east west forum - Kazakhstan Embassy

2009 

21. JAHRGANG 

NR. 4 

EAST 

WEST 

FORUM 

ISSN 1024–7130 

FACHZEITSCHRIFT FÜR DEN OST-WEST-HANDEL • THE EAST-WEST-TRADE JOURNAL 

KAZAKHSTAN 

SPECIAL 

THE HEART 

OF EURASIA 

DEUTSCH 

ENGLISH 

KAZAKHSTAN – ENERGY OF SOLID RESOURCES 

KAZAKHSTAN – IMPORTANT TO WORLD ENERGY MARKETS 

BMW GROUP – ERNEUTE ABSATZSTEIGERUNG

BELARUS 

KASACHSTAN 

Begrüßungsworte von Botschafter S. E. Yerzhan Kazykhanov 

Seit Jänner 2009 Außerordendlicher und Bevollmächtigter Botschafter der Republik Kasachstan in der 

Republik Österreich 

Liebe Leserinnen und Leser! 

Ich freue mich im Namen der Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan in der 

Republik Österreich Sie, liebe Leser der Zeitschrift „East West Forum“, 

herzlich begrüßen zu dürfen. Auf den Seiten der neuen speziellen Ausgabe 

des East West Forums mit dem Schwerpunktthema „Kasachstan“ 

möchten wir Sie mit dem jungen, modernen, unabhängigen und erfolgreich 

sich entwickelnden eurasischen Staat – der Republik Kasachstan 

bekannt machen. 

Seit der Unabhängigkeit ist es meinem Land gelungen bedeutende Fortschritte 

zu erzielen und damit ein stabiles Wirtschaftswachstum zu 

sichern, dessen Grundlage sich aus den von der EU und den USA anerkannten 

Normen des freien Unternehmertums, aus aktivem Außenhandel, 

transparentem Finanzsystem, gutem Investitionsklima zusammensetzt. 

Die Prinzipien der gegenseitigen Partnerschaft und das Klima der 

günstigen kommerziellen Bedingungen fördern die Erhöhung des 

Außenhandelsumsatzes. Kasachstan hat alle Voraussetzungen für die 

Entwicklung des modernen Business. Die neuen Technologien finden 

breite Anwendung in der Reglementierung der Devisengeschäfte, bei der 

Arbeit der kasachischen Börse „KASE“, elektronischer Regierung, bei 

der elektronischen Zollabwicklung und Steueranmeldung, sowie bei der 

Zuziehung von ausländischen Arbeitskräften. Die effiziente Steuerpoli- 

EWF 1 

tik beruht auf einfachen und transparenten Mechanismen, die Mehrwertsteuer wurde stufenweise von 20 bis auf 12% reduziert, 

die Einkommenssteuer bis auf 20% und wird 15% im Jahre 2011 betragen. 

Dank diesen Wirtschaftsreformen und der Liberalisierung der Handels-Investitionspolitik wurde in die Wirtschaft Kasachstans 

über 100 Milliarden US Dollar investiert, die mehr als 80% der Gesamtinvestitionen in die Wirtschaft der zentralasiatischen 

Länder ausmachen. Unter Berücksichtigung der Weltfinanz- und Wirtschaftskrise hat der Präsident der Republik 

Kasachstan Nursultan Nasarbajew praktische Vorschläge bezüglich der Umgestaltung der Weltwirtschaftsstruktur und 

der Währungspolitik eingebracht. 

Die modernen Technologien und das Know-how werden weitreichend in der Entwicklung des Bergbauzweiges, des Mettalhüttenwesens 

und der Schwarzmetallurgie, des Maschinenbaus, der Bauindustrie, des Klein- und Mittelunternehmertums 

und in vielen anderen Bereichen eingesetzt. In Bezug auf den Beitritt Kasachstans zu der Zollunion mit Russland 

und Belarus (ab dem 1. Jänner 2010) sowie zu der Welthandelsorganisation wurde die Gesetzgebung der Republik Kasachstan 

an die Normen der Welthandelsorganisation angepasst. 

Abgesehen von der Entfernung ist es beiden Ländern Kasachstan und Österreich gelungen seit dem Tag der Aufnahme 

der diplomatischen Beziehungen vollwertige Wirtschaftsverhältnisse aufzubauen. Die ersten Jahre des Werdens unseres 

Finanzsystems sind eng mit Österreich verbunden. 

Gegenwärtige kasachisch-österreichische 

Beziehungen sind durch 

eine bemerkenswerte Erweiterung 

der handels-wirtschaftlichen Verbindungen 

gekennzeichnet. Dank dem 

Potential und der Mobilität in bilateralen 

Beziehungen hat der Jahreshandelsumsatz 

1,3 Milliarden Euro 

in 2008 erreicht, mehr als 50 österreichische 

Firmen sind auf dem 

kasachischen Markt im Bereich der 

Staatsfahne und Staatswappen der Republik Kasachstan 

S.E.Yerzhan Kazykhanov 

Botschafter der Republik Kasachstan 

in der Republik Österreich 

Erdölförderung, der Industrieproduktion, 

der Landwirtschaft, des 

Gesundheitswesens, des Tourismus 

☞ 3

KASACHSTAN 

EWF 3 

und im Bausektor tätig. Die Eröffnung der regulären Luftlinie zwischen Astana und Wien im September 2007 hat sich 

als starker Impuls im Ausbau der geschäftlichen und humanitären Kontakte erwiesen. Das ist wahrlich eine „lebendige 

Brücke“ zwischen unseren Ländern. 

Der Erdölexport aus Kasachstan nach Österreich (25% von dem Gesamtvolumen des inneren Verbrauchs) und österreichische 

Investitionen in die Republik Kasachstan in Höhe von 2,6 Milliarden US Dollar treten als Kernstück für die weitere 

Vertiefung der gegenseitig vorteilhaften Wirtschaftsverhältnissen auf. Österreich hält Kasachstan auf dem Gebiet der 

Energiesicherheit für einen natürlichen und zuverlässigen Partner. 

Die österreichischen Geschäftskreise zeigen großes Interesse an dem Staatsprogramm „Der Weg nach Europa“, insbesondere 

an der Energiewirtschaft, an den erneubaren Energiequellen und Transport, an der Umsetzung der Hochtechnologieprojekte 

auf dem Territorium unseres Landes. Als Grundlage für die handelswirtschaftlichen Kontakte zählt man die 

Veranstaltung des kasachisch-österreichischen Wirtschaftsforums im Oktober 2008, der Wirtschaftstage Kasachstans in 

Österreich in Wien im Mai 2009 und der ersten Sitzung der Kasachisch-Österreichischen Regierungskommission für wirtschaftliche 

Zusammenarbeit. 

Das Wirtschaftsforum im Mai dieses Jahres unter Teilnahme von 180 Vertretern der Geschäftskreise aus Kasachstan und 

Österreich hat das große Potential für die wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und das Interesse der Seiten an der Vertiefung 

und Erweiterung des Zusammenwirkens im handelswirtschaftlichen Gebiet bestätigt. Ein wichtiger Schritt in dieser 

Richtung wurde der Besuch der Delegation aus den Vertretern österreichischer Unternehmen auf Initiative der Bundeswirtschaftskammer 

Österreichs (28.November- 2.Dezember 2009). Im Zeitraum von 2007 bis 2009 haben nach 

Kasachstan die Geschäftsreisen über 300 Geschäftsleute aus Österreich angetreten, die die gegenseitig vorteilhaften Verträge 

abgeschlossen haben. 

Unter den erfolgreich umsetzbaren Projekten soll auf das Investitionspaket der Tochterfirma des österreichischen Erdölgaskonzerns 

„OMV“ für die Erdölförderung auf der Lagerstätte „Komsomolskoje“ im Mangystauer Gebiet (400 Millionen 

Euro) hingewiesen werden. Im Zuge des spezialisierten Börsenhandels hat die Bank Austria Kreditanstalt AG (gehört 

zu der italienischen Gruppe „Uni Credit“) 100% Aktien der AG „ATF Bank“ erworben. Andere österreichische Bankinstitute 

beabsichtigen zukünftig ihre Filialen in Kasachstan zu eröffnen. Die Nationale Medizinholding und die österreichische 

Firma „Vamed“ haben im Rahmen der Ausführung des Staatsauftrages des Gesundheitsministeriums der Republik 

Kasachstan im März 2009 einen Vertrag über das Gesundheitsmanagement auf Basis des Nationalen wissenschaftlichen 

Mutter-Kind-Zentrums unterzeichnet. 

Erweitert wird auch die vertraglich-rechtliche Basis der bilateralen Beziehungen. Die kasachische Börse „KASE“ und 

die Wiener Börse AG haben das Memorandum über die Zusammenarbeit unterschrieben. Wir erwarten in nächster Zeit 

die Unterzeichnung des Regierungsabkommens über die Förderung und den gegenseitigen Schutz von Investitionen und 

das Abkommen über den internationalen Güterkraftverkehr. 

All das gibt uns eine feste Grundlage um mit Sicherheit in die Zukunft der Entwicklung der Beziehungen zwischen 

Kasachstan und Österreich zu blicken. 

Allen Lesern des East-West-Forums wünsche ich das neue und nahe Kasachstan zu entdecken und erfolgreiche 

Geschäfte auf dem kasachischen Markt. 

Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr! 

Yerzhan Kazykhanov 

Botschafter der Republik 

Kasachstan in Österreich

4 EWF 

Präsident Nasarbajew war 

zuerst Vorsitzender des Ministerrats 

der Kasachischen 

Sowjetrepublik und war vom 

22. Juni 1989 bis zum 28. 

August 1991 Generalsekretär 

der Kommunistischen Partei 

der Kasachischen Sozialistischen 

Sowjetrepublik. 

Er wurde am 24. April 1990 

durch das kasachische Parlament 

(den Obersten Sowjet) 

zum Präsidenten der Sowjetrepublik 

gewählt. Nach dem Zer- 

KASACHSTAN 

Ein Land im Focus 

Präsident Nursultan Nasabajew 

Amtssprache: Kasachisch als amtliche Nationalsprache, 

Russisch als Verkehrssprache 

zwischen den Ethnien 

Hauptstadt: Astana 

Staatsform: Präsidialrepublik 

Staatsoberhaupt: Präsident Nursultan Nasarbajew 

Regierungschef: Premierminister Kärim Mässimow 

Fläche: 2.724.900 kmÇ 

Einwohnerzahl: 16.402.861 

Währung: 1 Tenge (KZT, ? ) = 100 Tiyn 

Unabhängigkeit von der Sowjetunion am 16. Dezember 1991 

Nationalhymne: Menin Kasachstanym 

Zeitzone: UTC +4 bis +6 

Kfz-Kennzeichen: KZ 

Internet-TLD: kz 

Telefonvorwahl : +7 

fall der Sowjetunion ließ sich 

Nasarbajew im nunmehr unabhängigen 

Kasachstan am 1. 

