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A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ ISSUE NO. 361 / FRIDAY, JULY 04, 2014

President Briefed on Industrial Innovation Progress

Contest Announces Best Int’l Journalism About Kazakhstan

Country Marks Anniversary of First Kazakh Spaceflight

Also In The News

President Briefed on Industrial Innovation Progress

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The government presented the report, “New Industrialisation of Kazakhstan: Results of Half Year of 2014,” to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at a July 2 space bridge. Before the meeting, the head of state visited the exhibition of the same name.

Nazarbayev was also briefed on a number of new projects in the manufacturing industry where foreign investors will be involved in the implementation. They include major companies, such as IVECO (Italy), Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Japan), Emirates Future (Jordan), LG Electronics (Korea), Byelkamit (Italy-U.S.), Isoplus (Germany) and others.

In his welcoming speech, Nazarbayev noted that it was the first event on Kazakh industrialisation and innovation in the building housing the presidential library, which will be the new centre for the development of science, Kazakh history and other topics.

He also mentioned the opening of another building, a Kazakh historical museum, the same day.

The President emphasised that for entry into the 30 most-developed countries of the world, change is needed in the raw materials orientation of the economy. Manufacturing is also very important for the sustainability of the economy against a background of worsening global market conditions for all raw materials.

In his speech, the President also noted that the integration process has had a positive impact on the Kazakh economy in diversifying and increasing the share of processed products in the export structure. Compared with 2009, output of all kinds of vehicles in the past year has increased 24 times. The volume of export of agricultural products in 2010 amounted to $150 million and in 2013 had already reached $534 million.

Over the first five years, 672 facilities were put into operation. In the first six months of this year, new production operations were launched in all regions of the country. Major enterprises were launched by the president during the space bridge, in particular starting construction of a dry port in the Khorgos-East Gate Free Economic Zone and the North-East-South power lines in Semey, including installation of the first support of the Semey-Almaty section. In the same mode, new projects including production of drill bits (PDC-bits) in Atyrau, a chemical production plant in Karatau in the Zhambyl region, a fabrication plant of ball and stop valves in the Karaganda region, a cement plant in Shetpe in the Mangistau region, energy boiler equipment production in Petropavlovsk, a house-building plant in

President Nursultan Nazarbayev (right) and Chairman of the Senate Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Library of the First President

Kostanai, construction of a ball-rolling mill in the Pavlodar region and a fodder plant in Kokshetau were commissioned.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev reported that 672 projects were implemented and 69,000 permanent jobs were created in 4.5 years. In addition, on the industrialisation facilities map, products for 3.2 trillion tenge (US$17.4 billion) were produced, exports amounted to 133 billion tenge (US$724.4 million), the share of finished products in total export volume reached 8 percent and 325 new products were disbursed.

Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Yerbolat Dossayev noted that the State Programme of Accelerated Industrial-Innovative Development (SPAIID) has helped maintain the rate of economic growth and production and has provided a level of employment during the global financial crisis, serving as the main tool.

“Given the average annual economic growth of 6.4 percent, real GDP growth of 30 percent was achieved. In nominal terms, during this period there was a doubling of the GDP to 34.1 trillion tenge (US$185.7 billion) in 2013. By the end of 2013, labour productivity in the manufacturing sector was $57,500,” Dossayev said.

The head of state also considered the latest data on the development of human capital (health, education, human and scientific support of the SPAIID and employment), as well as measures to implement new technologies, increase the share of local content and expand export potential.

At the end of the conference, the head of state received an Honorary Metallurgist award.

“Given the average annual economic growth of 6.4 percent, real GDP growth of 30 percent was achieved. In nominal terms, during this period there was a doubling of the GDP to 34.1 trillion tenge (US$185.7 billion) in 2013. By the end of

2013, labour productivity in the manufacturing sector was $57,500.”

-Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Yerbolat Dossayev

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The International Scientific-Practical Conference, “Kazakhstan and Space,” celebrating the 20th anniversary of the spaceflight of Talgat Mussabayev, the first Kazakh cosmonaut, was held on July 1-2.

The spaceflight marked a new era in the history of independent Kazakhstan, as Mussabayev became the first Kazakh in space. The historic flight was the culmination of the country’s second programme of scientific space research and experimentation. During his historic flight, Mussabayev took the Kazakh flag; the holy Muslim book, the Koran; and a capsule with Kazakh soil into space.

“The first cosmonaut of independent Kazakhstan has entered into the history of the development of the sovereign country and has become one of the iconic symbols of its history,” said Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev in his opening remarks at the conference.

