GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan's grain export potential estimated at 7.5 million tons

Since the beginning of operation of the Customs Union, the trade turnover of Kazakhstan with its partners has increased 1.6 times, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev told in his interview to TASS. "It should be noted that the common trade turnover of the EEU makes USD 1 trln. Establishment of the common economic territory is a huge factor for Kazakhstan. It allowed us to significantly develop the internal market," B. Sagintayev noted. "Since the beginning of operation of the Customs Union, the annual trade turnover of Kazakhstan with its partners has grown 1.6 times, from USD 13 bln in 2009 to USD 21 bln in 2014. The export has also grown significantly - by 80%, and the share of processed goods in the total volume of the export of Kazakhstan to the countries of the Customs Union increased from 45 to 59%," the First Deputy Minister told. "Unfortunately, as a result of this year we will have different figures in many spheres including mutual trade explained by instability of prices for our export products and general instability in the world market," B. Sagintayev added. "Taking into consideration the complicated situation in the world economy and the slowdown of the pace of the economic growth, we are interested in new markets. It includes the EU, CIS, Asian and Pacific region, Middle East, Caspian region, North and Latin America and Africa," the First Deputy Prime Minister noted. "On the instruction of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council we work on integration of the Eurasian integration process and the Chinese initiative called "Economic belt of the Silk Road". As of today, joint groups have been formed on studying the feasibility of establishment of the free trade zone with Iran, Israel, India and Egypt," B. Sagintayev told. In total, more than 30 world countries express their interest in cooperation with the EEU. It demonstrates the image of the union, as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan stressed. Kazakhstan has successfully implemented the project of creating "electronic government". According to the Ministry for Investment and Development, in 2015 e-government provided more than 36 million services. The portal of electronic licensing in the current year has issued more than 450,000 permits and 24, 000 licenses. To date 102 projects of public-private partnership (PPP) are in various stages of readiness and the law "On public-private partnership" is able to activate the correct operation of projects, first vice-minister of the national economy of Kazakhstan Marat Kussainov said at a meeting on methodological work with central and local executive agencies for the implementation of PPPs in the capital's "House of the economy". Legal and methodological framework has been developed. At present, 102 projects of public-private partnership are in various stages of readiness, he stressed. Kussainov also reminded that the law on "PPP" was developed as part of the President's instructions. Social obligations of the state, despite the increasingly complex external environment, leading to a decrease in revenues, were performed in full. Vice-Minister of Agriculture Yermek Kosherbayev, speaking at the opening session of the International Coordinating Committee of exporters and investors in Astana, said that Kazakhstan's grain export potential is estimated at 7.5 million tons. He also noted that Kazakhstan and China signed the protocol on removal of restrictions for export wheat from Kazakhstan. "Moreover, we think that the export of our grain will grow because are going to be able to supply grain to Southeast Asia through China. Besides, it is planned to increase our presence on the markets of China and increase the volume of grain export to Iran and the Persian Gulf countries," he added. The European Union - Central Asia Foreign Affairs Ministerial Meeting took place in Astana on December 21, 2015. The Kazakh delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov, the EU delegation - by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were represented by Foreign Ministers Abdulaziz Kamilov and Erlan Abdyldayev respectively. Tajikistan and Turkmenistan were represented by deputy foreign ministers. In addition, during her visit to Kazakhstan the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini signed a new agreement to expand the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union. Strengthening of cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia would lead to greater success in combating the radicalization of young people in different regions of the world, this opinion was expressed by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini after a session of the EU-CA Ministerial Meeting. F.Mogherini noted that strengthening of security cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union, especially in combating the radicalization of young people in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and other regions, will allow using different tools and achieving greater success. According to her words, the meeting discussed the issues of education, environment, climate change, investment, trade and energy.