WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan is expanding cooperation with Iran and China

On Monday, September 8, Defense Minister Serik Akhmetov inspected Almaty garrison. Minister visited the Military Institute of Land Forces, where he talked about the need to improve the educational process and training of officers. S.Akhmetov also visited the military hospital and tasked the leadership to improve the quality of medical services. On Tuesday, September 9, the Ministry of Investment and Development announced the signing of a number of intergovernmental agreements in the framework of the Kazakh-Iranian business Forum. There were inked the agreements in the field of geology, metallurgy, agriculture, transport, logistics, tourism and manufacturing of building materials worth USD 500 million. On Wednesday, September 10, the Minister of National Economy Yerbolat Dossayev reported that Kazakhstan ranked 50 among 144 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index. Every year the World Economic Forum rates 144 countries according to 12 different indexes and factors. Kazakhstan has advanced its positions in two major categories: its Labor Market Efficiency is positioned 15th and its Macroeconomic Environment is ranked 27th. Y.Dossayev also spoke about the economic development of Kazakhstan in the current year. GDP growth in Kazakhstan for 8 months of 2014 made 4.1%. "On the instruction of the President, we are currently working on the development of the services sector. Today this sector provides more than 54% of GDP growth," Dossayev said. The minister noted that jobs in this sector are created 5 times faster than in the goods production sector. "Therefore, the services sector will also be considered and by the end of this year a complex approach to its development will be proposed on all types of services, in which we have the advantage," Dossayev said. On Thursday, September 11, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakytzshan Sagintayev at a meeting of nationwide coalition of democratic forces "Kazakhstan - 2050" reported that more than 60% of business entities will be transferred to the soft mode control. B. Sagintayev also talked on social benefits. The budget 2015-2016 provides for the growth of the state social benefits in disability and for loss of breadwinner by 25% from July 1, 2015 and the salary growth for civil servants on the basis of the new model. The Government also planned to increase salaries of civil servants by 15% starting from 1 July 2015 and a further 15% growth is planned for 1 July 2016, and growth of scholarships by 15-25 % starting from 1 January 2016. On the same day Prime Minister Karim Massimov visited the international exhibition EXPO - "China-Eurasia-2014" in Urumqi. A presentation of the best six manufacturers of Kazakhstan was held within the international exhibition. The national stand was organized by Kaznex Invest National Agency for Export and Investments of Kazakhstan On Friday, September 12, the press service of the party "Nur Otan" reported that more than 400 graduates will begin a 3-month internship in more than 200 national companies and state bodies of Kazakhstan under the party's Road to Life project. Such internships are possible in such major national companies as Baiterek Holding, Astana EXPO-2017 NC, KazMunayGas, National Medical Holding, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and others, as well as ministries and local administrations and governorates.