, SAARC, APEC and the Greater Mekong Sub-region. SPECA member countries were invited to formulate recommendations for further capacity and institution building in the framework of the Program in support of regional economic cooperation and integration in Central Asia.

ESCAP and UNECE prepared a series of proposals on further strengthening SPECA. The Program could be more actively used to raise the awareness of policymakers and experts about the close inter-linkage between regional cooperation and sustainable development. Integrating regional perspectives in the Post-2015 Development Agenda would better reflect the particular challenges faced by the region and increase the contribution of regional cooperation to sustainable development. It would provide a platform for developing a common position by SPECA countries, increase their voice and participation, and leverage in policy decisions of various international development forums and supra-national negotiations. It would also facilitate the mobilization of public and private resources for implementing relevant programs in the SPECA framework as well as those of individual countries.

“SPECA could be actively used to raise the awareness of policymakers and experts about the close inter-linkage between regional cooperation and sustainable development.”

Dr Nikolay Pomoshchnikov, Head of ESCAP North and Central Asia Office

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Also in The News…

• The first meeting of the Kazakhstan-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on the Baikonur Space Complex took place in the town of Baikonur on March 28-29. The delegation from Kazakhstan was led by First Deputy Prime Minister, Kairat Kelimbetov, and the Russian side by First Deputy Prime Minister, Igor Shuvalov. The two sides discussed the future operation of the complex, and also socio-economic issues about the future development of the town of Baikonur. The delegations also witnessed the launch of the manned space rocket “Soyuz-TMA-08M”. (bnews.kz) • Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov has been appointed as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Lithuania. From December 2011 until January 2013, Mr Mukhamedzhanov served as the Governor of Mangistau Region. He was previously Interior Minister and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration. (tengrinews.kz) • The first full-length animated film made in Kazakhstan, “Er Tostik and Aydakhar”, took over KZT 31 million in the first weekend that it was available to rent. The film, which started out as a 2D production but was then transformed into 3D, is based on Kazakh folk-tales, and tells the story of the warrior Er Tostik and his battle with the forces of evil, represented by the dragon, Aydakhar. Despite this success, the Director, Rustam Turaliev, recommends that the film is best watched on the big screen, as many of the effects were created for the cinema. (tengrinews.kz) • Over 1,000 people in Kazakhstan will this year receive educational grants under the government’s “Bolashak” study program.

The “Bolashak” program provides grants for study abroad and is especially aimed at those in the public sector, and those engaged in education, engineering and medicine. (tengrinews.kz) • At a ceremony in Astana on March 28, hosted by the State Secretary of Kazakhstan, Marat Tazhin, a number of Ambassadors presented their credentials. The Ambassadors were from Kenya, the Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Djibouti, the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos, New Zealand, Australia and the Principality of Monaco. (inform.kz) • During a visit to the USA, the “National Agency for Technological Development” signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation with the Innovaro Inc company, based in Tampa, Florida. The Memorandum sets out legal guidelines for joint work in the scientific, technological, innovation and academic fields. (mint.gov.kz)

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• It was a good week for the leading figure-skater from Kazakhstan, Denis Ten. He was accepted into the elite Presidential Professional Club “Astana”, and also given the title of Honored Master of Sport of Kazakhstan. World Champion speedskater, Denis Kuzin, was also given the title of Honored Master of Sport of Kazakhstan. Ten and Kuzin also both learned that they have received their licenses to compete in the XXII Winter Olympic Games, which will be taking place in the Russian city of Sochi in February 2014. Kazakhstan has already received 30 licenses for its sportsmen and women for the Games. (kazinform.kz, tengrinews.kz) • Kazakhstan’s equestrian team took the silver medal in the World Cup and Asian Championship for Tent-pegging, which took place in New Delhi. Eighteen countries competed. Tent-pegging is considered a form of mastering a weapon while on horseback. (kazinform.kz)

ASTANA CALLING A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ Please send comments and questions to pressa@mfa.kz

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