Prime Minister: We must get people affected back to normal life as quickly as possible

Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev, Kazinform News Agency cites Akorda.

During the meeting, Tokayev was briefed about the work of the government to deal with the aftermath of floods and providing assistance to those affected.

According to the deputy Prime minister, up to 64 thousand people have already returned their homes. Those accommodated in evacuation centers are provided with necessary assistance. In total, 11,998 houses and 5,359 country houses were inundated during the floods.

As Bozumbayev said, 16,715 houses have been inspected in the flood-hit regions, on 15,464 of which assessments have been completed. As a result, 9,903 houses are subject to repair and 6,875 are beyond repair. It’s planned to purchase 4,525 houses and flats on the secondary market as well as to build 2,350 houses on a standard project

841 families have so far received new houses and flats to replace the homes that were destroyed in the regions hit by flooding.

As of now, financial compensations to repair and restore destroyed housing have been paid to 4,521 families to the total amount of 57.4 billion tenge. It was noted that around 237 billion tenge is needed to restore the destroyed houses.

As of June 6, 2024, 31,642 families received one-time payments worth 100 monthly calculation indexes to the tune of over 11 billion tenge.

An additional compensation worth up to 150 monthly calculation indexes is paid to the affected residents to purchase essentials lost to the floods. So far, 4 billion tenge has been paid to a total of 5,489 families.

Presently, the regional commissions have considered and approved 34 applications of SMEs to the tune of around 377 million tenge.

In conclusion, the Head of State instructed to step up the assessment and technical inspection of the houses affected as well as take under control the quality and deadlines construction deadlines.

 

Kazakhstan is to provide 10-12 billion US dollars to the construction of the first nuclear power plant if approved by a public referendum, reads the consultation document on regulatory policy of the Energy Ministry to the draft law on the use of alternative energy sources, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

According to the document, Kazakhstan faces a number of issues regarding the energy sector, including a low share of alterative and renewable energy sources in the total electricity and heat energy generation, the lack of favorable conditions for promoting alternative energy sources as well as the absence of legal regulation of development of activity with the use of alternative energy sources at the national level.

The document suggests the following ways to address the mentioned issues: Stimulating the business community to use alternative energy sources, defining nuclear energy as an alternative carbon-free source of energy at the legislative level; creating conditions for production of hydrogen in Kazakhstan.

It is expected that Kazakhstan is to allocate 10-12 billion US dollars to build its first nuclear power plant in case the issue is regulated legally and finds support during the nationwide referendum.

The document will be under public discussion until July 27.

 

The Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, visited the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and inspected the exhibition of works of Kazakhstani and world-renowned artists, Kazinform News Agency reports with reference to Akorda.

Art historian Olga Baturina familiarized the President with the "Painting of the Steppe: Symbols, Colors, Images," exposition uniting works of talented Kazakhstani masters of art.

President Tokayev was also presented the original painting the "Beautiful Princess" (La Bella Principessa) by the greatest Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci.

Da Vinci’s masterpiece will be showcased in the Kazakh capital thanks to the efforts of the Italian publishing house Scripta Maneant, marking the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This is the first time the painting created during the High Renaissance is being exhibited outside Europe.

The exhibition is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan together with the Embassy of the Italian Republic, and the Italian Institute of Culture.

It will be open to the public in Astana until August 4, 2023.

 

The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan has appointed Olzhas Anafin as Vice-Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazinform News Agency cites the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Mr. Anafin was born in 1986 and graduated from the North Kazakhstan State University and the National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

He commenced his professional career in 2007 as a specialist at the State Center for the payment of pensions.

In 2015-2016 he worked as the Head of Department at the State Center for Pension Payments.

Between 2016-2020 he was the Head of Department and Managing Director of the Center for Human Resources Development at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Kazakhstan.

From 2020 to the present, he has served as Vice President of the Center for Human Resources Development at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Kazakhstan.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, chaired by Ambassador-at-Large Alua Nadirkulova, held a regular meeting of the "Human Dimension Dialogue Platform" Consultative and Advisory Body (HDDP CAB), press service of the Kazakh MFA reports.

During the meeting the issues of implementation of the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, countering domestic violence, as well as measures taken to combat human trafficking in the Republic of Kazakhstan were discussed.

The event was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights under the President, members of the Mazhilis of Parliament, representatives of the National Center for Human Rights, relevant ministries, human rights NGOs in Kazakhstan, as well as guests of the site - representatives of the United Nations Development Program, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Representative Office of the European Union in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In her welcoming speech, Alua Nadirkulova provided information about Kazakhstan's priorities for promoting the initiative of gender equality and countering domestic violence at the sessions of the UN Human Rights Council this year. Kazakhstan was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2022-2024. In addition, she pointed out the consolidation of joint efforts of civil society, lawyers, members of Parliament, human rights institutions and government agencies in the development of the Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Child Safety (hereinafter - the Law). The regulatory act was prepared as part of the implementation of the Action Plan in the field of Human Rights and the Rule of Law dated December 8, 2023.

