Caspian, Eurasia, Central Asia, Alatau, Khorgos - the government discussed the progress of creating a network of cross-border hubs
Images | Ministry of Trade and Integration
Kazakhstan aims to become a full-fledged transportation and logistics hub in Central Asia and the Caspian region. This task was set by the Head of State, for its implementation around the country, on the borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation and the Caspian Sea transport and logistics and trade hubs are being created. To monitor the progress of work on the creation of this network, Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin held a meeting of the operational headquarters with all interested government agencies, representatives of investors, akimats of the regions where these major projects are being implemented, press service of the Ministry of Trade and Integration reports.
The construction project of the "Sarzha" multifunctional marine terminal at the Caspian hub is progressing at full speed and on schedule. The terminal's capacity is 10 million tons per year, to be completed in 2030. The project will include a grain terminal with a capacity of 1.5 million tons, a general cargo terminal of 1 million tons, a universal terminal of 2 million tons, a liquid cargo terminal of 5.5 million tons and a transport and logistics center (TLC). The first stages of construction of the TLC, grain terminal and ground infrastructure have already been completed. Work has begun on the construction of a container hub in the ports of "Aktau" and "Kuryk".
A representative of "Semurg invest" LLP stated that the general cargo terminal is already fully ready for operation: the first 10 railcars were received the other day, all necessary railroad tracks were built, and the pier with berthing facilities was commissioned. All this will make it possible to increase the export potential of the Caspian route as early as 2023.
As Serik Zhumangarin noted at the meeting, the Caspian transportation hub project should be considered in conjunction with the Head of State's instruction to build a high-speed railroad from Chelyabinsk to Iran via Kazakhstan.
The construction of a high-speed highway is a large-scale cooperation project in the Eurasian space. For this purpose it is necessary to reconstruct "bottlenecks" of the railway network "Beineu - Mangistau" and on the section of the highway "Beineu - Shalkar". At the next meeting of KTZ in cooperation with the Akimat of Mangistau region, it is necessary to prepare specific proposals for the construction of the "Orsk-Bolashak" railroad and a detailed vision of the construction of the underlying infrastructure. We are on the verge of signing a free trade agreement with Iran on a wide range of goods, we have a task to bring the trade turnover with Iran to $3 billion. And this is despite the fact that the main goods will be food products. The Center for Trade Policy "Qaztrade", for its part, needs to work out mechanisms to support exporters of grain to Iran", - said Deputy Prime Minister.
The industrial trade and logistics complex (ITLC) "Alatau", located on the border with Kyrgyzstan, is planned to be realized in the form of an industrial zone. The regional industrial zone "Alatau" has already been created by the resolution of the akim of Zhambyl oblast dated September 12, 2023, a land plot of 36 hectares has been allocated, and the investor is developing a feasibility study. The issues of technical support and supply of communications for construction have been resolved. In the near future, a management company for the construction of the complex will be established jointly with the investor. The ITLC is scheduled to be launched in Q2 2026.
The "Eurasia" (ЦТТ) Cross-Border Trade Center (CTC) is designed to become an international economic platform in the EAEU. ЦТТ будет размещен на примыкающей к аэропорту г. Уральска территории. The CTC will be located on the territory adjacent to the Uralsk airport. There is an industrial zone (281 hectares), which acts as a hub for cargo flows, with access to Orenburg, Saratov, Samara and further on to the largest federal districts of the Russian Federation and Eastern European countries. In addition to the CTC there are also provided zones for agro-logistic center (storage, trade, processing, logistics of agricultural and food products, with facilities of roadside service and customs clearance) and aircargo terminal (cargo terminal and international multi-brand full-field center). As of today, the Akimat of West Kazakhstan Oblast is working on the construction of the infrastructure of the industrial zone for the CTC. The construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
At the Khorgos hub it is planned to create a food hub, a place of collection, storage and distribution of food products of Kazakhstani and foreign producers for subsequent export to the Chinese and Asian-Pacific food markets. This will significantly strengthen the food security of Kazakhstan and China. In light of the upcoming diversification of the country into a powerful transportation and logistics hub in the Eurasian space, the food sector has great prospects. Here it is necessary to build a modern food hub of class "A", focused on the storage of food products, including those that need a special temperature regime: seafood, fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products and deep freezing. Currently, a land plot of at least 50 hectares in the territory of the International Center for Border Cooperation "Khorgos" has been identified for its construction.