Dezember 1991 für fünf Jahre 

in seinem Amt bestätigen. Die 

nächste Wiederwahl folgte am 

29. April 1995, 95 Prozent der 

Wähler sprachen sich damals 

für eine Verlängerung der 

Amtszeit Nasarbajews bis ins 

Jahr 2000 aus. 2007 wurde die 

Verfassung ein weiteres Mal 

geändert und die Begrenzung 

der Amtszeit des Präsidenten 

für ihn aufgehoben. 

Die Politik Nasarbajews versucht 

den Ausgleich zwischen 

Zusammenarbeit mit dem 

Westen bei gleichzeitiger Pflege 

guter Beziehungen mit Russland. 

So wurden große Ölfelder 

für amerikanische Firmen 

geöffnet. 

Astana 

Astana ist seit 1997 die Hauptstadt 

Kasachstans. Bis 1997 

war die Stadt im Herzen 

Kasachstans nicht sehr bedeutend, 

bis sie vom kasachischen 

Präsidenten Nursultan Nasarba- 

Wappen 

Flagge 

jew zur Hauptstadt erklärt 

wurde. 

Kasachstan (kasachisch 

Qasaqstan, in der neuen kasachischen 

Lateinschrift 

Qazaqstan) ist ein Staat in Zentralasien 

und – betrachtet man 

den Fluss Ural als Grenze zwischen 

Europa und Asien – zu 

einem kleineren Teil (ca. 5,4 % 

der Landesfläche) im äußersten 

Osteuropa. 

Die Republik Kasachstan existiert 

seit dem 16. Dezember

1991, vorher war sie als Kasachische 

SSR Teil der Sowjetunion. 

Nach deren Zerfall wurde 

Kasachisch 1991 Amtssprache 

und die bisherige Hauptstadt 

Alma-Ata in Almaty 

umbenannt. 1997 wurde jedoch 

der Regierungs- und Parlamentssitz 

nach Aqmola verlegt, 

das dann als offizielle Hauptstadt 

proklamiert und 1998 in 

Astana („Hauptstadt“) umbenannt 

wurde. 

Öffentlicher Personennahverkehr 

Dem öffentlichen Personennahverkehr 

dienen Omnibuslinien 

und Trolleybusse sowie eine 

Unzahl Marschrutki. Für die 

fernere Zukunft wird eine Straßenbahn 

und/oder eine U-Bahn 

(Metro Astana) geplant – möglicherweise 

auch eine Kombination 

aus beidem. 

Bildung 

Astana ist Sitz der staatlichen 

kasachischen Gumeljow-Universität 

und der Agrartechnischen 

Universität S. Seifullin. 

Daneben befinden sich hier verschiedene 

weitere Hochschulen. 

Geografie 

Kasachstan ist mit 2.724.900 

kmÇ das neuntgrößte Land der 

Erde und außerdem der größte 

aller Binnenstaaten. Es liegt 

ziemlich genau in der Mitte 

Eurasiens und zieht sich von 

der Ebene der Wolga im Westen 

bis zum Altai-Gebirge im 

Osten. Die südliche Begrenzung 

bilden der Tian-Schan- 

Gebirgszug, die Flussebene des 

Syr Darja, der Aralsee und die 

Kysylkum-Wüste. Nach Nor- 

KASACHSTAN 

den reicht Kasachstan ohne 

natürliche Begrenzung in das 

Ural-Gebiet und das Westsibirische 

Tiefland hinein. Der größte 

Teil des Landes besteht aus 

Präsident Fischer mit Präsident Nursultan Nasarbajew 

Pik Talgar 

Ebenen (Steppe und Wüste), im 

Nordwesten befindet sich das 

Mugodschar-Gebirge, im Zentrum 

die Kasachische Schwelle, 

während sich im Südosten Berge 

des Tian-Schan bis zu 7.010 

m erheben. 

Anrainer 

Kasachstan besitzt im Norden 

eine lange gemeinsame Grenze 

mit Russland (6.846 Kilome- 

EWF 5 

ter). Danach trifft das kasachische 

Hoheitsgebiet im Osten 

auf die Volksrepublik China 

(1.533 Kilometer), weiter südlich 

gefolgt von Kirgisistan 

(1.051 Kilometer), Usbekistan 

(2.203 Kilometer einschließlich 

des geradlinig ca. 230 km 

über den Aralsee verlaufenden 

Grenzabschnitts) und Turkmenistan 

(379 Kilometer). Die 

Gesamtlänge der Landesgrenzen 

einschließlich der Küstenlinie 

am Kaspischen Meer (bislang 

pseudo-internationaler 

Gewässer-Status) beträgt 

12.012 Kilometer. 

Die kasachischen Küstenlinien 

am nördlichen Teil des Aralsee- 

Ufergebiets sind 1.070 Kilometer 

und am Kaspischen Meer 

1.894 Kilometer lang. 

Landschaft 

Das Relief von Kasachstan ist 

sehr vielfältig, wobei allerdings 

der größte Teil des Territoriums 

aus Ebenen, niedrigen Bergen 

und Hügeln besteht. Der 

Westen des Landes wird von 

der Kaspischen Senke geprägt, 

☞ 6

6 EWF 

ein meist sumpfiges Gebiet 

unterhalb des Meeresspiegels, 

das im Osten in das Ustjurt-Plateau 

übergeht. Westlich dieses 

Plateaus, auf der Mangghystau- 

Halbinsel, befindet sich die tiefste 

Stelle Kasachstans, die 

Karagije-Senke (?132 m). 

Von Osten wird die Kaspische 

Senke durch den südlichen 

Ausläufer des Ural-Gebirges 

begrenzt, das bis 656 m hohe 

Mugodschar-Gebirge. Weiter 

südöstlich liegt um den Aralsee 

die Turanische Senke, die auch 

die größten Wüsten des Landes 

mit einschließt, die Kysylkum, 

sowie die Aralkum. Im Zentrum 

von Kasachstan befindet 

sich die Kasachische Schwelle 

(kasachisch Saryarka), ein von 

Steppen und Halbwüsten 

geprägtes Gebiet mit vielen 

mittelgroßen (500 bis 1.500 m) 

Bergen und Gebirgen wie dem 

Ulutau, dem Kökschetau oder 

dem Karkaraly. Im Nordwesten 

wird die Kasachische Schwelle 

vom Turgai-Plateau und im 

Norden von der Westsibirischen 

Ebene begrenzt. In diesen 

Regionen wird die Landschaft 

von fruchtbaren Steppen und 

Waldsteppen mit vielen Seen 

und Flüssen geprägt. Im Osten 

der Republik befinden sich die 

mit Wäldern bedeckten 

Gebirgsketten des Altai mit 

dem höchsten Berg der Region 

Belucha (4.506 m), die Sibirien 

von den mittelasiatischen 

Wüsten trennen. 

Südlich der Kasachischen 

Schwelle liegt die Hungersteppe 

(kasachisch Betpak-Dala). 

Südlich dieser Steppe und des 

Balchaschsees liegt ein Gürtel 

von Wüsten Mujunkum und 

das in der Vergangenheit fruchtbare 

Siebenstromland. Ganz im 

Süden Kasachstans, an den 

Grenzen zu China und Kirgisistan, 

liegen Hochgebirge wie 

das Dsungarische Alatau, das 

Qaratau und vor allem das 

Tian-Schan (chinesisch „Himmelsgebirge“); 

letzteres ist eine 

der höchsten Gebirgsketten der 

Erde. Die teils von Wäldern 

und insbesondere von Gletschern 

bedeckten Gebirge erreichen 

im benachbarten Kirgisistan 

7.439 Meter Höhe. Der 

höchste Berg Kasachstans ist 

der Khan Tengri (7.010 m), im 

äußersten Südosten gelegen. 

Tier- und Pflanzenwelt 

Wegen seiner Größe und der 

Ausdehnung über viele Naturzonen 

besitzt Kasachstan eine 

ausgesprochen reiche Palette 

von Flora und Fauna. 

Im Norden, wo die Steppen und 

Waldsteppen vorherrschen, die 

zusammen 28,5 % der Fläche 

Kasachstans ausmachen, wachsen 

viele Getreidepflanzen, 

Gräser, besonders häufig in 

Steppen ist Federgras. Auch 

viele medizinisch nützliche 

Pflanzen kommen vor, so etwa 

Adonis, Johanniskraut und Baldrian. 

Sehr verbreitet ist Wermut. 

In den Wald- „Inseln“ 

wachsen Birken, Espen, Weiden, 

Johannisbeersträuche; 

KASACHSTAN 

weiter westlich Fichten; nach 

Westen hin Eiche und Linde. In 

den Wäldern gibt es viele Beeren. 

Die typischen Bewohner 

dieser Zone sind Nagetiere wie 

Zieselmaus, Murmeltier, 

Springmaus, Eichhörnchen. Es 

gibt aber auch viele Hasen, 

Hermeline, Dachse, Wölfe und 

Füchse. In den Wäldern leben 

vereinzelt Wildschweine, Hirsche 

und Rehe, in der Steppe 

die seltene und geschützte Saiga-Antilope. 

Vögel gibt es 

Blick auf einen Teil des Balchaschsee 

besonders viele, auch Wasservögel, 

da es in dieser Region 

über 1.500 Seen gibt. Man kann 

nur einige hervorheben: Schwäne, 

Adler, Trappen (diese sind 

die größten Vögel Kasachstans, 

erreichen bis zu 16 kg 

Gewicht), Geier, Kraniche, Reiher, 

Enten, Gänse, Waldhühner, 

Spechte, Lerchen u. v. a. 

Als Naturraum am weitesten 

verbreitet sind in Kasachstan 

die Wüsten. Hier wachsen nur 

trockene, kleinwüchsige Pflanzen 

mit langen Wurzeln. Riedgras, 

Wüstenfedergras und 

Wermut sind die häufigsten. 

Im Sommer verbrennen die 

meisten Pflanzen an der Sonne. 

Ziemlich verbreitet sind Sträucher, 

besonders Saxaul. Große 

Tiere trifft man in der Wüste 

eher selten an. Meistens sind es 

Huftiere wie Kropfgazellen 

oder Saigas oder Wildschweine, 

die nahe den Wasserquellen 

leben. Noch seltener sieht man 

Wölfe und Schilfkatzen. Kleinere 

Tiere wie Igel, Schildkröten, 

Springmäuse können sich 

an die extremen Bedingungen 

besser anpassen. In der Wüste 

überall verbreitet sind Reptilien 

wie verschiedene Agamen und 

einige Schlangenarten; insgesamt 

kommen in Kasachstan 

ca. 50–60 verschiedene Reptilienarten 

vor. Auch Skorpione 

sind anzutreffen. 

In den riesigen Bergen des 

Tian-Schan, die meist von Fichtenwäldern 

bedeckt sind, trifft 

man heute noch auf den 

Schneeleopard – eins der Nationalsymbole 

Kasachstans. Auch 

der Luchs ist weit verbreitet,

und im Altai gibt es viele 

Bären. Einer Verbindung vom 

Nordpolarmeer bis zum Kaspischen 

Meer vor der letzten Eiszeit 

ist zu verdanken, dass am 

Kaspischen Meer noch heute 

große Robbenkolonien vorzufinden 

sind. Die Robbe am 

Kaspischen Meer stellt zusammen 

mit der Baikalrobbe die 

einzige außerpolare Robbenart 

dar. 

