Kazakh President proposes to create SCO Investment Fund
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed the SCO Council of the Heads of Government to consider the possibility of establishing a joint investment fund at the meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council, Kazinform cites Akorda.
The SCO’s advantages are the geographic connectivity of its member states, transit and transport capacity, huge market, and complementarity of economies. Despite that, we have to admit that not a single economic project under the SCO aegis has been realized in more than 20 years. It is obvious that there are no mechanisms for financial support of project activities. To this end, I suggest the SCO Council of the Heads of Government to consider the possibility of establishing a joint investment fund and put forward its proposals on this important project. The Astana International Financial Center, which has incorporated the best practices of world’s financial institutions, has turned into an effective platform to stimulate direct and profile investment to regional projects of the SCO," said the Kazakh President.
Kazakh Head of State Tokayev said that the SCO’s economic agenda needs to be focused on tasks such as creation of favorable conditions to increase mutual trade turnover, remove the existing trade barriers, and launch joint ventures.
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Tokayev meets with Head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Presidential press service reports.
The meeting focused on the prospects for the development of cooperation in trade and economic, investment, agrarian, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.
The Kazakh President noted that Tatarstan traditionally takes a leading place among Russian regions in terms of the volume of economic cooperation with Kazakhstan.
There is every reason to stress that Kazakh-Tatar cooperation develop dynamically and take an important role in our multifaceted relations with Russia. Last year, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Tatarstan rose 22.5%, surpassing $597mln. Major projects in the field of mechanical engineering with participation of Tatneft, KAMAZ are carried out successfully. There are other projects," said Tokayev.
For his part, Minnikhanov also drew attention to the strengthening of trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Tatarstan.
Mr. President, thanks a lot for your time and the opportunity to meet with you, report on our joint projects. And of course, special thanks for today’s Innoprom. Its preparation as well as the holding is solid. We arrived with huge delegation of over 100 people, 38 companies. Our task is not only to present our large-sized businesses or trade and economic relations, but to make medium- and small-sized enterprises of ours work with your country," said the Tatar President.
During the talk, the Kazakh Head of State pointed out that the Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Forum serves as a good platform for interaction. The upcoming Forum to be held in November in Kostanay is to largely focus on agriculture. The Kazakh President believes that this issue will be of interest to entrepreneurs of Tatarstan taking into account their rich experience in processing agricultural products and huge potential for cooperation in this sphere.
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Kazakh President emphasizes importance of ratification of Protocol to CANWFZ by U.S.
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At the meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden in New York, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted the importance of ratification of the Protocol to the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty by the U.S., Kazinform reports.
At the meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted the importance of ratification of the Protocol to the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty by the U.S., Kazinform reports.
Earlier, the Protocol was ratified by the PRC, Russia, France and Great Britain. This step will let complete the process of institutionalization of the region’s non-nuclear status and will become a milestone in international efforts on strengthening the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation process.
Central Asia is the only region in northern hemisphere where the deployment of nuclear arsenals is prohibited. Similar zones were set up in Latic America, Africa, Southeast Asia and in South Pacific area.
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CSTO foreign ministers meet in NY
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Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu participated in a working meeting of the foreign ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in New York, Kazinform reports via the Kazakh MFA.
Murat Nurteu informed his colleagues about Kazakhstan’s stance on various aspects of the CSTO’s activity.
The working meeting of the CSTO foreign ministers was held a friendly atmosphere. The sides confirmed their commitment to further development of the further CSTO-UN mutually beneficial cooperation.
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Head of State met with Rob Walton, President of GE Healthcare for Europe, Middle East and Africa
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During the conversation, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was informed about GE Healthcare's plans to localize production of ultrasound machines with subsequent production of CT scanners, angiographs and mammographs, Presidential press service reports.
The President of Kazakhstan emphasized that this initiative fully meets the goal of increasing the share of domestic production of medicines and medical equipment to 50% by 2025.
Rob Walton told the President about GE Healthcare's intention to create a Centralized National Digital Archive of Clinical Images of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This will simplify the management of patient data and, as a result, reduce the cost of services.
The company also implements educational programs to improve the qualifications of healthcare personnel by opening GE Healthcare Academy on the basis of the Astana Medical University. The educational institution will be able to start full-fledged operations in October this year.
The head of state praised the strategic partnership with GE on important healthcare projects in Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, a Framework Agreement on the main terms of the GE Healthcare investment project between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and GE Healthcare was signed.
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GE Healthcare operates in more than 140 countries. In 2022, the company had revenues of $19 billion and a market capitalization of $34.5 billion.
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President of Kazakhstan held talks with UN Secretary-General António Guterres
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the margins of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, Presidential press service reports.
The parties discussed priority areas of Kazakhstan's comprehensive cooperation with the UN, as well as pressing challenges of our time.
Welcoming the leader of Kazakhstan, the UN Secretary-General noted the progressive development of the bilateral partnership.
- Kazakhstan and the UN continue their cooperation on strengthening peace and security, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring human rights. For us, Kazakhstan is a privileged partner that is a pillar of multilateralism, a promoter and defender of peace at the global level, - emphasized António Guterres.
In turn, the Kazakh President expressed a high regard for António Guterres' actions as United Nations Secretary-General, and reaffirmed the readiness to further supporting his efforts to maintain peace, stability and security.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underlined the UN's exceptional role in addressing the most pressing issues of our time and stressed its non-alternative nature. He also shared with António Guterres his vision of further improving the Organization’s activities.
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President Tokayev outlines his vision of IFAS development
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Taking the floor at the meeting of the Council of the Heads of State - Founders of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shared his vision of the fund’s further development, Kazinform cites Akorda.
According to him, the first issue is the quickest completion of the modernization of the IFAS’ organizational structure and regulatory-legal framework. The Head of State proposed to broaden the mandate and liabilities of the management board and executive committee of the fund, as well as to transform the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination into the Interstate Water and Energy Commission. In his words, these measures will enable to raise IFAS' effectiveness.
The second issue, as the Kazakh leader stated, is creation of a long-term and sustainable development mechanism of cooperation for effective use of water and energy resources of Central Asia with the consideration of the interests of all countries of the region in irrigation, hydro-energy and ecology. "The International Water and Energy Consortium could become such a mechanism in that respect," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Thirdly, the Kazakh President proposed to craft an action plan on implementation of a single automated system of recording, monitoring, management and distribution of water resources in the Aral Sea basin.
In his words, the implementation of this initiative will ensure transparency of water use process in the region and will promote the dialogue and friendship between the Central Asian states.
Another important initiative is to set up a project office of the Central Asian states for climate-related issues. This step will let us proceed to the development of effective measures on mitigation of climate change consequences. We positively view involvement of Bishkek in the activity of the Working Group on IFAS' improvement. We hope for resumption of the Kyrgyz Republic's full-fledged membership in the IFAS. We will be pleased to hand over the IFAS chairmanship to fraternal Kyrgyzstan," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
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3 documents signed following Summit of CA Heads of State
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The 5th Consultative Summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, resulted in the conclusion of three documents, Kazinform cites Akorda.
The documents signed include the joint statement following the 5th Consultative Summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia, the Treaty between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan on the main areas of youth policy, the Treaty on the enhancement of land transport interconnectedness.
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