Mussabayev is a former test pilot and a cosmonaut who flew on three spaceflights. His first two spaceflights were long-duration stays aboard Russia’s Mir Space Station. His third spaceflight was a short mission to visit the International Space Station, the same mission that carried the first paying space tourist, Dennis Tito. Mussabayev retired as a cosmonaut in November 2003 and was appointed the head of KazCosmos, Kazakhstan’s National Space Agency, in 2007.

“The first cosmonaut of independent Kazakhstan has entered into the history of the development of the sovereign country and has

become one of the iconic symbols of its history,” - Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev

On June 18, 2006, the communications satellite KazSat 1 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, marking the beginning of Kazakhstan’s independent space programme. Communications with the satellite ended in 2008 and it was declared lost. The next planned satellite, KazSat 2, experienced a series of delays but was launched on July 16, 2011, on board a proton rocket. KazCosmos also signed a contract with ISS-Reshetnyov and Thales Alenia Space Italy on June 21, 2011, for KazSat 3, which was launched on April 28 this year from Baikonur Cosmodrome. KazSat-3 is designed for telecommunications services, television broadcasting and high-

The first Kazakh to fly into space, Talgat Mussabayev (centre), during a recent conference marking the 20th anniversary of the first spaceflight by a cosmonaut of independent Kazakhstan

speed Internet access in Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries.

heads and specialists of foreign national space agencies and leading space companies from Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, the U.K., Japan, the Netherlands and Romania; and scientists, experts and representatives of public organisations, including Russian experts in the field of space activities.

Honorary guests at the event were the famous Russian cosmonauts who accompanied Mussabayev on his spacewalk, including Yuri Malenchenko, Yuri Baturin, head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre Yuri Lonchakov, pilot-cosmonaut of the former Soviet Union Anatoly Artsebarsky, and other distinguished guests.

The participants of the conference discussed the achievements and prospects of Kazakh space activity development and issues of further integration into the global space community, as well as shared experiences and scientific achievements in the field of space development.

A specialised photo exhibition was organised within the framework of the conference, demonstrating the development of the Kazakh national space sector, beginning with Mussabayev’s first flight and continuing through the current activities of KazCosmos.

In addition, the foreign guests of the conference had the opportunity to visit the National Space Centre and also the ground control centre in Akkol.

Plenary meetings were held during the conference and reports were presented by the heads of KazCosmos and its subordinate organisations, such as the National Centre of Space Research and Technology, National Company Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary, the National Centre of Space Communication; representatives of foreign space companies and partners of KazCosmos, such as EADS Astrium (France), SSTL (Great Britain), IABG (Germany), DB Yuzhnoe (Ukraine); and Russian scientists from the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology and Scientific Research Institute of Space Device Engineering.

Contest Announces Best Int’l Journalism About Kazakhstan

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Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Union of Journalists, announced the results of the international competition “Kazakhstan In the Eyes of Foreign Media” on July 1.

The competition, which sought quality, objective foreign media coverage about the economy, trade, culture, art and diversity of modern Kazakhstan, was held April 1-June 15. In addition to promoting Kazakhstan, the competition promotes the authors of winning pieces.

The competition attracted journalists from North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It was sponsored by Air Astana and the Rixos Almaty Hotel.

Five winners were selected from each of the five regions by a panel consisting of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Union of Journalists Seitkazy Mataev, General Manager of the Rixos Almaty Hotel Ibrahim Chelik and Vice President of Public Relations of Air Astana Bella Tormysheva. The panel evaluated 42 works from 23 countries.

“It was extremely difficult for the jury to determine the best, because all the articles were

written at such a high level. Nevertheless, we were able to select five works, which seem to

us the liveliest and most interesting, so we look forward to seeing the authors in Kazakhstan. We hope that this trip will open new aspects of our country for them and will encourage

international interest in Kazakhstan from the media and from the representatives of business,

education, science and tourism as well,”- Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov

Each winner will receive a trip to Almaty, Astana and Borovoye as their prize. Their flights and accommodation will be paid for and a cultural programme and meetings with officials, academics, experts and journalists, scientists and culture of Kazakhstan will be arranged. Americas winner Neil Marks, a journalist from Guyana, wrote a touching article on www.kaieteurnewsonline.com about Kazakh-

Guyanese couples, as well as the similarities of certain traditions and even elements of the national cuisine of Kazakhstan and Guyana.

Sibylle Greindl, a journalist from Belgium, was the European winner. She wrote about the prospects of energy and renewable resource development and the upcoming EXPO 2017 in the Brussels Diplomatic (www.brusselsdiplomatic.com).

Norshazlina Nor’azman, the winner from Asia, won for a series of articles on tape for the news agency Bernama (www.bernama.com) about Astana and Almaty, including the halal industry, science and the particularities of some national traditions in Kazakhstan.

