World Bank appoints New Country Manager for Kazakhstan
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The World Bank announces the appointment of Andrei Mikhnev as its new Country Manager for Kazakhstan, effective February 1, 2023.
Mr. Mikhnev will lead the World Bank’s policy dialogue with government counterparts, the civil society, the private sector and other partners, as well as manage the World Bank country team based in Astana, Kazinform refers to the official website of the World Bank.
Andei Mikhnev will oversee the implementation of the World Bank Group-Kazakhstan Country Partnership Framework for 2020-2025 aimed at supporting Kazakhstan’s transformation towards greater inclusion, resilience and competitiveness. The Partnership framework focuses on promoting inclusive growth, strengthening human capital, and securing sustainable, resilient, and low carbon development. The cross-cutting theme underlying these focus areas is a more effective governance and strengthened market and social institutions.
Mr. Mikhnev has over 20 years of experience in economic policy implementation and project management. He brings deep knowledge of World Bank operations and a track record in designing and leading a broad range of projects. Most recently, Andrei Mikhnev led the World Bank Country Office in Mongolia. Before that, he led programs in the Middle East and the Gulf countries focusing on competitiveness and private-sector led growth. He also has extensive expertise through his work on economic reforms in many countries in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Central Asia.
Mr. Mikhnev, a Ukrainian national, holds a Ph.D. in international economics from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine.
Kazakhstan joined the World Bank Group in July 1992. Over 30 years, the World Bank has become a major development partner for Kazakhstan by supporting a diverse range of policy areas - from finances and social services to critical infrastructure for a total of about US$9 billion.
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KazTransOil starts shipping 25,000 tons of Russian oil to Uzbekistan
Images | kaztransoil.kz
JSC "KazTransOil" has started shipping 25 thousand tons of Russian oil for transit through the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Uzbekistan en route "Omsk - Pavlodar - Shymkent - oil loading rack Shagyr" (loading into railway tanks), Kazinform learned from the company's press office.
Oil transportation is carried out in accordance with the oil supply schedule approved by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2023, the expected volume of Russian oil transit to the Republic of Uzbekistan through the system of main oil pipelines of KazTransOil JSC will be 250 thousand tons.
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KazTransOil plans to transit 25,000 tons of Russian oil to Uzbekistan in March
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In accordance with the oil supply schedule approved by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in March KazTransOil JSC plans to transport 25,000 tons of Russian oil through the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Uzbekistan along the route Omsk - Pavlodar - Shymkent - oil loading rack Shagyr (loading at railway tanks).
In 2023, the expected volume of Russian oil transit to the Republic of Uzbekistan through the system of main oil pipelines of KazTransOil JSC will make 250, 000 tons, Kazinform quotes the company’s press service.
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Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan set up UzQazTrade company
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QazTrade trade policy development centre and UzTrade JSC founded the UzQazTrade foreign trade company to boost mutual turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Kazinform quotes the Kazakh Trade Ministry.
According to QazTrade director general Nuraly Bukeikhanov, the development of a joint company will let Kazakhstani companies increase amount of deliveries of goods to both markets, contribute to generation of proposals on lifting restrictions and barriers in mutual trade.
First it is planned to purchase fruit and vegetable products from Uzbekistan to meet the domestic needs. The company is expected to help sell Kazakhstani flour goods in the territory of Uzbekistan with an opportunity for further exports to Afghanistan. Notably, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan agreed on granting preferences on supply chain costs.
Besides, the project will contribute to raising efficiency of state measures to reduce Kazakhstan’s dependence on imports from the third countries.
In 2022 the sales between the two nations reached $5 billion dollars that is 29.8% more as compared to 2021 with $3.8 billion dollars. Kazakhstan’s exports grew by 33% to stand at $3.7 billion dollars mainly thanks to ore, wheat, sunflower oil, meat exports. Kazakhstan’s import rose in 2022 by 21.4% to hit $1.3 billion dollars. Kazakhstan mainly buys spark-ignited engines, grapes, bricks, etc.
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Government discusses Trans-Caspian International Transport Route development
Images | primeminister.kz
Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov has held a meeting of the Government to discuss the measures of development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Kazinform learned.
The meeting participants emphasized that the terms of transit cargo transportation via the territory of Kazakhstan were reduced twofold: from 12 to 6 days. Meanwhile, this indicator is expected to reach 5 days in 2023.
In general, the terms of cargo transportation from China to the Black Sea ports via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route have already reduced from 38-53 to 19-23 days, and will reach 14-18 days at the end of 2023. This progress became possible due to the joint work of the member-countries on the elimination of ‘sticking points’ on the route, the introduction of through rates, and the implementation of other measures.
