WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan helps the disabled obtain employment

On Monday Kazakhstan's Minister of Investment and Development Asset Issekeshev inspected the reconstruction of the Astana-Temirtau motorway and had a field meeting with reps of contracting companies involved in the reconstruction process. The reconstruction of the 171-km long motorway has begun in 2013. 5 contracting companies and over 1,000 people are working to complete the project in time.

The motorway is expected to be commissioned by 2016.

Following results of the meeting, Minister Issekeshev instructed to step up work pace, monitor the quality of work more closely and ensure safety of the motorway. "At least 10 thousand people with disabilities have been employed since the beginning of 2014," Vice Minister of Healthcare and Social Development Svetlana Zhakupova said on Tuesday. "Since the beginning of this year, together with the Nur Otan Party, non-governmental organizations and local executive bodies, we've helped more than 10, 000 disabled people find employment," Ms Zhakupova told the press conference. "Thanks to such state programs as the 2020 Employment Roadmap, these people make their contribution and work for the benefit of the country and the society today," she added. The National Visual Arts Gallery of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur hosted August 27 an opening ceremony of an exhibition dedicated to the International Day against Nuclear Tests and the international initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, The ATOM Project. The week-long exhibition has been arranged by the Embassy of Kazakhstan with the support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia. Among the attendants of the ceremony were representatives of Malaysia's foreign and defense ministries, National Nuclear Agency, foreign diplomatic corps, Malaysian public and the media, as well as students from Kazakhstan. In his welcoming remarks, Chairman of the Committee for International Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko briefed the audience on the background of Kazakhstan's nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament initiatives related to tragic consequences of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. He noted that the closure of the test site by a decree of President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 1991 and the voluntary renunciation by an independent Kazakhstan of the world's fourth largest nuclear and missile arsenal is a most important contribution by the country to the global nuclear disarmament and an example worthy of study and use. Roman Vassilenko put a special emphasis on yet another important initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, The ATOM Project, seeking to enhance the international community's awareness of human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons testing. "Today, almost 100,000 people from more than 100 countries have signed the online petition of The ATOM Project at www.theatomproject.org calling on global governments to ensure the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty," he said adding that the story of nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan and in other countries should be told and live on with future generations to ensure it is never repeated again anywhere.

The Ministry of National Economy said that the Government of Kazakhstan approved the social and economic development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019. Real GDP growth in 2015 is expected to reach 5.0%, in 2016 - 5.6%, in 2017 - 6.8%, in 2018 - 5.8% and in 2019 - 6.5%. Nominal GDP will grow from KZT 45 trillion in 2015 to KZT 72.8 trillion in 2019. GDP per capita in 2015 will increase up to USD 13.9 thousand and to USD 21.4 thousand in 2019.

Exports will increase from USD 79.2 billion in 2015 to USD 93.5 billion in 2019. Imports will grow from USD 50.1 billion in 2015 to USD 57.8 billion in 2019.

The inflation corridor is forecast in the range of 6-8% with a consequent reduction in the medium term to the level of 5-7%.

In the medium term, the main directions of economic and social policies include maintaining of macroeconomic and financial stability; sustainable economic growth; further innovative industrialization of the economy; social modernization; regional development and management of urbanization process; further formation of public administration; international integration. The question of establishing an international bank of low-enriched uranium (LEU) IAEA was raised today at a briefing in the office of the Central Communications Service. Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Barlybay Sadykov noted on Friday that having the bank in Kazakhstan will, to a certain extent, strengthen Kazakhstan's security. As IAEA's property, the bank will be under a constant attention of the Member States to prevent any attack on it.

The creation of a guaranteed LEU reserve will allow the countries that are not looking at building uranium enrichment capacities to have guarantees against unexpected disruptions of supplies of nuclear fuel.

According to his information, the Ulba Metallurgical Plant that will host the bank has handled uranium for 60 years and has stored up to 1,500 tons of low enriched uranium.

There is no necessity to construct new facilities for the storage of uranium. However, according to the ambassador, the project would still require significant financial investments. Thus, the United States to invest USD 50 million, the American Nuclear Threat Initiative - USD 50 million, governments of the UAE and Kuwait - USD 10 million each, and the government of Norway - USD 5 million.