GOVERNMENT WEEK: Investments in raw minefields must be connected with establishment of industrial productions in Kazakhstan - PM

Kazakh Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Bakhyt Sultanov said that the GDP of the country increased by 1.1% in 2009. The inflation rate was up to 6.2% last year.

According to the Minister, in 2010 the GDP growth is expected to be up to 1.5-2%. The inflation rate will be up to 6-8%.

Results of the economic development of the country in 2009 were resumed at the session as well as the main forecasted indexes for the next year were defined. B.Sultanov presented to the Government the draft Nationwide Action Plan aimed at the realization of the President's Address to the Nation. The Plan includes 21 activity aimed at preparation to the implementation of the Kazakhstan Strategic Development Plan till 2020.

A range of measures on legislative provision of the work and creation of a background for qualitative improvement of the conditions for business conduction in the country is provided as well. The budget is expected to be corrected. Concept of formation and use of the National Fund is planned to be developed as well.

Draft State Program on forced industrial-innovative development of the country was submitted for the Government. State bodies will develop 11 sectoral and 23 master-plans for its realization.

Chairman of the National Bank Grigoriy Marchenko said that the Kazakh President approved draft concept of development of the financial sector in post-crisis period. Speaking about the plans for 2010 G.Marchenko noted that provision of stability of prices will be priority of the monetary policy of the National Bank.

Chairman of "Samruk Kazyna" National Welfare Fund Kairat Kelimbetov informed the participants of the session on the fact that the procurement plan on the Fund's group for 2010 is amounted to KZT 2 trln 352 bln. 72% of procurements will fall on the Kazakhstani producers and suppliers.

The Government will continue the work on increase of accommodation availability this year. Beginning from the first quarter of 2010 the mechanism of provision of rental housing will be launched in Astana.

First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev noted that the work on transport infrastructure development and realization of big industrial projects that is conducted in Kazakhstan is big so much that a necessity of increase of the quota for foreign labor attraction arose. U.Shukeyev noted that primary contractors of big projects made such proposal.

Minister of Healthcare Zhaksylyk Doskaliyev reported on measures taken within the framework of introduction of the unified national health system. For effective introduction of the system the state establishments - participants of the unified national health system - were reorganized in the state public enterprises.

At the same day the Prime Minister received representatives of the French business circles headed by co-Chairman of the Kazakh-French Business Council, President of Тотаl Exploration and Production Yves-Louis Darricarrere. Yves-Louis Darricarrere informed that the French companies, which are involved in infrastructure development, high technologies elaboration, represent the energy and transport fields and work in the sphere of environment protection, healthcare and finance, are interested in cooperation development with Kazakhstan

The Premier, in his turn, confirmed Kazakhstan's intentions in implementation of agreements reached by the two countries' presidents.

"Our new policy of cooperation in the extractive industry supposes that investments in raw minefields should be connected with creation of industrial production in Kazakhstan", he said.

The Prime Minister proposed the French side to develop attractive markets of food stock processing, food production and tourism.

On Wednesday, February 10, the Prime Minister met with Belarusian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Vasiliy Galeyev. Issues of further development of the bilateral cooperation in the trade-economic sphere were discussed at the meeting as well. The sides stated the positive process of development of the economic cooperation and emphasized that the Custom Union establishment will promote successful realization of the Activity Plan on deepening the interaction between Kazakhstan and Belarus signed during the visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Minsk.

On Thursday, February 11, the Prime Minister received Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu. There was held an exchange of opinions on necessity of increase in volume of the mutual trade and investments into the Kazakh economy, and cooperation expansion in the transport and energy fields.

On Friday, February 12, Prime Minister held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand to Kazakhstan Ian Hill. They discussed the issues of bilateral cooperation in the trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

Then K.Massimov visited the operations control center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He gave a number of instructions to Minister Serik Baimagambetov, which are aimed at increase of traffic security, and fighting corruption in the Ministry's structure.

On February 11 First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev, who pays official visit to Zhambyl region, met with heads of investment projects implemented in the region. U.Shukeyev was interested in the process of realization of the projects, development prospects, probable trade markets, problems occurring at the enterprises. The First Deputy Prime Minister charged the heads of the Kazakh Ministries and departments, participated in the meeting to discuss the ways of solution of problems of the regional manufacturers, included into the program of the Strategy of industrial-innovative development of the region.

At the same day there was held a regional forum on increase of Kazakhstan's content under U.Shukeyev's leadership. Within the framework of the forum there were signed memorandums of cooperation, agreements on supplies.