GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan plans to continue to improve conditions for investors in geological exploration sphere

The 13^th Eurasian Media Forum took place last week in Astana. The event was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dariga Nazarbayeva.

"We have gathered here at the 13^th Eurasian Media Forum having a great history and experience in mutual productive dialogue. We are all different and but we gather here in Kazakhstan every year, where we learnt to listen to each other," D. Nazarbayeva told opening the forum that brought together 400 delegates from 50 world countries.

The participants of the forum discussed the future of the global economy, geopolitical consequences of the events that took place in the Arab world, prospects of the Eurasian Union, information wars of the 21^st century, the image of the oil producing countries and the impact of the cinema industry on the society.

As Minister of Investment and Development Asset Issekeshev said, the first stage of reforms in the sphere of subsoil use has come to an end in Kazakhstan. A lot of changes have happened over the last three years. For example, the terms of provision of the geological information reduced from 240 days to one. The laws on subsoil use have been significantly amended. The terms of signing of contracts on geological exploration reduced from two years to 25 days.

These measures allow to attract more big and small enterprises to the sphere. Besides, a 100 km zone is allocated near Spepnogorsk town for geological exploration.

A. Issekeshev also informed that the total contract area on solid commercial minerals makes 137 thousand sq km. Given the potential of Kazakhstan and the size of the country there is a great opportunity to open tens of new fields by 2020.

Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Erbolat Dosayev presented a bill on functioning of the World Bank’s office in Kazakhstan at the Senate’s plenary session this week. According to him, the World Bank has invested over $6.8 billion in Kazakhstan since 1992. It helped Kazakhstan develop road and social infrastructure, enhance SME competitiveness, modernize education and healthcare systems, optimize customs and tax administration as well as restore its environment. In May 2014, Kazakhstan and the World Bank signed a Framework Agreement on Partnership providing for implementation of joint projects in 2016-2021 to the amount of $4.9 bln.

Minister of Healthcare and Social Development Tamara Duissenova made a report at the International Conference devoted to preliminary results of implementation of Kazakhstan’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2006-2016.

“Kazakhstan has created all required conditions for women’s work. Men and women in our country enjoy equal rights. Our women are actively involved in all spheres of economy. The principle of equal payment for equal work both for men and women is prescribed in the Constitution of Kazakhstan,” the Minister said and added that the existing difference in men’s and women’s salaries is explained by peculiarities of the sectors they work in.

Minister of Agriculture Assylzhan Mamytbekov visited Kostanay region where he familiarized with the process of manufacture of combine harvesters at JSC AgromashHolding plant. The vehicles are sold at the company’s 8 branches in main cropping regions and 11 representative offices. The share of local content at the plant makes 36-50% which depends on the model of the vehicles. In 2015, the company started assembling the 5^th-class New Holland TC 5080 grain harvester. The design of the harvester was brought into compliance with safety regulations of the Customs Union, while a license contract enables AgromashHolding to launch fullscale production of New Holland combine harvesters.

Last year, the plant produced about 230 units of harvesters while in 2016 it plans to assemble 310 units. More than 2000 vehicles have already been manufactured at this plant in total.

Since the year beginning, the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development has signed more than 30 000 memorandums with regional akimats, employers and trade unions on preservation of job places.