Naturressoursen 

Kasachstan ist eines der rohstoffreichsten 

Länder der Erde. 

Um das Kaspische Meer liegen 

große Erdöl- und Gasfelder, 

die fast den gesamten Westen 

des Landes einschließen, 

besonders die Gebiete von 

Mangghystau, Atyrau und 

Aqtöbe. Bedeutendste Quellen 

sind Makat, Dossor, Usen, 

Karazhanbas, Karatschaganak. 

Es werden außerdem Erdölvorkommen 

um den Aralsee 

vermutet. Weitere, ärmere Erdöl- 

und Gasfelder gibt es im 

Süden des Landes, in den 

Gebieten von Taras, Schymkent, 

Schesqasghan und Qysylorda. 

Qarqaraly-Naturschutzgebiet 

bei Qarqaraly, in der Nähe von 

QaraghandyEin weltweit 

bedeutendes Steinkohlevorkommen 

ist das Becken von 

Qaraghandy. Diese Region war 

eine der wichtigsten Kohlelieferanten 

in der Sowjetunion. 

Auch die Becken von Ekibastus 

und Astana sind längst 

noch nicht ausgeschöpft. 

Im Gebiet von Qostanai befinden 

sich reiche Eisenerzvorkommen. 

Um Schesqasghan 

und Balqasch liegen die bedeutendsten 

Kupfervorkommen 

des Landes, und in den Altai- 

Bergen wird Gold gewonnen. 

Ergiebige Manganvorkommen 

existieren um Atassu und 

Schesdy nahe Schesqasghan. 

Im Gebiet von Aqtöbe liegt 

Nickel unter der Erde. 

Ca. 200 km südwestlich von 

Qostanai liegt die einst schöne 

Stadt Schitiqara (Dschetygara). 

Das Gold liegt hier buchstäblich 

unter den Häusern. 

Diese werden nun abgerissen, 

um an das Gold zu gelangen. 

Kasachstan nimmt weltweit 

den ersten Platz an Vorkommen 

folgender Rohstoffe ein: 

Chrom, Vanadium, Wismut, 

Fluor. Einen der führenden 

Plätze hat Kasachstan bei den 

Vorkommen von Uran (bei der 

Uranprospektion wurden auch 

Opale gefunden), Eisen, Kupfer, 

Kohle, Cobalt, Wolfram, 

Blei, Zink und Molybdän. 

Gewässer 

In Kasachstan gibt es einige 

bedeutende Flüsse, die schiffbar 

sind. Sie alle fließen in den 

Randregionen des Landes, im 

zentralen Teil dagegen gibt es 

fast ausschließlich abflusslose 

Steppenflüsse, die im Hochsommer 

häufig austrocknen. 

Kasachstan ist reich an Seen, 

besonders im Norden des Landes. 

Im ganzen Land gibt es 

KASACHSTAN 

Kaindy-See im Südosten von Kasachstan 

etwa 4.000 große und kleine 

Seen, die mehrheitlich Salzseen 

sind. Der größte See 

Kasachstans ist das Kaspische 

Meer, das rund 371.000 kmÇ 

groß ist, etwa ein Viertel seiner 

Fläche entfällt auf Kasachstan. 

Der See verfügt über reiche 

Naturreserven, beispielsweise 

in Form von Fischen; hier lebt 

auch die artengeschützte Kaspische 

Robbe. 

Der zweitgrößte See ist der 

Aralsee, der auszutrocknen 

droht. Dieser Prozess dauert 

seit 1975 an und hat bereits zu 

nachhaltigen Schäden an 

Mensch und Natur geführt. Es 

wird auch darauf zurück 

geführt, dass Usbekistan jahrelang 

Milliarden Liter abführte, 

um das Wasser zum Baumwollanbau 

zu nutzen. Inzwischen 

hat sich der See in drei 

Teile aufgeteilt. Soweit 

bekannt, hat sich die Verkleinerung 

der Wasseroberfläche 

in den letzten Jahren stark verlangsamt. 

Der Balchaschsee zählt ebenso 

EWF 7 

zu den weltweit bedeutendsten 

Seen. Er ist 18.428 kmÇ groß 

und 620 km lang. Er gehört 

vollständig zu Kasachstan. Zu 

den Besonderheiten Balchaschs 

zählt, dass er als einziger 

See der Erde zur Hälfte aus 

Süß- und zur anderen Hälfte 

aus Salzwasser besteht. 

Die größten Stauseen sind der 

Kaptschagei und Buchtarma. 

Klima 

Das Klima Kasachstans ist 

kontinental geprägt, d. h. nach 

kalten Wintern folgen direkt 

heiße lange Sommer. 

Wüsten sind die größte Naturzone 

Kasachstans – sie bedekken 

ca. 44 % seiner Fläche. Es 

sind in der Regel Sandwüsten 

und Kieswüsten. Dort herrschen 

extreme Klimabedingungen; 

die Kälte im Winter 

erreicht bis zu ?40 °C, im 

Sommer dagegen ist es über 

+40 °C heiß. Die Temperatur 

des Sandes geht bis an die 

Marke von +70 °C.

8 EWFKAZAKHSTAN 

KAZAKHSTAN – Presidential Republic 

TEXT 

General Information 

Capital: Astana 

Surface area: 2 724 900 km 2 

Population: 16 402 860 inhabitants 

Language: Kazakh, Russian 

Head of State: Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev 

Prime Minister: Mr. Karim Massimov 

First Deputy Prime Minister: Mr. Umirzak Shukeev 

Vice Prime-Minister: Mr. Yerbol T. Orynbayev 

State Secretary - Minister of Foreign Affairs: Mr. Kanat Saudabayev 

Minister of Defence: Mr.Adilbek R. Dzhaksybekov 

Minister of Economic Affairs 

and Budget Planning: Mr. Bakhyt Sultanov 

Minister of Industry and Trade: Mr. Aset O. Issekeshev 

Minister of Agriculture: Mr. Akylbek K. Kurishbayev 

Minister of Transport and Communications: Mr. Abelgazy K. Kusainov 

Minister of Tourism and Sports: Mr. Temirkhan M. Dosmukhanbetov 

Minister of Finance: Mr. Bolat B. Zhamishev 

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Mr. Sauat Mynbayev 

Religion: Sunnite Moslems, 

Orthodox Christians, Catholics, a.o. 

GDP: USD 133,7 billion 

Growth rate: 3% 

Armed forces: 65.000 troops 

Imports: USD billion 37,9 

Exports: USD billion 71,2 

Currency: 1 Tenge = 100 Tiyn 

The State Insignia and 

Flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Governmental Structure 

and the Constitution 

Kazakhstan’s political system 

is most easily described as 

presidential democracy. President 

Nursultan Nazarbayev, 

re-elected in 1999 following 

an amendment to the Constitution 

in October 1998, has been 

granted far-reaching rights and 

authority. He is simultaneously 

the supreme head of state 

and the most senior state servant; 

he appoints the government, 

the prime minster – with 

the agreement of Parliament – 

and has influence on the composition 

of the Senate. In case 

of a vote of no confidence 

against the government by the 

legislative power, he can dissolve 

Parliament. He appoints 

the head of the state auditor’s 

office. The President has the 

right to present bills and 

decrees and decides whether 

or not to hold referendums. In 

addition, he is also the commander 

in chief of the armed 

forces, has the right to appoint 

and dismiss their leadership, 

and can proclaim a state of 

emergency in the country. 

Recently, on the initiative of 

President Nazarbayev, various 

changes in the Constitution 

grant him an all-powerful 

position within the state that 

will last until the end of his 

life. 

Nonetheless, the principles of 

the state under the rule of law 

and the separation of powers 

are defined within the Constitution. 

Parliament is responsible 

for legislation. Kazakhstan 

has a two-chamber Parliament, 

consisting of the Senate 

(Upper House) and the Majilis 

(Lowe House, House of 

Representatives). Of the senators, 

who keep their posts for 

six years, 32 are elected by 

assemblies of local representatives, 

and seven are appointed 

by the President. Of the Majilis’ 

77 deputies, whose period 

in office lasts five years, 67 

are directly elected to single – 

mandate constituencies in a 

secret vote, and 10 proportionally 

through nationwide par- 

KAZAKHSTAN 

ty lists. The government, 

headed by the prime minster, 

exercise executive powers, 

whereas jurisdiction lies with 

the Supreme Court. 

Administrative divisions 

The cities of Astana and 

Almaty have their own administrative 

status and do not 

belong to any oblast. Each 

area is headed by a governor 

(akim), who together with his 

local government (akimat) 

rules with a high level of autonomy. 

The President appoints 

the governor. Each administrative 

area, as well as the 

two autonomous cities, is subdivided 

into 167 districts (rayons). 

Each rayon in turn has its 

own akim and corresponding 

akimat. The district akims are 

also appointed. So far, only 

the heads of municipalities 

(auls) are elected. 

Domestic Politics 

The Constitution adopted in 

1995 defines Kazakhstan as a 

democratic, secular, constitu- 

Kazakhstan is divided into 14 administrative Regions (oblysy or oblats): 

Area Area capital 

Akmola (Akomla oblysy) Astana 

Aktobe (Aktobe oblysy) Aktobe 

Almaty (Almaty oblysy) Taldykorgan 

Atyrau (Atyra oblysy) Atyrau 

West Kazakhstan (Batys Kazakhstan oblysy) Oral 

Karaganda (Karaganda oblysy) Karaganda 

Kostanay (Kostanay oblysy) Kostanay 

Kyzylorda (Kyzylorda oblysy) Kyzylorda 

Mangystau (Mangystau oblysy) Mangystau 

South Kazakhstan (Ongtustik Kazakhstan oblysy) Shymkent 

Pavlodar (Pavlodar oblysy) Pavlodar 

North Kazakstan (Soltustik Kazakhstan oblysy) Petropavlov 

East Kazakhstan (Shyghys Kazakhstan oblysy) Oskemen 

Zhambyl (Zhambyl oblysy) Taraz 

EWF 9 

tional and social state and 

guarantees the upholding of 

human rights. The Constitution 

also guarantees the right to 

freedom of opinion and the 

freedom of the press. Consistent 

implementation of these 

rights, however, has initially 

met with difficulties –not 

unusual in the first years of 

any state’s independence. 

Thus, even though interference 

by the state in the affairs 

of political parties and social 

organizations is banned by the 

Constitution, attempts to influence 

parties have intermittently 

occurred – for instance 

through semi-legal financing 

of parties loyal to the President 

such as the Otan (Fatherland). 