As a result of the meeting, Serik Zhumangarin instructed all bodies responsible for the implementation of the five cross-border hubs to prepare detailed development concepts and plans for the infrastructure.
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Malaysia is one of important and reliable partners of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia
Images | Akorda
A welcoming ceremony for the Malaysian delegation, led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was held at the Akorda residence, Presidential press service reports.
During the tete-a-tete meeting, the President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called Malaysia one of Kazakhstan's important and reliable partners in Southeast Asia.
Kazakhstan and Malaysia have long-standing ties of friendship and mutual cooperation. We have good traditions in this area, so I believe that your visit will provide a very strong impetus to the further development of ties between Kazakhstan and Malaysia. We are ready to make additional efforts to advance our interaction and cooperation in many important areas", - said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
According to the Kazakh President, over thirty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, a solid foundation of mutually beneficial cooperation has been formed, which is becoming more and more important given the current geopolitical and economic realities.
Anwar Ibrahim expressed his gratitude to the Head of State for the warm welcome and noted that he attached great importance to this visit, as evidenced by the representative composition of the Malaysian delegation, which arrived in Astana.
The meeting focused on ways to expand cooperation in the political, trade, economic, investment and humanitarian spheres. The sides also exchanged views on topical issues on the regional and international agenda.
The discussions then proceeded in an expanded format with the participation of the delegations of the parties.
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Olzhas Bektenov notes necessity to give serious impetus to agricultural machinery development
Images | primeminister.kz
Head of the Government Olzhas Bektenov visited a number of backbone industrial enterprises of the region within the framework of his working trip to Akmola region and familiarised himself with the prospects for increasing production of construction and thermal insulation materials, agricultural and cargo machinery, primeminister.kz reports.
Prime Minister toured the workshops of Kazrost engineering Ltd. The company specialises in the production of agricultural machinery, is equipped with programmable fibre laser machines, modern sheet bending and pipe bending machines, semi-automatic welding machines, numerically controlled turning and milling equipment and other equipment necessary for the production process. The plant produces up to 1 thousand combines and up to 1 thousand tractors annually. Due to the location of the enterprise in one of the leading grain-growing regions, its products are in great demand. The main customer is KazAgroFinance JSC.
Managing Director of Kazrost Engineering Ltd. Daryn Imanmusayev informed about further plans to expand production and increase the model range. In order to deepen localisation and increase Kazakhstani content, an additional workshop for the production of cabins, tilt chambers and bonnets will be built and also equipped with modern equipment. At the moment, design and pre-project documentation is being worked out.
Olzhas Bektenov noted the need to give a serious impetus to the development of agricultural machinery. In this direction, the Government intends to support domestic enterprises, as well as interested in localisation of production of world leading companies in the industry on the example of Kazrost engineering Ltd, Claas and others, which have already established enterprises for the production of agricultural machinery in Kazakhstan. In this regard, new tools to support such enterprises will be introduced in the near future, including by refusing to subsidise imported machinery and increasing subsidies for machinery produced in Kazakhstan.
Prime Minister visited Makinsky plant of thermal insulation, where he familiarised himself with the process of production of materials, inspected equipment and finished products. The enterprise produces thermal insulation materials for the construction industry with high export potential.