At the meeting, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Family Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Naila Mukhtarova noted that currently particular attention is paid to ensuring utmost support for the economic and political positions of women in society, increasing the number of women in the leadership position in government and the quasi-public sector to 30%, preventing violence against women and children, promoting gender education, support for motherhood and childhood. Currently, at the legislative level 30% quotas have already been introduced for women, youth and persons with disabilities in electoral party lists, as well as in the distribution of parliamentary mandates.

During the discussion, member of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Marat Bashimov provided information that the human rights law on combating human trafficking, covering all vulnerable categories and conforming to the principles of international law, was adopted in the Mazhilis and passed to the Senate of the Parliament. The members Parliament made more than a hundred amendments, taking into account the recommendations of civil society, international and Kazak human rights organizations, scientific and expert circles.

At the meeting, Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nazgul Sagindykova informed about the provision of a wide range of special social services to victims of human trafficking (social, medical, psychological, pedagogical, labor, cultural, economic, legal services) from the state budget. Thus, according to local executive bodies, 192 victims of human trafficking have been assisted since the beginning of the year, 74 of them are foreign citizens.

In turn, the Head of the Department for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Shynar Kocherbayeva, emphasized the role of the first special draft law "On Combating human trafficking" developed on behalf of the Head of State. It provides for bringing some definitions in line with international standards, establishing authorized bodies, their rights and obligations, as well as securing the rights of victims of human trafficking, including minors and foreigners.

As part of the third question, Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Renat Zulkhairov informed that on April 15 this year, a law was signed that considers the criminalization of administrative legislation in terms of causing minor harm to health and beatings. It was noted that within the framework of special requirements for the offender's behavior, the court is granted the right to temporarily evict the "aggressor" from the home. At the same time, he is invited to temporarily reflect on his actions in the Centers of Social Adaptation. In addition, the court will have the authority to appoint the passage of mandatory psychocorrection courses in healthcare organizations by the "aggressor".

In general, the discussion of the agenda was open and constructive. Representatives of government agencies and NGOs listened to problematic issues and gave practical recommendations for systemic improvement of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, combating domestic violence and human trafficking.

HDDP CAB was established in 2013 on the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The platform is an effective tool for facilitating dialogue between the Government and the civil sector. Various topical issues of human rights protection are discussed at the site with the participation of international organizations (UNDP, OHCHR, OSCE, etc.) as observers.

 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan got familiarized with the construction of a new corpus of the National Research Oncological Center, set to be unveiled this August, Kazinform News Agency reports.

The building with an area of over 58 thousand sq.m. will host an inpatient facility for 210 beds, including 24 anesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care ones, as well as 150 day care beds. The facility is set to handle six thousand admissions each year.

The Head of State was also informed that the new corpus will boast all unique world technologies of diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors. The facility is to provide conditions to conduct scientific studies, scientific and technical programs as well as educational practice.

With the corpus’s inauguration, the Oncological Center is set to run into a national focal point to create an integral model of cancer care provision, covering both the primary healthcare system and all the regional oncological medical facilities.

The inpatient facility will include centers for treatment of head and neck tumors, thoracic and abdominal oncology, oncourology, mammology, oncogynecology, orthopedic oncology and oncohematology.

During the meeting with the personnel, the Head of State noted that the construction of the corpus will allow to qualitatively address the priority tasks in the health field.

I congratulate everyone on this unique medical facility. There are a few such facilities in the world. Definitely, it will be a flagship of medical practice and science in our region, said Tokayev.

The Head of State drew attention to the need to meet strictly the deadlines and quality standards in the Center’s operation.

 

Kazakhstan is introducing ban on sale of energy drinks to persons under 21 in accordance with the draft law "On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on gambling, lottery and lottery activities" which was passed by the Parliament’s lower chamber Majilis in the second reading, Kazinform News Agency reports.

At the plenary session of the Majilis, Deputy Yelnur Beissenbayev raised an issue of selling energy drinks to minors, stating that "they [energy drinks] became more dangerous than alcohol." In his words, gambling-addicted persons are the main consumers of energy drinks.

According to the Financial Monitoring Agency, more than 200,000 minors gamble regularly today.

 

By the government’s decree, Yermek Kenzhekhanuly has been appointed Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Kazinform News Agency reports.

Born in 1988 in Turkistan region, Yermek Kenzhekhanuly is a graduate of the University of Reading Agriculture School and Ajou University in South Korea, member of the President’s Youth Pool.

He began his career in 2011 as a manager at the JSC KazAgro National Management Holding.

In 2013, he joined the JSC Arka Management Investment Holding as a chief of division.

From 2013 to 2014, he was chief of staff of Aktogay district’s akimat, Karaganda region.

From 2014-2015, he held the position of the chief of division at the Ministry of Agriculture.

From 2015 to 2022, he worked in Aktobe region, as chief of tourism and informatization departments, as governor of Martuk district, then as deputy governor of Aktobe region.

In 2022, he was appointed deputy governor of Turkistan region.