Political parties in Kazakhstan 

are still a long way from filling 

the role their counterparts 

in Europe enjoy. Most citizens 

don’t expect them to be true 

representatives of their interest, 

and vote for individual 

personalities rather than political 

party programmers. In 

Kazakhstan, 10 political parties 

have been registered, 

compared to around 4,500 

nongovernmental organizations. 

As expected, the Otan 

Party, loyal to President 

Nazarbayev, won a clear 

majority in parliamentary 

elections in autumn of 2004. 

Four parties managed to get 

more than seven percent of the 

vote to obtain seats in the 

Majilis: AIST (the agrarianindustrial 

coalition) and Asar, 

the relatively young party of 

the President’s daughter Dariga 

Nazarbayeva, both of 

which support the President’s 

policies, and the opposition 

parties Ak-Zhol (Bright Way) 

and the Democratic Party of 

Kazakhstan. Eighteen independent 

candidates also managed 

to win a seat in Parliament. 

Parties working outside 

Parliament can be roughly 

☞ 10


divided into opposition parties 

and neutral ones where the 

governing party is concerned. 

Worth mentioning is the fact 

that President Nazarbayev 

holds regular meetings with 

party representatives–including 

those of the opposition, 

thereby creating a dialogue on 

important issues concerning 

internal political life. Regular 

conferences on further democratisation, 

established in 

autumn of 2002, also involve 

nongovernmental organizations. 

More than 2,000 printed 

media, internet periodicals, 

television and radio stations 

compete for the attention of 

Kazakhstan’s citizens. Despite 

the fact that leading media 

such as the television broadcasting 

system Khabar are in 

the hands of the presidential 

family, the sheer number of 

media sources can by and large 

be considered an indicator 

of democracy and freedom of 

expression. In newspapers 

especially, open and controversial 

discussion can and 

does often take place. 

Nevertheless, cases of intimidation 

of journalists have been 

reported, and pressure on 

newspapers’ editorial boards, 

including their closure, is not 

unknown. Inventive editors 

and journalists, however, time 

and again manage to continue 

publishing under a different 

name Some newspapers get 

support from the state through 

advertising assignments and 

financing – this is true in particular 

of publications dedicated 

to ethnic minorities, which 

could not survive in a competitive 

market without such 

support. 

Foreign Politics 

After independence in 1991, 

Kazakhstan entered the international 

arena as an autonomous 

state for the first time. 

Because of its geographical 

location on the Eurasian continent 

and its wealth in raw 

materials, the country finds 

itself in the midst of a region 

full of tension. It therefore 

wisely maintains a position of 

political and military neutrality 

and noninterference with 

regards to foreign policies. 

The US is among many major 

“players” attempting to gain 

influence in this region. Rus- 

TEXT 

Astana International Airport 

sia, of course, being the largest 

former Soviet republic, 

expects a fair share in the proceeds 

of Kazakhstan’s wealth 

in raw materials; its influence 

remains strong–there is still a 

large ethnic Russian population 

in the country. The European 

Union, meanwhile, concentrates 

its presence through aid 

and training programmes, and 

this unobtrusive and benevolent 

attitude results in a high 

level of respect in Kazakhstan 

for the EU. 

Big neighbour China is playing 

an increasingly important 

role in Central Asia. The most 

striking example is the 

ongoing migration of more 

than 40 million Chinese into 

the province of Xinjian, the 

region bordering Kazakhstan 

to the east. The Chinese 

government is accused of 

attempting to neutralize the 

“threat” of Muslim Uygur and 

exiled Kazakhs in this region. 

Many Kazakhs watch this 

population increase with discomfort. 

Within a short time, a 

mass of people – three times 

Kazakhstan’s entire population 

– will live on the other side 

of the border. Potential con- 

flicts abound, the issue of 

water usage being one of the 

most volatile – consider the 

effects of the draining of the 

Ili and Ertis rivers on 

Kazakhstan’s environment 

and river communities. 

Other Asian and Eurasian 

countries such as Turkey, Iran, 

India and South Korea are 

active in Kazakhstan on the 

political-economic level, with 

investments from those countries 

increasing by the year. 

Within the framework of the 

Commonwealth of Independent 

States (CIS), the foun- 

ding document of which was 

signed in Almaty on 21 

December 1991, the country 

actively contributes to the 

integration of the former 

USSR member states. Within 

the CIS there are a number of 

smaller economic, social, 

military and ecological associations, 

of which Kazakhstan 

is a member, for instance the 

Eurasian Economic Community, 

originating from the common 

Customs Union between 

Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, 

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 

Kazakhstan is an active member 

of the United Nations. At

the UN General Assembly in 

October 1992. President 

Nazarbayev took the initiative 

for a conference for cooperation 

and confidence-building in 

Asia. Many states followed 

the call, and are at present 

members of the conference, 

the declared goal of which is 

the prevention of conflicts in 

Asia. 

As a member of the Shanghai 

Cooperation Organization 

(SCO), which was founded in 

1996 as a result of border 

negotiations with China, 

Kazakhstan, together with the 

major powers Russia and China 

as well as with neighbours 

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and 

Uzbekistan, is engaged in 

security and cooperation in the 

region for an effective platform 

in the struggle against 

international terrorism as well 

as the determination of conflict-free 

borders. The latter, 

awkward issue can be traced 

back to the Soviet policy of 

drawing frontier demarcations 

based on economic considerations 

in Central Asia. Today, 

as the one-time administrative 

borders between Soviet repu- 

blics have become state borders 

and interests such as 

access to subsoil water resources 

determine international 

politics, much sensitivity is 

required in the process of defining 

terms of agreement on 

border demarcations. Since 

2002, the border demarcations 

between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan 

and Uzbekistan 

respectively have been settled, 

and since 2004 that between 

Kazakhstan and Russia has 

been mutually recognized. 

Astana Railway Station 

Education and Science 

A standard compulsory education 

of at least nine years 

exists in Kazakhstan, while 

high-school pupils attend classes 

for 12 years. Everyone is 

entitled to free education, but 

good schools generally charge 

extra. Teachers, parents and 

pupils have a very serious attitude 

towards learning – this 

Soviet legacy has fortunately 

been preserved and freed from 

its ideological constraints. 

However, targets set for the 

country – a modern, personality 

oriented upbringing, technical, 

musical and moral educa- 

KAZAKHSTAN 

tion and computerization in all 

schools – have met with a 

major obstacle: insufficient 

material provision for many 

school, along with an extremely 

low pay rate for teachers. 

In many schools, classes take 

place in two or three shifts for 

the simple reason that there 

are not enough classroom. All 

the more amazing is to see 

with what inventive improvisation 

the best is made of what 

is available, and with how 

much enthusiasm the children 

learn. Also impressive is 

parents’ readiness to make all 

the sacrifices they can possibly 

afford so that their children 

receive good schooling. 

The consequence of this idealisation 

of education is an 

incredible run on universities. 

In September each year, a 

mass movement of tens of 

thousands of well-dressed, 

excited 17- and 18-year-olds 

gather in front of the gates of 

the universities of Almaty, 

Astana and other cities in 

order to obtain the results of 

their entry tests. Enthusiasm is 

at its strongest at the traditionrich 

Al-Farabi Almaty State 

EWF 11 

University in Almaty, and the 

Gumilyov Eurasian University, 

established in Astana in 

1996. 

The Academy of Arts and the 

Kurmangazy Conservatory, 

both in Almaty, enjoy a particularly 

good reputation, as 

does the recently opened 

musical academy in Astana. 

But the Medical University, 

the Technical University and 

the Agrarian University in 

Almaty also attract crowds. 

These establishments use the 

title “national” – meaning that 

they belong to the top-ranking 

universities. Those who cannot 

make it here, however, can 

still choose between several 

hundred state and private 

institutes with the status of 

academy and vocational 

school. Most of these, however, 

would never meet European 

criteria for a university, 

even though strolling through 

Almaty you can find buildings 

displaying signs reading 

“university” on virtually every 

street corner. 

Those who can afford it attend 

universities abroad, while the 

best graduates compete for 

stipends form the state. In all, 

more than half a million students 

are enrolled at 

Kazakhstan’s universities on a 

yearly basis. Many universities 

have research facilities 

attached. The National Academy 

of Science, founded in 

1946, has 30 research institutes, 

of which the institutes of 

astronomy, mathematics, protein 

synthesis and phytochemistry 

are well renowned, as 

are those of astrophysics, geological 

and seismology. These 

day, much value is placed on 

sectors such as petrochemicals, 

metallurgy, physiology, 

fuel technology, machine building 

and electronics, as this 

provides impetus for the national 

economy.


Last Friday Kazakhstan President 

Nursultan Nazarbayev 

“went to the grass-work”. 

During three hours the head of 

the state, which over the last 

ten years has been holding the 

palm of victory in the geopolitically 

significant region of 

Central Asia, answered the 

questions of his compatriots 

and citizens of some foreign 

states in a live TV program 

that was broadcast by state 

TV and radio channels. 

The “direct action” dialogue is 

not novel for President Nazarbayev. 

Similar events took place 

before and have become traditional. 

But this-year live program 

is, no doubt, unprecedented in 

terms of public outreach and preliminary 

maintenance support. 

Public opinion research took 

three weeks and was done by an 

ad-hoc “call-center” that accumulated, 

filed and analyzed citizens’ 

requests and addresses, 

which were received through the 

government site’s web-portal, 

phone calls or as SMS messages. 

The result is more than 40 000 

questions registered by the direct 

line. Quite an impressive figure! 

By the way it eight times outdoes 

the 2007-year Internet-conference’s 

statistics. And I guess 

this Kazakhstan leader’s original 

record testifies, on the one hand, 

to Kazakhstanis’ “mature” 

democratic self-consciousness, 

their interest in the topical issues 

of the country’s development. 

On the other hand, it conspicuously 

indicates that Kazakhstan 

charismatic leader is popular 

with his nation, confident of the 

rightness of its President’s reformative 

policy. It should be noted 

to N.Nazarbayev’s honor, he 

never tried to maneuver, to sidetrack 

an issue or round off rough 

corners. And we saw a thematic, 

TEXT 

President - live on TV 

honest and informal dialogue. 

Giving answers Kazakhstan 

leader showed his all-round 

know of the current situation in 

the country, a scaled and perspective 

vision of solutions to 

many problems, he shared his 

opinion on withstanding modern 

challenges and threats, such as 

regional and global security, 

countering “turbulence effects” 

in the world economy. Another 

noteworthy feature about him: 

demonstrating a stiff political 

will and principled stand on 

topical issues during the live program, 

the President also showed 

that he was human like any one. 

Tactful questions concerning his 

private life did not embarrass 

him at all, and his replies revealed 

the keen sense of humor 

inherent in the Kazakhstan leader. 

Nazarbayev has every ground to 

be optimistic, it is an impartial 

observation. Despite the world 

financial crisis that ruined some 

“progressive” economies, 

Kazakhstan manages not only to 

keep afloat, but successfully 

break through into the post-crisis 

stage of development. Due to the 

government’s timely measures, 

which can be viewed as a counter-attack 

against first displays of 

global financial turbulences, our 

country managed to tangibly 

reduce the annual inflation rate, 

increase the assets’ inflow and 

improve many macro-economic 

indices. 