A technological line of the Italian company has been introduced at the production plant. The capacity of the plant is 34 thousand tonnes of finished products per year. The plant produces the whole range of basalt-based thermal insulation materials, including boards for sandwich panels. In January-March 2024, 5,832 tonnes of mineral wool boards worth 1.4 billion tenge were produced.
Zhasulan Mukhametzhan, General Director of the plant, informed about the joint project with Slovak partners on delivery of modern centrifuges to increase the capacity from the existing 34 thousand tonnes to 50-55 thousand tonnes of finished products per year. In addition, as part of modernisation, it is planned to reduce environmental emissions to minimum values.
Due to the introduction of new technologies, the plant intends in the future to obtain the status of "green" production, which implies the complete absence of negative impact on the environment.
In Kokshetau, Prime Minister familiarised himself with the potential of the local manufacturer of facing ceramic bricks ENKI. Over the year, production increased by 16.5% and exceeded 4.3 billion tenge. In January-February 2024, 629 million tenge worth of products were produced. Today the plant is 90% loaded. Its total design capacity is 90 million bricks per year.
For reference: In Akmola region there are 1290 industrial enterprises, including 27 large, 53 medium and 1210 small. In January-February 2024, the region's industrial output totalled 279.9 billion tenge, up 8% on the same period last year. In the manufacturing industry, production grew by 3.1% to 204.4 billion tenge. Machine building accounts for 16.6% of the total volume. The industry demonstrates dynamic growth: the volume of production since the beginning of the year increased by 3.6%, totalling 33.9 billion tenge.
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Olzhas Bektenov in Kokshetau heard the action plans on usage of 816 million tenge allocated for modernisation of boiler houses
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Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov visited Akmola region during a working trip to familiarise himself with the plans for preparation for the heating period and the state of engineering facilities, in particular the district boiler house № 2 Kokshetau, primeminister.kz reports.
Akim of Kokshetau Baurzhan Gaisa reported to the Prime Minister on the situation with the infrastructure of the energy complex. Wear and tear of city networks is currently 43%. Within the framework of preparation for the heating season it is planned to repair 6 km of communications, which will reduce the indicator by the end of the year to 41%. Heat supply of the city is provided by the state municipal enterprise "Kokshetau Zhylu". The organisation has 4 boiler houses on its balance sheet.
This year, according to the Resolution of the Government, 816 million tenge is allocated from the reserve for repair of two heat sources (district boilers №1 and №2). In the summer period at the facilities it is planned to repair the malfunctions of boiler units, packages of convective part, heating surfaces and hoppers of raw coal.
Olzhas Bektenov inspected the condition of boiler house №2. The facility was commissioned in 1998, currently provides heat to 56 thousand subscribers. The ultimate production capacity of the boiler house reaches 300 Gcal/hour. Carrying out repair works will reduce the accident rate and provide the population with uninterrupted heat supply during the heating period.
As I have already said, every effort should be made in the summer period to avoid critical situations in the cold season. The head of state instructed to accelerate the modernisation of the communal and energy sector. Ensuring high-quality and uninterrupted heat supply is one of our key tasks. Funds have been allocated. Unfair fulfilment of obligations is unacceptable. We must take into account the past experience, learn from the mistakes made and act proactively," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
At present, the project on construction of a CHPP in Kokshetau is still being worked out, which will allow to meet the city's growing demand for heat and electricity. It is planned that its thermal capacity will be 520 Gcal/hour, electric capacity will be 240 MW.
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Kassym-Jomart Tokayev tasks to raise KazPost logistics potential
Images | Akorda
The Head of State received KazPost JSC CEO Assel Zhanassova, Kazinform News Agency learnt from the Akorda press service.
Assel Zhanassova reported on the results of the KazPost activities for 2023 and its current financial standing.
She said for the first time in the past five years the company’s revenues hit 2.4 billion tenge, and it paid 1.5 billion tenge in dividends.
She noted the volume of deliveries grew by 35%, while the delivery speed almost doubled in 2023.
