CERBA RussiA And EuRAsiA Mining ConfEREnCE - Canada ...

Konstantin ZhigalovAmbassador of the Republic of KazakhstanOttawaOver the past 20 years cooperation between Kazakhstan and Canada hasbeen very positive. Kazakhstan is Canada’s number one trading partner amongthe CIS countries, including Russia, as well as Eastern and Central Europeanstates. In turn, Canada is among the Kazakhstan’s top ten largest trade andinvestment partners. Our mutual trade is over $3 billion. Since 1993, thevolume of direct investment from Canada to Kazakhstan reached $6 billion.There are 170 companies with Canadian capital and 40 representative officesof Canadian businesses registered in Kazakhstan. They are engaged in variouseconomic sectors, including mining, agriculture, engineering, construction,architecture design and education. Canadian companies also fruitfully cooperatewith Kazakhstan in such spheres as oil and gas, construction of industrialfacilities and pipelines, offshore equipment, consulting and professional training.Canada’s Minister of International Trade the Honourable Ed Fast andMinister of Agriculture the Honourable Gerry Ritz in their official statementlast July confirmed the importance of broadening trade and economic tieswith Kazakhstan.I would like to encourage our Canadian partners to take active part inimplementation of the Program of Industrial-Innovative Development ofKazakhstan. Participation of the Canadian companies in the 4th InternationalCongress “Astana Mining & Metallurgy” in June this year could be a goodopportunity for establishing new business relations with Kazakhstan.In his recent address to the people of Kazakhstan, President of KazakhstanNursultan Nazarbayev proposed a new strategy “Kazakhstan 2050” to defineour country’s long-term development in the 21st century. In the comingyears my country will further strengthen its statehood, adopt new principlesof economic policy, develop modern and efficient systems of education andhealthcare, shaping a new social model. Kazakhstan will be a beacon forinvestment in Eurasia. Our foreign policy will remain balanced, consistentand predictable. Kazakhstan fully understands its responsibility for regionalsecurity and remains committed to stability in Central Asia and beyond.I am confident that these goals and objectives will serve as a solid ground forbroadening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Canada in the coming years.In conclusion, let me wish once again success to the event and all the bestto participants of the CERBA Conference in Toronto.Nathan HuntChairmanCERBA National Board of DirectorsDear Participants,First of all, I would like to convey the warmest greetings to all the participantsof the CERBA Russia and Eurasia Mining Conference “Partnerships.Opportunities. Innovations”.The topic of the event is very close to Kazakhstan. Last December marked the21st anniversary of the independence of my country. Kazakhstan has come along way during this time. The country achieved impressive social and economicprogress and significantly contributed to the regional and global security.The numbers speak for themselves. Since the beginning of independence,Kazakhstan had attracted around $165 billion in foreign investment. GDPper capita had exceeded $12,500.At the end of 2012, we were among the 50 largest economies in the worldin terms of GDP.Kazakhstan was ranked 51 in the World Economic Forum’s competitivenessrating. On Doing Business rating we are 49 out of 185 countries. Ourcountry takes the 10th place on “Investment Protection”. By the end of 2012,Kazakhstan was ranked 25th in terms of “Business Transparency”, havingimproved its performance by 30 positions. We are the 17th in terms of“Payment of Taxes”.Kazakhstan is the world’s largest exporter of uranium and flour and alsoamong the top six grain exporters. Experts predict that in the coming yearsour country will be in the world’s top ten oil exporters.Kazakhstan was able to effectively deal with the challenges of the globaleconomic crisis. Today we are working at the regional and internationallevel to find the most effective, long-term solutions to these problems.Astana Economic Forum and its supporting G-GLOBAL CommunicationPlatform has become a significant part of global dialogue of politicians,scientists and experts in this field.In November, the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, was chosen to host EXPO-2017. EXPO-2017 will be a truly historic event for Kazakhstan. Its motto“Future Energy” will undoubtedly attract many participants.Kind regards,Konstantin ZhigalovNathan Hunt served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian BusinessAssociation in Russia from 1996 until its amalgamation into the CanadaEurasia Russia Business Association in 2004. He has served as Presidentof CBAR and subsequently CERBA Moscow from September 2001to the present. Since September 2009 he has additionally served asChairman of the National Board of CERBA, spearheading an expansionof the association into Vancouver and Almaty and overseeing work of thechapters in Moscow, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Calgary.Since 1996he has been employed as the Director of the Russian RepresentationOffice of the Canadian meat/dairy trading brokerage Ronald A. ChisholmLimited. Since moving to Russia in 1992, Hunt has served as President ofhis own consulting firm Skylight Inc. and founder of the U.S. Meat ExportFederation’s first off ice in Russ i a. Skyligh t’s clients have included theH.J. Heinz company, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, Cargill, LandO’Lakes, The Pillsbury Company, and the Golden Bison Company.Hunt has been active in trade issues relating to WTO accession andagricultural imports for both the USA and Canada since 1992. He serveson the Board of Directors of real estate developer «Zhilischny Capital» andStroikreditbank in Moscow.Hunt graduated summa cum laude / Phi Beta Kappa from Yale Universityin 1988 with a degree in Russian & East European Studies.He is married to Olya Hunt and has two children.Нейтан Xант с 1996 года входил в состав Совета директоров сначалаКанадской Деловой Ассоциации в России (CBAR), впоследствии, послеобъединения CBAR с Канадской Деловой Ассоциацией в России иЕвразии (CERBA) в 2004 году, в состав Совета директоров Московскогофилиала CERBA. Он занимает пост президента CBAR, впоследствииМосковского филиала CERBA, с сентября 2001 по настоящее время.С сентября 2009 года он, кроме того, занимает пост председателя Национальногосовета CERBA, осуществляя руководство над расширениемассоциации в Ванкувере и Алма-Ате и контролируя работу филиаловв Москве, Монреале, Оттаве, Торонто и Калгари. С 1996 года он занимаетдолжность директора Российского представительства Канадскойкомпании Ronald A.Chisholm Limited, специализирующейся на оптовойторговле мясо-молочной продукцией. Со времени переезда в Россиюв 1992 году Хант является президентом собственной консалтинговойфирмы Skylight Inc. и основателем первого в России офиса ФедерацииСоединенных Штатов по экспорту мяса (The U.S. Meat Export Federation).Клиентами Скайлайт являются H.J Heinz, Совет США по экспортудомашней птицы и яиц (USA Poultry & Egg Export Council), Cargill, LandO’Lakes, Pillsbury и Golden Bison.С 1992 года Хант принимает активноеучастие в разрешении вопросов по международной торговле, таких каквступление в ВТО и импорт сельскохозяйственной продукции из США иКанады. Он является членом совета директоров девелоперской компании«Жилищный Капитал» и банка «Стройкредит» в Москве.Хант с отличием окончил Йельский университет в 1988 году по специальности«Исследования России и Стран Восточной Европы».Он женат на Ольге Хант и имеет двоих детей.6www.cerbamining.com7