In the fall of 2007 Kazakhstan 

government allocated $4bn on 

the President’s decree to combat 

the crisis. Later, in 2008 a task of 

carrying out a scaled anti-crisis 

program was set: another $10bn 

given by the National fund prevented 

home banks’ collapse 

and provided credits to small and 

medium businesses. As a result 

these sectors’ productivity sub- 

stantially grew up and outperformed 

the last-year indices. 

On the whole Kazakhstan anticrisis 

measures, which are conspicuously 

socially-oriented, are 

qualified as efficient by many 

renowned world experts. The 

President has the same position: 

“I am sure we will transform 

current adversities into invaluable 

experience for further successful 

development. The current 

situation has taught many financial 

institutes a lesson, and I 

believe that strongest and most 

competitive will show their 

worth here”, - he tallied up 

during the live program. 

Stating achievements of 

Kazakhstan, the President paid 

respects to his people, thanking 

them for the ethnic peace and 

accord we have been maintaining 

in the country for the last 18 

years under any circumstances, 

despite unfavorable external 

situation. By the way, unprecedented 

experience in harmonization 

of ethnic relations in 

Kazakhstan – home for 140 cultures 

and 46 confessions – has 

become a byword worldwide. 

As an important constituent of 

the republic’s national unity idea 

this experience will be in the 

focus of Kazakhstan’s upcoming 

chairmanship in the OSCE next 

year. And it will probably play a 

crucial part in building new 

security architecture on the space 

from Vancouver to Vladivostok. 

Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in 

the OSCE was doomed to be raised 

on-air a priori. It is remarkable 

that this question was asked 

by Yevgeni Primakov, a prominent 

politician, Russian ex-PM, 

ex-head of intelligence agency 

and the-now president of Russian 

trade-industrial chamber, 

enjoying the reputation of a 

patriarch in international politi- 

cal and business circles. 

According to N.Nazarbayev, 

Kazakhstan – corporately nominated 

for chairing this respectful 

international organization – is 

aware of its responsibility in this 

respect and is working hard to 

find common ground for interaction 

between East and West, between 

Europe and CIS and Central 

Asian states. “We know how 

to make all the three OSCE 

“baskets” work efficiently”, - 

N.Nazarbayev underlined. 

Here I’d like to note that from 

the early days of its independence 

Kazakhstan has been championing 

regional and global 

security, nuclear disarmament, 

reduction of mass destruction 

arms, effective settlement of 

Afghanistan problems. Here 

analysts can say the very fact of 

the country’s election as the 

organization’s chairperson is a 

first step towards renaissance of 

its potential, a step towards establishing 

mutual understanding 

among the structure’s members. 

In this context Nazarbayev’s 

initiative on convening an 

OSCE summit (the last one was 

held ten years ago in Istanbul) 

during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship 

is worth respecting. Given 

the current controversies within 

the structure it will be hard and 

troublesome. But the very fact of 

lobbying such a powerful and 

ambitious impulse for rapprochement 

proves Nazarbayev to 

be a global politician with political 

insight and soundness. 

Implementation of the idea will 

unquestionably open a new page 

in the history of the organization 

and along with the “spirit of Helsinki” 

of 1975 will create the 

“spirit of Astana” – the spirit of 

new architecture of global security 

in the post-industrialization 

development period.

Der Außenhandel setzte seine 

Expansion fort. Er legte 

nach Angaben laut Zollstatistik 

(ohne Berücksichtigung 

des importlastigen nichtorganisierten 

Handels) um 

30% auf 80,51 Mrd. US$ zu, 

darunter die Exporte um 

24,8% auf 47,75 Mrd. US$ 

(inklusive Kosten für Transport 

und Versicherung) und 

die Importe um 38,3% auf 

32,76 Mrd. US$. Das 

Exportwachstum wurde von 

den stark gestiegenen Preisen 

für die Hauptexportgüter 

Kasachstans getragen (Rohstoffe: 

+53,3%, darunter 

Erdöl: +60%.) 

Hinter der hohen Importdynamik 

stand die rege Nachfrage 

nach Investitions- und 

Konsumgütern. Vor allem 

die Förderindustrie weitete 

ihre Bezüge aus dem Ausland 

kräftig aus. Preissteigerungen 

haben ein Drittel des 

Importwachstums verursacht. 

Der hohe Handelsbilanzüberschuss 

dürfte infolge 

der guten Konjunktur auf 

dem Weltrohstoffmarkt in 

den kommenden Jahren weiter 

zunehmen. 

Das Gros der Exporte entfällt 

traditionell auf mineralische 

Produkte. Nichtedelmetalle 

und Erzeugnisse 

daraus (wie Ferrolegierungen 

und Kupfererzeugnisse) 

kamen auf eine Quote von 

17,1%. Maschinen, Ausrüstungen, 

Geräte und Transportmittel 

sind mit weniger 

als 2% an den Ausfuhren 

beteiligt. Im Exportgeschäft 

dominieren Partner aus Italien 

und der Schweiz 

(Exportanteil jeweils rund 

16%; nahezu ausschließlich 

Öllieferungen). Die Ausfuhren 

in die VR China expandierten 

um fast vier Fünftel. 

KASACHSTAN 

KAZAKHSTAN TEXT 

Außenhandel 

Ministerium für Verkehr und Kommunikation in Astana 

Das Land löste damit Russland 

als drittgrößten Absatzmarkt 

ab. 

Im Import dominieren 

Maschinen, Ausrüstungen, 

Geräte, Transportmittel einschließlichelektrotechnischer 

Erzeugnisse. Bei solchen 

Waren wie Pkw, Lkw 

und Computertechnik deckt 

Kasachstan seinen Bedarf zu 

95 bis 98% durch Importe. 

Mineralische Erzeugnisse 

sowie Nichtedelmetalle und 

Erzeugnisse daraus kamen 

jeweils auf einem Anteil am 

Gesamtimport von etwas 

mehr als 13%. Für die Produktgruppe 

chemische 

Erzeugnisse, Kunststoffe 

und Gummi weist die Statistik 

eine Quote von 10,6% 

aus. Unter den Beschaffungsmärkten 

ragen Russland, 

die VR China (10,7%) 

und Deutschland (7,9%) hervor. 

Die deutschen Lieferungen 

EWF 13 

erreichten laut der kasachischen 

Zollstatistik ein Volumen 

von 2,59 Mrd. US$. Die 

Bezüge aus Kasachstan 

geben die Statistiker mit 392 

Mio. US$ an. Das Volumen 

der Exporte nach Kasachstan 

wird vom Statistischen 

Bundesamt, Wiesbaden, 

bestätigt (1,98 Mrd. Euro). 

Für die deutschen Einfuhren 

von dort meldete das Amt 

einen Betrag von 3,58 Mrd. 

Euro. Hinter der Diskrepanz 

stehen die in der GUS-Republik 

anders registrierten 

Ölexporte, die zu einem 

Großteil in steuergünstige 

Offshore-Zonen "fließen", in 

der Regel aber für europäische 

Abnehmer bestimmt 

sind. 

Aus Deutschland bezieht 

Kasachstan vorrangig Pkw, 

Nachrichten- und Energietechnik, 

Bergwerks-, Bauund 

Baustoffmaschinen, 

Fabrikationsanlagen, Lkw, 

Busse und Spezialfahrzeuge, 

elektrotechnische Erzeugnisse, 

Blech- und Metallwaren, 

Büro-, EDV-, BMSRund 

Medizintechnik, Pumpen, 

Kompressoren, Armaturen, 

Stahlrohre, Hebezeuge, 

Kunststoffwaren, Arzneimittel, 

Kosmetika sowie 

Papier und Pappe. Im deutschen 

Import aus dem fernen 

Land dominieren Rohöl, 

Ferrolegierungen, Kupfer, 

Aluminium und Zink, chemische 

Vorerzeugnisse und 

Gold für gewerbliche Zwekke. 

Investitionen 

Kasachstans Potenzial für 

Investitionen, Kooperationen 

und Handel basiert auf 

seinem Rohstoffreichtum, 

seinen großen agrarischen 

Ressourcen und seiner Lage 

☞ 14

14 EWFKASACHSTAN 

als Transportkorridor zwischen 

Europa und der VR 

China. Das Land gilt als 

politisch stabil, bietet eine 

liberale und offene Wirtschaft, 

eine stabile konvertierbare 

Währung, ein gut 

entwickeltes Bankensystem 

und ein liberales Wirtschaftsrecht. 

Investitionen in 

prioritäre Wirtschaftsbereiche 

werden vom Staat nicht 

nur mit Steuer- und anderen 

Anreizen flankiert, sondern 

in letzter Zeit zum Teil auch 

mitfinanziert (über staatliche 

Holdings, Entwicklungsinstitute 

und soziale 

Körperschaften). 

Wer in Kasachstan erfolgreiche 

Geschäfte machen will, 

braucht einen starken lokalen 

Partner. 

Kasachstan: Stabilisierung 

der Wirtschaft 

Absicherung des Finanzsektors 

durch Verstaatlichung 

von zwei Banken - Abwertung 

des Tenge - soziales 

Hilfspaket zur Unterstützung 

der Bevölkerung 

Astana, 26. Februar 2009 - 

"Die Verstaatlichung der 

kasachischen Kazkommertsbank 

und der Halykbank mit 

einem Kauf von 25% der 

Anteile war der richtige Weg 

um das Bankensystem zu 

sichern" sagte der kasachische 

Präsident Nursultan 

Nasarbajew bei einer Rede 

im Parlament. Hinsichtlich 

der BTA und der Alliance 

Banks, die in einer schwierigen 

Situation waren, mussten 

wir sofort drastische 

Maßnahmen ergreifen." Er 

betonte, dass die Maßnahmen 

vorläufig seien und die 

Regierung plane die erworbenen 

Anteile zu einem späteren 

Zeitpunkt wieder abzugeben. 

"Das Ziel der Verstaatlichung 

ist die Wirtschaft 

des Landes zu sichern 

und Währungsreserven zu 

wahren", sagte der Präsident 

Nasarbajew 

Wirtschaftsforum Kasachstan 

am 20.Mai 2009 in der 

Wirtschaftskammer Österreich 

in Wien 

Tagung der Kasachisch- 

Österreichischen Gemischten 

Regierungskommission 

für die wirtschaftliche, landwirtschaftliche,ökologische, 

industrielle und technologische 

Zusammenarbeit 

vom 18-20. Mai 2009 in 

Wien 

Unterzeichnung des 

Tagungsprotokolls der 

ersten Österreichischen 

Gemischten Regierungskommission 

für die wirtschaftliche,landwirtschaftliche, 

ökologische, industrielle 

und technologische 

Zusammenarbeit vom 18.- 

20. Mai 2009 in Wien 

Kfz-Industrie 

Wachsende Realeinkommen, 

die ins Land kommenden 

Investoren und die gute 

Ertragslage vieler Firmen 

sorgen für eine weiterhin 

lebhafte Nachfrage nach 

Neu- und Gebrauchtfahrzeugen. 