As stated there, KazPost JSC established a partnership with YTO Express Group which plans to open a high-tech category A warehouse in the city of Almaty up to 40,000 square meters. It is expected to become a key transit hub in the Eurasian space and raise the transit potential of Kazakhstan on the routes from China to the EU, EUEA and Central Asia.
The Head of State tasked to continue the KazPost JSC financial rehabilitation and raise its logistics potential.
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Prime Minister instructs to use Burabai National Park's smart system experience of early fire detection in other natural parks and reserves
Images | Ministry of Ecology of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Issues of readiness of relevant agencies and akimats to the fire-dangerous period were considered at the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. Ministers for Emergency Situations Chingis Arinov, Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev reported on the situation. Akims of Abay, Pavlodar and Kostanay regions, which in the past were major fires, reported on preventive measures carried out in the regions, primeminister.kz reports.
Last year, fire destroyed more than 116,000 hectares of forests. Material damage, excluding environmental damage, exceeded 160 billion tenge.
Akimats of the regions together with the Ministry for Emergency Situations approved plans to prevent wildfires, which include issues related to strengthening of logistical equipment, fuel and lubricants reserve, creation of mineralised strips, attraction of aircrafts.
In addition, 53 additional fire-tactical exercises were conducted with forestry institutions, and 1,300 forest protection workers were trained. A grouping of forces and means in each region has been prepared to combat large fires.
Prime Minister stressed that last year when fighting large forest fires there were not enough aircrafts of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, so helicopters of the Ministry of Defence, Interior and the National Security Committee were involved. At the moment, 19 aircrafts of Kazaviaspas aviation are in constant readiness mode, 9 of them are equipped with spillway devices. There are 120 drones for aerial reconnaissance.
The government is implementing a Comprehensive Plan for 2023-2027 to strengthen the material and technical equipment of forestry farms with a total funding of more than 68 billion tenge.
Last year, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources purchased 25 fire-fighting vehicles, 51 small forest fire-fighting complexes, 154 tractors, 73 patrol vehicles and 655 pieces of fire-fighting equipment worth 9 billion tenge for environmental protection organisations. Local executive bodies purchased 20 fire fighting vehicles, 127 tractors and 76 patrol vehicles for 6.6 billion tenge. Previously, no such amount of funding was allocated for the material and technical equipment of the forestry sector.
Today, the percentage of wear and tear of the existing equipment remains high and is 72 per cent for fire trucks, 50 per cent for tractors and 55 per cent for patrol vehicles. This year the material and technical equipment will be continued within the framework of the Comprehensive Plan. For these purposes, 3.8 billion tenge has been allocated from local budgets, and 15.4 billion tenge has been allocated for environmental organisations of the department from various sources.
According to Kazhydromet's forecast, this year's summer is expected to be hot and dry. Especially in the west, east and south of the country. In this regard, the Prime Minister emphasised the existing high risk of fires and instructed to ensure preparedness in advance. About 30 forest fires have already been registered this year. There was a fire on the territory of "Semey Ormani", where the largest fire occurred last year. Akimat of Abay region needs to strengthen control over fire safety of the forest fund. In Almaty region on the territory of Ile-Balkhash natural reserve there was a fire of reeds on a large area. Reed and dry grass fires also occurred in Aktobe, Atyrau, Karaganda, Zhambyl and Kyzylorda regions.
The state bodies concerned are implementing the Action Plan on prevention and elimination of natural fires. However, in some regions this work is carried out at an inadequate level.
Head of the Government noted that in Akmola, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, Zhambyl regions, Abai and Ulytau regions the creation of mineralised strips has only begun and barely reaches one third of the necessary. Settlements without such ploughed strips are in no way protected from steppe or forest fires. In the villages of Aktobe, Pavlodar, Karaganda, North Kazakhstan regions, the territories have not yet been cleared of dry vegetation and rubbish.
