WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan takes measures to reduce foreign debt, continues diversification of crop areas
On Monday, May 14, Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov held the republican meeting on the development of monotowns.
"The Single-Industry Towns' Development Program implementation will be controlled tightly," Serik Akhmetov warned akims (mayors) of these cities.
"This program is aimed at solving social economic issues in these single-industry towns. The Head of State pays a special attention to this problem and has given specific instructions to the Government and to akims," S. Akhmetov added.
Besides, he instructed regions' akimats to submit projects of single-industry towns' development for the approval of the Kazakh Ministry of Economic Development and Trade prior to June 15 this year.
The Kazakh Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, in turn, should provide akimats with feedback on draft comprehensive plans and on a competitive basis to select investment projects for the provision of governmental support until July 1, 2012.
Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev addressing the Government Hour said the country's external debt reached USD 123.8 bln, and state debt - USD 5 bln. He proposed to ban foreign borrowings for the companies which are not members of Samruk Kazyna Fund, KazAgro and Kazakhstan Development Bank.
The same day Culture and Information Ministry with the participation of mass media and wide public held a contest for vacant posts.
On Tuesday the Government convened to debate spring field work. Besides, the meeting focused on draft amendments to the law on reduction of permits and optimization of supervisory role of state agencies. According to Economic Development and Trade Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, the draft laws provides for canceling 257 out of 1096 permits.
On Wed, May 16, at the Congress of Kazakhstan Lawyers, Justice Minister Berik Imashev appraised the country's law policy pursued over the years of independence. Thanks to the strategic course of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, today's Kazakhstan is a sovereign country with equal rights and all attributes of nationhood.
Miroslava Beham, OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues met with meeting with Gulshara Abdykalikova, Labour Minister of Kazakhstan who also chairs the National Commission on Women and Family-Demographic Politics and members of the Majilis.
"A gender perspective is an important part of the OSCE's comprehensive approach to security," Beham said during the meeting with the Labour Minister. "If we want to achieve security and lasting peace in any society, we cannot ignore gender issues and women's rights."
On Thursday Astana hosted the 5th Islamic conference of Environment Ministers. Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov stated, Kazakhstan hopes that Islamic countries would support Kazakhstan's initiatives on Global Energy and Ecology Strategy and Green Bridge Partnership Bridge.
Later in the day Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev has received head of the Customs Control Committee of the Kazakh Finance Ministry Mazhit Yessenbayev.
The latter reported on the committee's activity.
Besides, Yessenbayev briefed on the progress of implementation of the public services standards for customs procedures and automation of risk management system.
He also told about the integration of the Kazakh customs transit system with transit systems of Russia and Belarus, exchange of information concerning registered goods between the customs bodies of the CU member countries.
Following the results of the meeting Nursultan Nazarbayev gave the Committee certain tasks.
On Friday President Nursultan Nazarbayev has received Kazakhstan Minister of Transport and Communications Askar Zhumagaliyev.
A. Zhumagaliyev reported on the internet security and acceleration, the transfer of the state services to the electronic format and modernization of the public service centers.
According to A. Zhumagaliyev, the work on introduction of the CDMA technology continues. Communities of the villages of Almaty, Aktobe, Zhambyl, Kostanay, South Kazakhstan, Pavlodar regions have wireless broadband internet access due to the EVDO technology. Kazakh Minister of Transport and Communications has paid attention to the increasing number of the internet and e-government users.
Kazakhstan took the 38th place among the UN e-Government development rankings, and 14th in the on-line service.
Networked Readiness Index ranked Kazakhstan 55th . Kazakhstan has managed to achieve 46th position in the global Fixed Telephone Lines and 38th position in Mobile telephone subscriptions. 53% of Kazakh people use the services of the internet.
"Also, to date more than 1 million electronic signatures were issued," A. Zhumagaliyev said.
Till the end of the current year the Ministry of Transport and Communications is planning to convert 60 percent of socially important services to electronic format, and 100 percent in 2013.
The Minister also said that it is planned to put into service 998 kilometers of republican roads this year, of which 700 kilometers as part of the international transit corridor "Western Europe - Western China." Next year it is planned to launch 803 km international superhighway.
Zhumagaliyev informed that currently 158 technical inspection centers operate in the country. He also told about the beginning of testing the new system of technical inspection, which will allow to keep record of vehicles that passed technical inspection, conduct multi-factor analyses and phasing out paper certificates.
The Minister presented to the President the plans on the development of sea transport and civil aviation. It is planned to buy 9 aircrafts till the end of this year and 8 more crafts in 2013.
Following the meeting Nursultan Nazarbayev gave specific instructions to the Ministry.