Auch das zunehmende 

Autokreditgeschäft kurbelt 

den Fahrzeugabsatz an. 

Die kasachischen Autokäufer 

investieren zunehmend 

in qualitativ hochwertigere 

Gebrauchtfahrzeuge und 

Neuwagen. 

Auf der Rangliste der 

beliebtesten Neuwagen 

bleibt die japanische Marke 

Toyota der Favorit. Im 

Marktsegment Gebrauchtwagen 

haben deutsche Fahrzeuge 

die Nase vorn. 

Allmählich in Fahrt kommt 

die einheimische Fahrzeugindustrie. 

Chemie 

Vom wachsenden Bedarf der 

TEXT 

Industrie und Verbraucher 

an Chemieerzeugnissen profitieren 

mehr denn je ausländische 

Lieferanten. So nahmen 

die Bezüge von Polymeren, 

Kunststoffen und 

Erzeugnissen daraus, Kautschuk, 

Gummierzeugnissen 

einschließlich Reifen, Lakken 

und Farben sowie pharmazeutischen 

Erzeugnissen 

jeweils um mehr als 15% zu. 

In allen genannten Produktgruppen 

(ausgenommen 

Gummierzeugnisse) muss 

Kasachstan mehr als 90% 

seines Bedarfs importieren. 

Die gegenwärtig vorbereiteten 

und geplanten Modernisierungs- 

und Ausbauprogramme, 

so zum Beispiel in 

den Produktgruppen Phosphor, 

Düngemittel, Reifen 

und Schwefelsäure sowie 

die ambitiösen Projekte in 

der Petrochemie bieten ausländischenAusrüstungslieferanten 

interessante Lieferchancen. 

Maschinenbau 

Für die Produktion von 

Maschinen und Ausrüstungen 

weist die offizielle Statistik 

nach einem Einbruch 

ein Plus von 21,6% auf 

umgerechnet 0,55 Mrd. Euro 

aus. Die Gesamtlage in der 

Branche bleibt trotz des 

Aufwärtstrends sehr angespannt. 

Die meisten Maschinenbauer 

lasten ihre Kapazitäten 

nur zu einem Bruchteil 

aus. Die Produktpalette der 

Hersteller ist gering. Nicht 

wenige Unternehmen produzieren 

heute fertige Metallerzeugnisse 

(für den Bedarf 

der Förderzweige) anstatt 

Maschinen und Ausrüstungen. 

Mehr als die Hälfte der 

Grundfonds in den Betrieben 

gilt als verschlissen. 

Das Land bleibt in einem 

erheblichen Maße auf den 

Import von Maschinen und 

Ausrüstungen angewiesen. 

Die Importquote im Maschinenbausektor 

beträgt heute 

etwa 85%. 

Auch der in letzter Zeit von 

der kasachischen Regierung 

besonders geförderte Agrarsektor 

bietet ausländischen 

Anbietern von Maschinen 

und Ausrüstungen perspektivreiche 

Absatzchancen. 

Allein die staatliche Aktiengesellschaft 

KasAgroFinans, 

die die Bauern bei der 

Anschaffung von Landtechnik 

mittels günstiger Leasingkonditionen 

unterstützt, 

hat mit deutschen Herstellern 

Verträge über den 

Bezug von 170 landtechnischen 

Einheiten für umgerechnet 

21 Mio. Euro abgeschlossen. 

Lieferchancen bieten die 

geplanten Projekte für den 

Ausbau der industriellen 

Tierzucht sowie die Produktion 

von Bioethanol und - 

diesel. 

Die fortschreitende Realisierung 

des bis 2014 laufenden 

Programms für den Ausbau 

der Produktion von Baustoffen, 

-teilen und -konstruktionen 

sowie der 

geplante Bau moderner 

Logistikzentren versprechen 

ausländischen Maschinenund 

Anlagenbauern ebenfalls 

vielfältige Geschäftschancen. 

Elektrotechnik 

Der Ausstoß der elektronischen 

und elektrotechnischen 

Industrie einschließlich 

der Produktion von 

optischen Geräten verharrte 

preisbereinigt in etwa auf 

Vorjahresniveau Produktionssteigerungen 

in solchen 

Erzeugnisgruppen wie Leiter 

und Kabel, Kondensatoren, 

Transformatoren und 

Elektroakkumulatoren konnten 

den Rückgang in der 

Produktion von Unterhaltungselektronik 

(TV- und 

Tonbandgeräte), Schalttech-

nik für Niederspannungsund 

Hochspannungsgeräte 

sowie anderen Erzeugnissen 

nicht abfangen. Mehr als 

85% seines Bedarfs an elektronischen 

und elektrotechnischen 

Erzeugnissen muss 

Kasachstan im Ausland 

beschaffen. 

Erhebliche Impulse für das 

Importgeschäft gehen von 

den eingeleiteten Maßnahmen 

für die dringend erforderliche 

Modernisierung 

und den massiven Ausbau 

der Stromwirtschaft und 

Wärmeversorgung, den laufenden 

Projekten für die 

Installation neuer Stromübertragungsleitungen, 

den 

gestarteten oder geplanten 

Ausbauprojekten in den Förderzweigen 

und in der verarbeitenden 

Industrie sowie 

einigen großen Vorhaben in 

der Bauwirtschaft aus 

(Errichtung neuer Städte in 

Westkasachstan, Bau von 

Bürohäusern, Handelszentren 

Hotels und Einfamilienhaussiedlungen).Lieferchancen 

versprechen die 

Ausbaupläne im Telekommunikationssektor. 

Als ein Wachstumssegment 

gilt die Sparte Medizintechnik. 

Viele Regional- und 

Stadtverwaltungen haben 

die Erneuerung des Ausrüstungsparks 

in den öffentlichenGesundheitseinrichtungen 

und die Ausstattung 

neuer Krankenhäuser und 

Polikliniken ganz oben auf 

ihre Beschaffungslisten 

gesetzt. Besonders erwähnenswert 

sind jene Projekte, 

die Bestandteil des Regierungsprogramms 

für den 

Ausbau der Kardiologie und 

Kardiochirurgie sind und die 

dem Aufbau eines medizini- 

KASACHSTAN 


schen Clusters in der Hauptstadt 

Astana dienen. Der 

sich dynamisch entwickelnde 

private Gesundheitssektor 

kurbelt die Nachfrage 

nach Medizintechnik ebenfalls 

an. 

Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik 

(IKT) 

Der IKT-Markt bleibt einer 

der am schnellsten wachsenden 

Wirtschaftssektoren in 

Kasachstan. Die nationale 

Telekommunikationsgesellschaft 

Kasachtelekom, auf 

die 2007 rund 37% aller im 

Land gewährten Telekomdienste 

entfielen, will in die 

Umsetzung ihres 2007 

gestarteten Programms für 

die technische Entwicklung 

in den Jahren 2008 und 2009 

ebenso viel investieren wie 

im Vorjahr (rund 250 Mio. 

Euro). Die Mittel fließen 

EWF 15 

vorrangig in den Ausbau der 

kabellosen Telefonisierung 

ländlicher Regionen (Standard 

CDMA-450) und die 

Modernisierung und den 

Ausbau des Festnetzes in 

den Städten. 

Dennoch stehen die Karten 

gut, dass das Internet in 

Kasachstan eine schnellere 

Verbreitung als bisher finden 

wird. So sollen allein in 

der Hauptstadt Astana rund 

50 weitere öffentlich 

zugängliche drahtlose Internet-Zugangspunkte 

(Wi-Fi- 

Technologie) eingerichtet 

werden. Erhebliche Investitionen 

fließen in die Umsetzung 

des von der Regierung 

gestarteten Programms "E- 

Government". Bis 2010, so 

hofft die Regierung, soll die 

Anzahl der Internet-Nutzer 

auf 3,5 Mio. Personen 

steigen.


Kazakhstan, as one of the 

few oil and gas bearing countries 

with ample undiscovered 

resources and close to OMV 

Group’s markets, is a focus 

country in OMV Group’s 

strategy. OMV/Petrom buys 

around 5 mn tons crude oil 

per year for its refineries in 

Austria, Romania, and Germany 

and Kazakhstan could 

be a key supplier of natural 

gas to Europe via the Nabucco 

gas pipeline. Also on the 

exploration & production side 

OMV/Petrom intents to foster 

its presence even further after 

a considerable growth in the 

last couple of years. 

On the upstream side Petrom 

has been active in Kazakhstan 

since the mid nineties, at that 

time mainly conducting studies. 

In 1998 operations and 

oil production started with 

the acquisition of the Tasbulat 

oil field. In the year 2000 the 

fields Aktas and Turkmenoi 

in the vicinity of Tasbulat 

were added. All of those 

fields are located close to the 

Caspian Sea and use partly 

the same surface facilities. 

The fields still hold significant 

reserves that are being 

developed mainly by drilling 

of further wells and imple- 

menting a water injection program. 

As a second important step 

Petrom signed an agreement 

for the development and production 

of the Komsomolskoye 

oil field in 2004 – the 

year OMV Aktiengesellschaft 

acquired the majority stake in 

Petrom S.A. Almost two 

decades after its discovery in 

1986, the decision was taken 

in August 2005 to develop the 

Komsomolskoye oil field. 

The Komsololskoye oil field 

is located in the North of the 

Mangyshlak Peninsula on the 

TEXT 

OMV and Petrom in Kazakhstan 

Caspian Sea, about 400 km 

from Aktau, several hours 

drive along steppe road. 

Komsomolskoye lies at the 

Caspian transition zone at the 

entrance of the Sor Kaidak, 

an area frequently flooded by 

shallow waters of 0.5 to 2 m. 

The development was extremely 

difficult not just because 

of severe environment and 

its remoteness. Temperatures 

in winter drop below -40 °C 

and in summer rise to +40 °C. 

The development included an 

intensive monitoring and 

observation regime of the 

environment. The field is 

located next to some nature 

preservation zone where 

some rare animals such as saiga 

antelopes, goitered gazelle, 

swans and flamingos live. In 

cooperation with the responsible 

authorities regular 

inspections were carried out 

to ensure that there were no 

harmful effects of the operations 

on flora and fauna in the 

vicinity. Petrom enjoyed perfect 

relationship and support 

from the Kazakh authorities 

and managed the challenges 

by using industry best practices 

and modern technology. 

Besides the difficulties to 

construct drilling platforms 

in a swampy area another 

challenge is to get there. 

Petrom constructed at the partially 

flooded Caspian shore 

100 kilometers of new road to 

the field through the steppe 

which route was designed 

considering the needs of some 

nearby communities. 

At the beginning of 2008 

Petrom started in Komsomolskoye 

drilling five horizontal 

production wells and four vertical 

wells for gas and water

injection. The longest horizontal 

well reaches 5,200 m. 