Fire and technical equipment of forestry and nature protection institutions is weak. We were convinced of this as early as last year. The insufficient number of drones does not allow us to conduct a full-fledged aerial survey of forests and steppes. There are manufacturers of such devices in Kazakhstan. The lack of modern equipment and means of extinguishing natural fires slows down the adoption of operational measures in the fight against fire. All these issues require a comprehensive solution and coordinated work of central and local government agencies," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised and instructed to introduce new technologies for prompt detection of forest fires.
Today the system of early detection of fires in forests is covered only 2% of the total area of the state forest fund. Thanks to the smart system introduced in the territory of the national park "Burabai" in recent years significantly reduced the area of fires and improved the efficiency of response. This experience will be used in other natural parks and reserves.
Prime Minister gave a number of instructions to the heads of departments and regions:
- Akimats to continue work on the organisation of fire posts and voluntary fire-fighting formations in settlements. In addition, to provide forestry institutions with elementary fire extinguishing equipment.
- The Ministry of Ecology, local executive bodies, taking into account the experience of previous fires, to set up additional observation posts in places with the highest risk of fires. Also, together with the Ministry for Emergency Situations and Akimats to prepare water sources and fire ponds for water intake by fire trucks and helicopters.
- The Ministries for Emergency Situations, Ecology and Akimats to strengthen cooperation with the relevant services of the border areas of neighbouring countries on rapid response to natural fires.
- The Ministries for Emergency Situations, Culture and Information, Akimats to intensify explanatory work among the population on the issue of compliance with fire safety requirements, to conduct relevant exercises.
- The Ministry for Emergency Situations together with the interested state bodies to take daily control over the implementation of the special Interagency Plan for the prevention and elimination of forest and steppe fires in the country.
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Prime Minister: We must get people affected back to normal life as quickly as possible
Images | primeminister.kz
The situation with floods in Kazakhstan was considered off the agenda at the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, primeminister.kz reports.
As reported by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, currently the flood situation in the country as a whole is stabilising. This week the flood peak is expected in Atyrau region. The water level in the Zhaiyk River has now exceeded dangerous levels at gauging stations in the villages of Inderbor and Makhambet. At the moment, the region is working on bunding of the area, laying of sackcloth, erection of earthen ramparts and pumping out of water.
In eight regions the local emergency regime is still in force. Two settlements in Aktobe region are still without transport communication. Their residents are provided with food and medicines.
In total, more than 119,000 people have been evacuated from flooded areas, including 44,000 children. As of today, 55.6 thousand people have returned to their homes. About 5 thousand citizens remain in evacuation centres.
As a result of the flood situation in the country, 12,908 residential houses were flooded, of which 264 houses in three regions are still under water. Also, 25,921 dacha plots with 18,025 houses were flooded.
To date, 20,600 families have received a lump-sum payment of 100 monthly payments. The total amount paid out totalled 7.5 billion tenge. 680 families received compensation for material losses totalling 362 million tenge.
568 families received 710 million tenge in compensation for the repair and restoration of housing. Work is continuing in the regions to assess and compensate for the damage. The situation is under constant control of the Government.
Olzhas Bektenov instructed the involved services to continue flood control works. Especially in the settlements of Inderbor and Makhambet, where the water level in the river Zhaiyk has already exceeded dangerous marks.
Evacuation centres there should be ready to receive people at any time of the day. Forces and means should be on standby. The Ministry of Water Resources and the Akimat of Atyrau region to ensure constant monitoring of the water level in the river Zhaiyk," Head of the Government instructed.
It is also necessary to clearly control the availability of food and medicines in two settlements of Aktobe region, left without transport communication. In de-energised villages it is necessary to accelerate repair work.
In addition, given the stabilisation of the flood situation in the regions, akimats should intensify assessment and design work. All measures to compensate for the damage, including the restoration of houses and infrastructure, should be implemented in due time. We must return the affected people to normal life as quickly as possible," Prime Minister summarised.
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