The meeting also discussed the measures of further modernization of Kazakhstan’s railroad infrastructure, renewing rolling stock, and expanding the merchant marine and capacities of the Aktau and Kuryk seaports.
The participants announced the plans of creating a container hub in Aktau, renewing the transshipping vehicles fleet, renovating oil-loading terminals, as well as building a new mooring and multi-functional and grain terminals in the Kuryk Port.
It is expected that 10 petro-barges, eight ferries, six tankers and container ships will operate on the Caspian Sea until 2030.
Another topic raised at the meeting was the preparation of an agreement between Kazakhstan and China on the TITR development aimed at simplification of customs procedures and approval of guaranteed volumes of transportations via the route.
The Prime Minister tasked to accelerate the procedure of harmonization of the document by the relevant governmental authorities of Kazakhstan for its further discussion at the inter-state level.
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Kazakhstan, France mull creation of genetics center
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Kazakh Agriculture Minister Yerbol Karashukeev attended the Salon de l'Agriculture (SIA-2023) exhibition in Paris as part of his visit to France, Kazinform cites the Ministry’s press service.
On the sidelines of the SIA-2023 exhibition, the Kazakh agriculture minister held a number of meetings with French colleagues and heads of major European companies.
In a meeting with French Agriculture and Food Minister Marc Fesneau, the sides discussed enhancing bilateral partnership in agriculture, with the Kazakh minister stressing his side’s interest in promoting projects in animal husbandry.
In particular, a project on creation of a genetics center together with France’s Evolution is under development. The facility is to give impetus to animal genetics in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh minister, Karashukeev, also spoke about the joint project KazBioFarm with Boehringer Ingelheim on veterinary vaccines production.
While meeting with Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Dr Monique Eloit, the Kazakh minister put forward a number of pressing issues in the veterinary well-being in Kazakhstan. The project for production of foot-and-mouth vaccine. In the country as well as the safety of animal product trade in areas bordering Kazakhstan was discussed.
Karashukeev also held meetings with heads of several major countries in Europe, including representatives of Medef, France’s Food Service Enterprises Federation FICT, as well as Lactalis company. The Kazakh minister invited French partners to carry out projects on deep processing of grain, production of child nutrition, and other products in Kazakhstan.
France is a major investor in the Kazakh economy and a key partner of Kazakhstan. The trade turnover of agricultural products between Kazakhstan and France accounted for 64.1 million US dollars in 2022, a 17.4% increase compared with 2021.
The Salon de l'Agriculture (SIA-2023) exhibition brings together around 700 thousand people all round the world each year.
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New investment project to be implemented in Kazakhstan’s metallurgy sector
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Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev has met with Deputy Director General of China Nonferrous Metals Mining (Group) Co., Ltd Liu Yu. The sides discussed the issues of cooperation in the construction of a copper-smelting plant in Kazakhstan, Kazinform has learned from the ministry's press office.
Marat Karabayev noted the Chinese company’s successful experience in the implementation of such large projects as Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant, Aktogay, and Bozshakol open pit copper mines.
I would like to thank you for choosing Kazakhstan for investing and expanding production capacities. Undoubtedly, we are interested in attraction of investments for the construction of modern and technological processing industry facilities. We are ready to provide all-required governmental support in the project’s implementation," the Kazakh minister said.
From the Kazakh side the project is implemented by Kazakhmys Corporation and KAZ Minerals. The project capacity of the plant is estimated at 300,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum.
In turn, Liu Yu praised the level of the Kazakh-Chinese cooperation and expressed confidence that the project would give a new impulse to their further strengthening.
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Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia to build wind power plant in Zhetysu region
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Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, JSC Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund, and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power entered into an agreement on the implementation of a large renewable energy project, Kazinform has learned from the Ministry’s press office.
On March 1, Minister Bolat Akchulakov together with CEO of Samruk-Kazyna Almasadam Satkaliyev paid a working visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to meet with Minister of Energy of this country Abdulaziz ben Salman and the leadership of Saudi Aramco, SABIC and ACWA Power.
The meeting ended with signing an agreement on implementation of a renewable energy project between the Kazakh Ministry, Samruk-Kazyna and ACWA Power.
The document is aimed at development, financing, construction and operation of a wind power plant with the total capacity of 1GWt in Zhetysu region (Dzungarian Gates). Construction works will begin in 2025.
The agreement is called to achieve target indicators approved under the Concept of transition of Kazakhstan to green economy, as well as to create new jobs, attract additional investment and increase the generation of electric power in the country.
The sides also discussed the implementation and development of oil and gas and petrochemical projects, including further development of the RES.
The sides also agreed to consider an opportunity of signing an intergovernmental agreement to determine joint promising areas for boosting the two countries’ cooperation.
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