The oil field development project 

comprised the drilling of 

the wells, the rehabilitation of 

pre-existing wells, the construction 

of central processing 

facilities and associated infrastructure, 

an 80 kilometer 

pipeline to connect the field 

with the Kazakh pipeline 

infrastructure as well as 100 

km new access roads. This 

field development was despite 

its challenges one of the quikkest 

developments in the region. 

Petrom Kazkahstan developed 

the Komsomolskoe oil 

field since 2007 and produced 

first oil on June 23, 2009. On 

August 22, 2009 oil transportation 

started through the pipeline 

network of KazTransOil. 

Komsomolskoye delivers a 

high quality light crude oil 

with low sulfur. The production 

has increased since inception, 

plateau production will be 

reached in early 2010. 

All in all more than 500 working 

places have been created 

throughout the past two years. 

Throughout 2008 and 2009 

Petrom has invested more than 

USD 250 mn in Kazakhstan, 

the majority for the completion 

of the development of the 

Komsomolskoe oil field, 

improvement of the TOC production 

surface facilities and 

reserves maturation by drilling 

new wells in the Tasbulat, 

Aktas and Turkmenoi fields. 

As part of the OMV Group, 

Petrom has a strong Corporate 

Social Responsibility policy. 

This means Petrom works 

hard to address economic, 

environmental and social issues 

related to its operations in 

Kazakhstan. 

OMV/Petrom’s strategic 

objective is to increase its production 

by developing further 


the producing assets in 

Kazakhstan and to establish an 

exploration portfolio in 

Western Kazakhstan. Petrom 

and OMV are evaluating further 

investment opportunities 

in Kazakhstan. Focus area are 

three geological basins in 

Western Kazakhstan, namely 

the Mangyshlak Basin (were 

the TOC fields are located), 

North Ustyart Basin (Komsomolskoe) 

and Pre-Caspian 

Basin. Those areas are well 

connected with pipeline infrastructure 

with the OMV and 

Petrom markets in Central and 

South Eastern Europe. 

EWF 17 

The co-operation of OMV and 

Kazakhstan is based on a solid 

foundation of respect, mutual 

trust and benefit. 

OMV searches for crude oil 

and natural gas in 17 countries 

across four continents. Daily 

production amounts to 

317,000 boe/d. Based upon a 

strong domestic gas and oil 

production, OMV embarked 

on the international E&P business 

for the first time in 1985 

opening up first international 

representative offices. The 

company’s E&P operations 

currently focus on six core 

regions: CEE (including 

Austria), North Africa, North- 

West Europe, the Middle East, 

Australia/New Zealand and 

the Russia/Caspian region. 

The worldwide recognized 

expertise of OMV professionals 

along with the deployment 

of state-of-the art E&P 

technologies will guarantee 

the company’s high-level production 

activities also in the 

future, enabling the further 

expansion of the E&P business 

going forward.


Head of the State Nursultan 

Nazarbayev who is paying a visit 

to Aktau, administrative centre of 

Mangystau oblast, has participated 

in informal summit of the presidents 

of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, 

Russia. To date Mangystau 

oblast is one of the dynamically 

developing regions possessing 

huge investment and social 

potential.Social and economic 

development of the region is carried 

out in accordance with the 

Strategy of territorial development 

of Mangystau oblast till 

2015 as well as the Master Plan 

of Mangystau oblast's complex 

development till 2030. 

At present the region focuses its 

activity on implementation of the 

Government's anti-crisis measures 

and the Action plan on ensuring 

stability of the socio-economic 

development. In 2008 GDP 

of the region made KZT 1 117 

bln. The volume of per capita 

RDPis the second in the republic: 

in 2008 it comprised USD 22.4 

thousand. Compared to 2007 

foreign trade turnover in the 

oblast rose 1.5 times and reached 

around USD 11 bln in 2008. 

Export rose 1.7 times and hit 

USD 7 bln, while import rose 1.4 

times and made USD 4 bln. 

126 enterprises of the oblast 

introduced ISO international 

standards within the activities on 

preparation for Kazakhstan's 

WTO accession. 

In January-August 2009 the volume 

of industrial production made 

KZT 768.4 bln. The region produced 

12.3 mln tons of oil in this 

period. 

Volumes of processing industry 

rose too. Positive tendencies are 

observed in manufacture of food 

products including beverages, 

chemical industry, textile and 

sewing industries. 

KZT 164.8 bln were invested in 

the region's basic capital over 

nine months of the current year. 

Mangystau oblast ranks the 

second in the republic in volumes 

of per capita investments. 

A breakthrough project "Construction 

of cement plant" is 

being realized by Caspiy Cement 

LLP in Shetpe village within "30 

corporate leaders" state program. 

Besides, three projects to the 

amount of USD 193.4 bln are to 

be accomplished within the 

2003-2015 Strategy of 

Kazakhstan's Industrial-Innovative 

Development. Realization of 

the projects will allow creating 

additional 838 jobs. These are a 

ship-building plant; Borankol gas 

processing plant and development 

of building industry of Fort- 

Shevchenko town. 

New five projects worth USD 2 

635 mln are underway at present. 

These are the projects on production 

of asphalt cement on the 

ground of a plastics plant, Caspian 

Oil Processing Plant, Beineu 

Grain Terminal, building a Metal 

Constructions Plant and a 

Cement Plant in Shetpe village. 

2, 174 people are expected to be 

provided with jobs within their 

realization. 

2009-2011 Social Partnership 

Plan is being implemented together 

with Caspiy Social-Entrepreneurial 

Corporation JSC providing 

for realization of seven 

investment projects on the region's 

territory. 

Work on implementation of 

"Earth-Sea-Sky" mega project is 

continued. Despite the negative 

impact of the global financial and 

economic crisis on the investors 

and region, none of the projects 

have been stopped. 

By the President's Decree as of 

November 28, 2008 the territory 

of Aktau Seaport special economic 

zone has been extended up to 

TEXT 

Mangystau oblast - dynamically 

developing region of Kazakhstan 

2000 hectares. 

A regional program on development 

of the tourist sphere of 

Mangystau oblast for 2008-2010 

is underway. Strategic investors 

on realization of the project on 

construction of Kenderli international 

resort zone were defined. 

Technical and economic assessment 

of construction of Kenderli 

airport has been elaborated. 

Realization of the project on 

establishment of the Caspian 

Energy Hub has been started 

together with SamrukKazyna 

National Welfare Fund. A preliminary 

business-plan was developed 

and a project company was 

established. 

Over 298, 000 sq m of housing 

was put into service in 8 months 

of 2009. 

Gross agricultural product in 

Mangystau oblast made KZT 1 

859 mln over the reporting 

period. 

The number of registered small 

and medium business enterprises 

rose by 9.3% as of August 1, 

2009 and comprised 30.6 thousand. 

The number of people employed 

in small entrepreneurship is 60 

thousand that is 29% of the total 

number of employed population. 

Average monthly wage in Mangystau 

oblast is one of the highest 

in the country. Over January- 

August 2009 it made KZT 106, 

436. 

8, 120 new jobs have been created 

since the year beginning due 

to realization of infrastructure and 

industrial projects. In addition 

there were created 10, 363 jobs 

and 1, 864 social jobs within the 

Road Map program. 661 graduates 

of the colleges and universities 

are engaged in youth internship 

program. 

Since the beginning of the year 

budget expenditures of the region 

rose by KZT 35.4 mln. Over 

60% of the budgetary means are 

spent for social sphere development. 

"The Kazakh Government proposes 

to include three more top 

sectors to the State program of 

forced industrial-innovative 

development of the country for 

2010-2014", Kazakh Minister of 

Industry and Trade Asset Issekeshev 

has said today at the session 

on interim results of the President's 

tasks realization. 

"The Kazakh Government analyzed 

the group of sectoral programs. 

As the result three more 

sectors were proposed to be the 

top ones. These are engineering, 

tourism and space activity", he 

noted. 

According to the Minster, new 

methodic meeting such requirements 

as competitiveness of the 

products for the long-term period 

were developed on all ten directions 

at the Coordination council 

with participation of business 

communities, deputies and representatives 

of "Nur Otan" Party. 

The Minister noted that 52 programs 

adopted in different 

periods are realized in economic 

and industrial spheres of the 

country.

Ein neues, innovatives Programm 

setzt sich kritisch mit der 

politischen Gesetzgebung in 

Kasachstan auseinander und 

nennt zukünftige Änderungsmaßnahmen 

–Außenminister 

Saudabayev: „Der Plan ist ein 

essentielles Dokument um den 

Demokratisierungsprozess voranzutreiben“ 

Astana, 13. Oktober 2009 – Der 

nationale Menschenrechtsaktionsplan 

der Republik Kasachstan 

für 2009-2012 wurde am 9. 

Oktober beim „Human Dimension 

Meeting“ der Organisation 

für Sicherheit und Zusammenarbeit 

(OSZE) in Warschau präsentiert. 

Der Außenminister und Staatssekretär, 

Kanat Saudabayev, 

sagte, dass „dieser Aktionsplan 

ein essentielles Instrument für 

den Ausbau der Menschenrechtsgesetzgebung 

ist“. 

Er unterstrich, dass dieses Programm 

zukunftsweisend für die 

Weiterentwicklung der Rechtsstaatlichkeit 

Kasachstans sei und 

dass dieser Plan als Basis zur 

Implementierung der Menschenrechte 

herangezogen werden 

kann. 

Das Programm besteht aus einer 

detaillierten Analyse der derzeitigen 

Gesetzgebung in Kasachstan. 

Die 23 Kapitel vergleichen 

nationale Gesetze mit internationalen 

Standards und Richtlinien, 

wie dem „Internationalen Pakt 

über bürgerliche und politische 

Rechte“ oder den Richtlinien 

der OSZE. Am Ende jedes 

Kapitels, das sich eingehend mit 

einem Rechtsthema auseinandersetzt, 

werden Aktionsmaßnahmen 

und Handlungsempfeh- 

KASACHSTAN-NEWS 

TEXT 

lungen zur Adaptierung und 

Änderung des bestehenden 

Gesetzes gegeben. 

Bei der ursprünglichen Präsentation 

(im September) strich 

Minister Saudabayev Kasachstans 

führende Rolle in Zentralasien 

heraus. Er sagte, dass 

„Kasachstan mit diesem Plan 

eine Pionierrolle im post-sowje- 

tischen Raum einnimmt“. 

Das Dokument bilde die Grundlage 

für die Weiterentwicklung 

der Rechtsstaatlichkeit und 

Demokratie in Kasachstan. 

Aber, der Weg Richtung Demokratie 

sei ein Prozess, der ausreichend 

Zeit brauche, um zu den 

gewünschten Ergebnissen zu 

gelangen. 

Zu den Anschuldigungen bisher 

zu wenige Reformen durchgeführt 

zu haben, betonte die 

Regierung, dass die junge Republik 

auf dem Weg sei ihr Gleichgewicht 

zwischen Gewissensfreiheit 

und staatlich-verankerter 

Sicherheit zu finden. 

