GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan economy maintains positive dynamics of growth

Prime Minister Karim Massimov expressed condolences to the families and relatives of the victims of the Monday terrorist attack in Almaty. The Anti-Terrorist Centre informed that all the assailants had been detained.

The PM gave a number of instructions regarding the terror attack at the Government’s meeting. Thus, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was charged to launch additional measures to ensure security of the citizens and law and order in the city, as well as to take measures on ensuring public and state security in all the regions of the country. The Ministry and Almaty Mayor’s Office were commissioned also to render assistance to the families of the victims. Besides, the Head of the Government assigned Almaty Mayor's Office and Healthcare Ministry to provide all required medical and other assistance to the wounded. The Mayor's Office will have to conduct an analysis and elaborate a package of additional measures to resolve urgent social problems in the city and concentrate its efforts on fight with unemployment, on the problems in youth and religious spheres, small and medium businesses, countering extremism, crimes as well as in migration policy.

Kazakhstan plans to tighten gun control. An appropriate bill has been developed by a special working group, according to the National Security Chairman Vladimir Zhumakanov. The amendments provide for tightening administrative responsibility for violation of law in this sphere, vesting internal affairs structures with authority to examine the facilities possessing guns, ammunition and explosives as well as setting special requirements to the organizations protecting such facilities. The law introduces also alternative jurisdiction of internal affairs and national security structures regarding the crimes in illegal gun trafficking, illegal migration and drug trafficking. Besides, the working group discussed and approved the approaches of the governmental structures to the elaboration of bills aimed at development of rehabilitation centres for the followers of radical religious movements and to the establishment of an integrated system of migration control and to the solution of other issues. "The draft law was approved by the governmental bodies and will be submitted to the Parliament as per a prescribed procedure," Zhumakanov says.

At the same sitting of the Government, Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev informed that GDP growth in Kazakhstan by the end of the year is predicted to make 1%. The international reserves of Kazakhstan made 96.2 bln U.S. dollars having increased by 5.2% since the year beginning. The Minister noted also stability in social sector and said that the average nominal wage in Kazakhstan rose by 9.9% and made 133,500 tenge. According to Bishimbayev, positive paces of economic growth in the first half of 2016 were ensured primarily due to economic boosting measures and employment maintenance under the Nurly Zhol program and the Anti-Crisis Plan of the Government and the National Bank.

Karim Massimov held also a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of JSC Baiterek National Management Holding. The agenda of the meeting included a wide range of issues related to the further development of holding's group of companies. At the meeting, the Board of Directors approved the adjusted development plan of "Baiterek" Holding for 2014-2018. The development plan was adjusted in line with the additional measures assumed to stimulate economic growth and employment in Kazakhstan in 2016-2017. The Board of Directors also approved the reports on implementation of the holding's development plan for 2014-2018, the 2015 annual budget, the 2015 annual report and focused on a number of other issues. 

 First Vie Premier Bakytzhan Saginatev held a telephone conference regarding the activity of the socio-entrepreneurial corporations. The meeting participants heard the reports of the governors of regions, Astana and Almaty cities on the measures taken to ensure non-deficient activity of the socio-entrepreneurial corporations and on implementation of highly efficient projects. The local executives were commissioned to eliminate all the revealed shortages and conduct a detailed analysis of the corporations’ activity and adjust the structure of their assets. The akimats were also charged to  prepare amendments to the corporations’ development strategies.

Bakytzhan Sagintayev held another telephone conference focused on expenditures of the National Fund.   In 2016, the target transfers from the National Fund aimed at direct budget financing made KZT 807.5 bln. As of July 1, KZT 297 bln was disbursed, which is 37% in terms of the yearly plan. At the sitting B. Sagintayev reminded that President Nursultan Nazarbayev criticized the pace of disbursement of the funds allocated from the National Fund at the local and central levels. In order to fully disburse the allocated funds they will be redistributed in favour of those regions that are actively implementing projects.

At the meeting of the Kazakhstan-Belarus Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation held in Gomel, First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev noted the importance of boosting cooperation with Belarus in agro-industrial complex. According to him, both countries are already interacting in production of agricultural vehicles, in variety testing and legal protection of agricultural crops varieties. "With the consideration of the existing potential, we need to enhance our partnership in this area. It is crucial to find new drivers of our relations, new points of interaction. For instance, we should solve the issue of establishment of joint sugar beet and corn producing enterprises," said B.Sagintayev

Minister of Civil Service Affairs Talgat Donakov shared the plans on improvement of the country's civil service sector at an enlarged meeting of the Ministry’s Board.  "We need to further improve our civil service model with the consideration of experience of its application. Namely, we need to optimize admission procedures and verify qualification requirements. We need also to improve the quality of the tests and the system of evaluation of personal attributes," said Donakov at an extended meeting of the Ministry's board. According to him, cnsuring control and evaluation of the quality of governmental services remains an important area of our activity.

Mayor of Astana Asset Issekeshev held a meeting for discussing stabilization of food stuffs prices in the city. The Mayor gave a number of instructions for retaining prices for socially vital food stuffs including bread, cereals and sugar as per the President's instructions announced earlier. The meeting decided to organize agricultural products fairs in Astana on a daily basis  and increase the number of marketplaces including mobile stores.It should be noted that the municipal administration as well as the Committee for Natural Monopolies Regulation and Competition Protection will constantly monitor and control prices at the fairs. Besides, the meeting participants were informed that Astana Mayor’s Office and National Economy Ministry had signed an agreement on ensuring stable prices for food stuffs.

The Government together with the UNDP implements a project “Sustainable Cities for Low-Carbon Development” aimed at reduction of emissions in 15 cities of Kazakhstan. According to Advisor to the UNDP Permanent Representative in Kazakhstan Irina Goryunova,   the project has already been launched in 6 cities – Shymkent, Taraz, Temirtau, Aktobe, Kostanay and Lisakovsk – and concentrates on development of public transport, heat-, water- and electricity supply as well as waste management.

At the end of the week Prime Minister Karim Massimov reported to the President on the main socio-economic indicators of the country’s development, implementation of the key governmental programs and the current activity of the Land Reform Commission. The President outlined several important issues which must be solved till the end of the year.

“First of all, we must prevent economic downfall. All required conditions have been created for this and financial aspects have been resolved. Secondly, we must focus on the forthcoming harvesting campaign and preparation for autumn-winter period. We must also continue preparations for EXPO-2017 and Winter Universiade 2017,” said the President.

The Head of State emphasized also the importance of further industrial-innovative development of the republic and adoption of measures on improving people’s wellbeing. The PM was commissioned also to submit the outcomes of the Land Reform Commission’s meeting in the nearest time. The President requested the Head of the Government to work out all the problems raised and prepare a report for the Cabinet’s extended meeting in August.