GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan expands coop with China and sends humanitarian aid to Ukraine

On December 24 Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov signed the Decree # 1370 "On the statement of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the main directions of economic policy for 2015". The main objectives of the policy of the Government and the National Bank in 2015 will be to maintain macroeconomic and financial stability and economic growth and competitiveness of Kazakhstan's economy, this is stated in the joint statement of the Government and the National Bank. "In January-October 2014 the foreign trade turnover has decreased by 8.3% compared to the same period of 2013. Exports of goods decreased by 4.9% due to the fall in world prices for oil and base metals. Imports of goods decreased by 14.5% due to the reduction in imports of machinery and equipment, chemical products and food products," the document says. Kazakh Minister for Investments and Development Asset Issekeshev and chairman of the National Development and Reform Committee of China Xu Shaoshi had talks in Beijing. The sides defined a number of the most promising projects for joint realization in the spheres such as mining and metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry, production of building materials, machine building, light industry, tourism, transport infrastructure and power sector. Besides, the parties signed a protocol, agreed to boost ties and continue detailed development of joint projects. The next talks will be held in the first decade of January 2015. Prime Minister Karim Massimov has awarded winners of "Paryz" businesses' social responsibility contest. The awarding ceremony was held at the Republican Racetrack "Sary-Arka". Over the past four years more than 1,660 enterprises from all regions of the country took part in the Paryz contest. Kazakhstan plans to increase grant funding to commercialize technologies, Vice Minister of Education Takir Balykbayev announced during the Government Hour in the Majilis. According to his words, in Kazakhstan, 80-85% of the funding is allocated to basic applied research, somewhere around 15% for experimental design work. In the world there is other practice, 60-65% of the money goes for development of the design. He noted that currently the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the World Bank is implementing 30 projects in the field of technology commercialization. For this purpose, according to the vice minister, 6 billion tenge is allocated. Of this number, 10 projects were put into production. In addition, the Deputy Minister added that Kazakhstan is developing a draft law on the commercialization of scientific, scientific and technical activities. First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev has chaired an expanded meeting of the Republican trilateral commission on social partnerships and regulation of social-labor relations. After the meeting, a General Agreement between the Government and the republican associations of recruiters and employees for 2015-2017 years has been signed. The new General Agreement is designed by Federation of Trade Unions, the Confederation of Labor, the Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and industry associations of employers, given amendments and additions to the labor legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the law on trade unions made in 2014. October 6, 2014 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan completed the procedure of address transferring of Kazakhstan's membership fee to the International Committee of the Red Cross for humanitarian needs of Ukraine in the amount of $30 thousand. December 19, 2014 the Resolution of the Government "On humanitarian assistance to the south-eastern regions of Ukraine" was adopted. According to the document Kazakhstan will deliver food products worth 69,727,875 tenge to Ukraine.