Western Kazakhstan Investment Forum held in Aktau

About 500 delegates participated in the forum. The program included reports of high-ranking speakers at meetings, round tables and a visit to production sites of Mangystau region.

Opening the forum, head of British-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Group in the Parliament of Great Britain, Lord Waverley said "Over the past months there has been much preparation into addressing the needs and priorities in Western Kazakhstan, and rightly so. This region of the Republic, being the principal energy corridor of Kazakhstan, must receive all appropriate attention."

"The commitment to create a Task Force made up of operators and international oil and gas companies to support a Blue Print for Kazakhstan's Local Content Development will go a long way in becoming a force for good. And this when combined with the announcement of the combined top commercial opportunities for the manufacture in new, or extended existing facilities, will greatly assist in achieving the objectives for an integrated development plan both in the oil and gas sphere, and by extension, for the advancement of progress in attracting investment into the all-important non-oil and gas sectors.

Mechanisms that support the strengthening of Kazakhstan's professional skills and industrial base to maximise opportunities for the companies and citizens of Kazakhstan to benefit directly from oil and gas projects, as part of a strategy to develop an indigenous capability in the sector, are now a national priority. 

These activities include creating an appropriate environment and attracting cooperation agreements with technology transfer and investment by companies in the global oil and gas supply chain into Kazakhstan; in addition to the focus on reacting to current challenges and forthcoming opportunities for the creation of new jobs in Western Kazakhstan," Lord Waverley stated.