GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan strengthens policy of attracting foreign investment

Last week, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree to dissolve the Majlis and to call early elections in March this year. In his address to the nation President briefly described the situation in the world and in the country stressing that to overcome the crisis it is necessary to take measures.
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan took part in the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he held a series of important meetings.
At the end of the bilateral meeting of Massimov and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, the parties have signed an agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the establishment of the offices in Kazakhstan. During the sitting the parties have discussed the issues of further cooperation of Kazakhstan and the World Bank. The signing of the new Foundational agreement will strengthen further cooperation between Kazakhstan and the World Bank and provide an opportunity to fully implement the Framework Partnership Agreement signed in May 2014.

Kazakhstan joined the World Bank Group in 1992. The World Bank invested in 45 Kazakhstani projects $7.9 billion. Today the program of the World Bank in Kazakhstan is focused on institutional development in the areas of education, healthcare, innovation, as well as transport infrastructure and environmental protection.
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov held a meeting with Founder of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates Daniel Yergin on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum
At the meeting the sides exchanged opinions regarding the present situation in the global oil market and prospects of development of energy sector in Kazakhstan.
Speaking of the necessity of adjusting to the new conditions providing for law prices for primary products, D. Yergin expressed his support of the held in Kazakhstan economic reforms, and he also noted a great potential in the sphere of using alternating energy sources.
Upon completion of the meeting the sides spoke for the strengthening of future cooperation in strategic research in the energy sphere.
In addition, Karim Massimov met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marubeni Corporation Teruo Asada. The sides discussed the issues of development of cooperation in the energy and transport sectors of the economy and implementation of projects in the sphere of alternative energy sources.
Besides, the interlocutors noted a significant potential the country have for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and expressed their interest in further strengthening of the relations.
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov had a meeting with Turkish Premier Ahmet Davutoglu within the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The Prime Minister of Turkey extended his greetings and best wishes to President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Prime ministers of Kazakhstan and Turkey discussed the present economic situation at the global and regional levels and exchanged opinions regarding relevant issues of the international agenda.
Upon completion of the meeting K. Massimov and A. Davutoglu noted the necessity of activation of the work on increasing mutual trade turnover and expressed their support of future strengthening of long-term business relations between the two countries.
Deputy Prime Dariga Nazarbayeva visited the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University where she got acquainted with the infrastructure facilities and met with activists of the university. Following the visit Deputy Prime Minister gave instructions to further improve educational and scientific programs.
First Vice-Minister for National Economy Marat Kussainov during his trip to East Kazakhstan region has discussed
with the head of the region Danial Akhmetov the issues of implementation of public-private partnership.
Transnational agro-industrial company Inalca Eurasia, which is a member of Italy's Cremonini group, is entering Kazakhstani market. It has signed a memorandum with Kazakhstan's Aktep company under the 100 Specific Steps program.
According to the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry, the foreign company plans to invest more than 100 mln euros in meat processing industry of Kazakhstan. This money will be spent for establishment of a vertically integrated company which will build feedlots in three regions of Kazakhstan, which can hold up to 44,000 heads of livestock simultaneously.
Besides, the company wants to modernize a meat processing enterprise in Aktobe region and raise its capacity up to 20 thousand tonnes of meat and meat products. Inalca Eurasia intends to create a brand of Kazakhstani meat and ensure its export to European countries and to the Russian Federation. Aktep produces 200 tonnes of meat per month. In 2016, it plans to raise the volumes of export up to 12,000 tonnes per annum. It has already built a new meat processing enterprise with the annual capacity of 7,200 tonnes of meat. All of these will allow the Kazakh company to become a centre of organization of inter-regional cooperation in meat processing industry.