Middle East winner Hussain Ahmad took the prize for his work on the political and economic development of Kazakhstan, its role in Central Asia and the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union and its prospects for Qatar’s Peninsula Daily (www.thepeninsulaqatar.com). Winner from the CIS countries Ostrovskaya Svetlana from Ukraine was recognised for her colourful report on Kazakhstan, “The Fairy Tale of the Steppes,” in The Wellness Journal (www.wellness.org.ua). She focused on the cultural and spiritual heritage and modern trends in the development of the country.

“It was extremely difficult for the jury to determine the best, because all the articles were written at such a high level. Nevertheless, we were able to select five works, which seem to us the liveliest and most interesting, so we look forward to seeing the authors in Kazakhstan. We hope that this trip will open new aspects of our country for them and will encourage international interest in Kazakhstan from the media and from the representatives of business, education, science and tourism as well,” said Idrissov, announcing the winners.

“The competition demonstrated the high level of interest of foreign media in our country, a cause for rejoicing for all interested parties, including Air Astana,” said Tormysheva, who noted that the airline was actively developing a larger network of international connections. Mataev stressed that all the works showed excellent knowledge of the history of Kazakhstan and the culture, customs and traditions of the people living in the country.

The winners’ articles will be available online on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. The authors of two additional publications from each of the five regions have been singled out to receive certificates of gratitude from the jury.

The winners of a contest to choose the best stories about Kazakhstan by international journalists were announced on July 1

Also In The News...

• PresidentNazarbayevcongratulatesMuslimsofKazakhstanonstartofRamadanfastOn June 27, President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited a new mosque in Astana to mark the beginning of the sacred month of Ramadan. “This month, people will keep the Great Lent as bequeathed in the holy book, Koran. According to its canons, man approaches God during this month and people have to think about good, happiness, unity, tolerance, helping others, forgiveness and cleansing from all sins,” the President said.President Nazarbayev also noted that the new mosque had become the eighth mosque in Astana. The new mosque on Arnasai Street and Kabanbai Batyr Avenue can accommodate 1,500 visitors, with a total area of 1,087 square metres. The height of its minaret is nearly 30 metres. (akorda.kz

• PresidentmeetswithForeignMinisterErlanIdrissovOn June 30, Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov reported to President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the progress of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the first six months of 2014 and briefed him on the ongoing promotion of Kazakhstan’s candidacy for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2017-2018. President Nazarbayev congratulated Kazakhstan’s diplomats on the upcoming Diplomatic Service Day and emphasised their significant role in promoting the interests of Kazakhstan, protecting its citizens and developing relations with foreign countries. The President also reiterated the importance of continuing to effectively implement foreign policy in the second half of this year. Following the meeting, the President gave a number of instructions to the minister. (akorda.kz)

• NationalMuseumofKazakhstanopensinAstana

President Nursultan Nazarbayev opened Astana’s new National Museum of Kazakhstan on July 2, just before Astana Day. The museum is unparalleled in Central Asia. It houses artefacts from ancient cultures through the 15th-19th centuries as well as showcases the achievements of modern Kazakhstan. The museum accommodates several exhibition halls, including the Hall of Astana, the Independent Kazakhstan Hall, the History Hall, the Hall of Gold and Precious Metals and the Hall of Modern Art. The new National Museum uses modern exhibition technologies including multimedia guides, holograms, touchscreens and LED-technology, as well as employing unique curved screens, a media floor and a dynamic layout of central modern Astana. (akorda.kz)

• ForeignMinistry,DiplomaticCorpsDiscussKazakhE-GovernmentA round-table discussion of Kazakhstan’s e-government system and the country’s plans to hold a major international conference on e-government development in the fall was held

in Astana on June 27. Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrissov, Chairman of the Agency for Communications and Information Askar Zhumagaliyev and local diplomatic corps participated in the meeting. Kazakhstan’s electronic government web portal, www.egov.kz, is intended to provide a new format for dialogue between the government and citizens. The portal allows visitors to obtain and submit different documents and pay fines and taxes, as well as directly address state agencies and leave suggestions and comments on bills and public service projects around the country. (astanatimes.com)

• FootballtournamenthelpsorphanspursuetheirdreamsTowards a Dream, the second national orphans’ football championship, provided an opportunity from June 17-20 for eight teams from all regions of Kazakhstan to compete to win a trip to Milan. Football teams from Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, Pavlodar, Aktobe, Taraz, Kostanai and Semey met in Almaty’s central stadium. Eventually, the boys from Almaty came out on top.According to the organisers, this year’s championship attracted a record number of players. Preliminaries were held in 10 cities among 20 teams. About 300 boys in the 11-14 age group fought for the right to participate in the finals. (astanatimes.com)

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