Das Dokument wurde von vielen 

Staaten und von führenden 

Menschenrechtsorganisationen 

positiv bewertet. Der UN-Koordinator 

und UNDP-Vertreter in 

Kasachstan, Herr Haoliang Xu, 

sagte, dass „dieser Plan eine 

erfolgreiche Kooperation zwischen 

der Regierung, den Vereinten 

Nationen, der OSZE und 

anderen Partnerorganisationen 

ist“. Er sei der Meinung, dass 

die Umsetzung des Programms 

die Rechtsstaatlichkeit in 

Kasachstan stärken und den 

Schutz der Menschenrechte ausbauen 

werde. Zudem werde sich 

dieses Dokument positiv auf 

den Dialog zwischen der Zivilgesellschaft 

und der Regierung 

auswirken. 

Grundstein für den ersten 

Metro-Großmarkt in Astana 

gelegt 

Bau der ersten Metro Cash & 

Carry Selbstbedienungsfiliale in 

Kasachstan gestartet - Großprojekt 

mit Investitionsvolumen 

über 15 Millionen EUR 

Vergangene Woche legten der 

kasachische Bürgermeister 

Imangali Tasmagambetov und 

ein Vertreter des Metro- 

EWF 19 

Kasachstan: Außenminister präsentiert 

zukunftsweisenden Menschenrechtsplan 

Überblick Astana 

Managements im Rahmen einer 

Feier das Fundament für den 

Bau des ersten Metro-Großhandelsmarkts 

in der kasachischen 

Hauptstadt. 

Die Investitionen in den Metro- 

Selbstbedienungsgroßmarkt an 

der Astana-Karaganda Schnellstraße 

betragen über 15 Millionen 

EUR. Das Gebäude soll auf 

einem Areal von 5 ha, das 

bereits im Besitz der Firma 

Metro ist, gebaut werden. 

Der Markt wird ein Volumen 

von 11.000 Quadratmeter 

haben, wovon 6.900 Quadratmeter 

dem Verkaufsbereich 

gewidmet werden sollen. Ein 

großer, teilweise überdachter 

Parkplatz, soll 353 Autos Haltemöglichkeit 

bieten. 

Bereits in vier Monaten soll das 

Geschäft für Gewerbetreibende 

seine Pforten öffnen. Die ersten 

Kundenkarten wurden bereits 

ausgestellt. 

Im neuen Metro-Markt sollen 

250 Angestellte, die zuvor in 

Metro-Filialen in Russland ausgebildet 

wurden, arbeiten. 

Der Markt wird über 25.000 

Waren, darunter Nahrungsmittel 

und andere Produkte, bieten. 

Die Firma arbeitet daran zahlreiche 

kasachische Händlern, 

Importeure und Verteiler in die 

Geschäftsprozesse mit einzubeziehen. 

Über Metro: 

Metro Cash & Carry betreibt 

655 Großhandelsgeschäfte in 29 

Ländern. Die Firma erwirtschaftete 

2008 einen Umsatz von 

33,1 Milliarden EUR. Insgesamt 

arbeiten über 100 000 Personen 

weltweit für Metro. Metro 

Cash & Carry gehört zur deutschen 

Metro-Gruppe, einem der 

größten Handelsunternehmen 

weltweit. 

☞ 20

20 EWF 

Kasachstan schafft Todesstraffe 

ab 

Nach Moratorium unterzeichnet 

Präsident Nasarbajew Gesetz 

zur Abschaffung der Todesstrafe 

in Kasachstan. 

Der kasachische Präsident hat 

vor einigen Tagen ein Gesetz zur 

Abschaffung der Todesstrafe 

unterzeichnet. Bis auf die zwei 

Ausnahmen, terroristische Akte 

mit Mord und schweren Kriegs- 

verbrechen, darf die Todesstrafe 

nun nicht mehr verhängt werden. 

Das kasachische Strafgesetzbuch 

beinhaltet auch das 

Begnadigungsrecht. 

Die Abschaffung der Todesstrafe 

war eines der prioritären Vorhaben 

des Präsidenten Nursultan 

Nasarbajew. Bereits im Dezember 

2003 unterzeichnete das 

Staatsoberhaupt ein Moratorium 

zur Aussetzung der Todesstrafe. 

Dieses neue Gesetz folgt einer 

Reihe von politischen Reformen, 

wie die Liberalisierung 

des Medienrechts und des Steuergesetzes, 

die seit 2007 in Gang 

KASACHSTAN-NEWS 

gesetzt wurden. 

Die Änderungen des Strafgesetzes 

stehen in Einklang mit dem 

kasachischen Verfassungsrecht. 

Zudem wurden im Strafgesetz 

Verbrechen auf die lebenslanges 

Gefängnis folgt, festgelegt. 

Die Resolution über die 

Abschaffung der Todesstrafe 

wurde bereits im Mai dieses 

Jahres vom Parlament (Komitee 

f¸r Rechte und gesetzliche 

Reformen der Majilis) unter- 

Geschäftsstraße Astana 

zeichnet. 

Das Moratorium zur Abschaffung 

der Todesstrafe 2003 wurde 

von der internationalen 

Gemeinde begrüßt und als wichtiger 

Schritt zur Einhaltung der 

Menschenrechte gesehen. 

KASACHSTAN RECHNET 

2009 MIT STEIGERUNG 

DER ÖLPRODUKTION 

AUF 75 MILLIONEN TON- 

NEN 

Plus von fünf Millionen Tonnen 

im Vergleich zum Vorjahr 

erwartet – Eröffnung der Erdölund 

Erdgasmesse „KIOGE 

2009“ in Almaty 

Astana, 7. Oktober 2009 - 

Kasachstan erwartet dieses Jahr 

eine Steigerung der Ölproduktion 

um fünf Millionen Tonnen 

im Vergleich zum Jahr 2008. 

Das kündigte der Vize-Energieminister 

Lyazzat Kiinov bei der 

Eröffnung der Erdöl- und Erdgasmesse 

„KIOGE 2009“ in 

Almaty an. 

Laut Energieministerium wurden 

im Jahr 2008 70 Millionen 

Tonnen Erdöl produziert. In die- 

sem Jahr soll die Fördermenge 

auf 75 Millionen Tonnen gesteigert 

werden. Vize-Minister Kiinov 

erklärte, dass die Steigerung 

nur aufgrund neuer Ölfelder, 

wie dem Tengiz-Ölfeld, möglich 

sei. 

Die KIOGE-Messe findet von 6. 

bis 9. Oktober im „Atakent 

Exhibition Center“ im Intercontinental-Hotel 

in Almaty statt. 

Bei der Veranstaltung werden 

520 Firmen aus über 30 Staaten 

anwesend sein. Unter den Teilnehmern 

sind die kasachische 

KazMunaiGaz, die russische 

Gazprom, Chevron und andere. 

KASACHSTAN PLANT 

ÖFFENTLICHES RAUCH- 

VERBOT 

Großer Gesundheitsplan basierend 

auf Empfehlungen der 

Weltgesundheitsorganisation 

entworfen. Neues Tabakgesetz 

geplant und Alter für den Konsum 

alkoholischer Getränke soll 

auf 21 Jahre erhöht werden. 

Astana, 5. Oktober 2009 – Die 

kasachische Regierung plant ein 

Gesetz über ein umfassendes 

öffentliches Rauchverbot. Das 

bestehende teilweise Nein soll 

auf den gesamten öffentlichen 

Raum, inklusive gastronomischer 

Betriebe ausgedehnt werden. 

Ein zweites Gesetz wird die 

Altersgrenze für den Genuss 

von alkoholischen Getränken 

von 18 auf 21 Jahre anheben. 

Die Schritte stehen in Einklang 

mit den Empfehlungen der 

Weltgesundheitsorganisation 

(WHO), sagte der Gesundheitsminister 

Kasachstans Agmagul 

Abenova. Laut Daten der WHO 

sterben über 30 000 Raucher in 

Kasachstan pro Jahr. 

Das öffentliche Rauchverbot 

und die Anhebung des Alters, ab 

dem Alkohol ausgeschenkt werden 

darf, sind Teil eines neuen 

Gesetzes für öffentliche 

Gesundheit, das am 9. Oktober 

in Kraft treten soll. 

Das neue Gesundheitsgesetz soll 

auch die medizinische Versorgung 

und Vorsorge für schwere 

Krankheiten ausbauen. Außerdem 

ist darin die Bereitstellung 

kostenlos verfügbarer Medikamente 

für ausländische Staatsbürger 

vorgesehen. 

Alkoholmissbrauch und Krankheiten 

aufgrund intensiven 

Tabakkonsums wurden zu 

einem großen Gesundheitsproblem 

in Staaten der ex-Sowjetunion. 

Seit deren Zusammenbruch 

ging die durchschnittliche 

Lebenserwartung von Männern 

u.a. aufgrund dieser Risikofaktoren 

zurück.

Many experts deem backing to 

small and medium business 

(SMB), including encouraging 

of its entrance to external markets, 

access to state procurements 

and crediting, as a crucial 

anti-crisis measure. They 

believe that exactly SMB entities 

are able to provide resources 

for social programs. 

Kazakhstan experience in 

business-power interaction is 

long known for its transparency 

and efficiency - the fact 

once again proved by the 

research “PostUSSR: evaluation 

of governments’anti-crisis 

measures” done by the independent 

analytical center 

“Post-crisis world institute 

foundation” (Russia). More 

than 130 experts in economy 

and politics from 20 states 

and 5 500 average citizens of 

Kazakhstan, Russia and 

Ukraine were interviewed. 

According to the opinion survey 

our republic has plumped 

for the best innovative scenario 

to combat crisis aftermaths. 

Ildar Romanov 

-Kazakhstan is turning the crisis 

into accelerated upgrading 

of its economy and state 

management system: 

Kazakhstan government’s 

resolutions are made in an 

apparently innovative trend. 

Many of them were later used 

by other states, - the research 

notes. 

In the fall of 2007 a national 

“thrift box” – the National 

fund – was opened to allocate 

means for backing of the 

financing sector and SMB. So 

far Kazakhstan is the only 

post-soviet state with a new 

Tax code envisaging drastic 

de-loading of the processing 

sector amid the economic cri- 

sis. Moreover, a moratorium 

on checks into SMB - in effect 

up to 1 June the current year - 

was introduced. 

On the whole in 2009 businessmen 

can count on the state 

backing worth 120bn tenge. 

They are now accessed to 

orders of state bodies, holdings 

and national companies within 

the new law “On state procurements”. 

-Kazakhstan has specified its 

priorities: it is heading for cuts 

in taxes and creation of “hothouse” 

conditions for SMB 

development. In the World 

Bank “Doing Business”rating 

Kazakhstan ranks 70th – 

a ten-position “heave” compared 

to the last year’s performance. 

Unprecedented measures 

were taken to curtail administrative 

hurdles, including a 

series of mandatory licensing 

requirements. Business now 

feels better and breezes freely, 

- the analysts state. 

In the meantime Russia decided 

to take the same tack. Its 

regions and municipalities 

were offered to attract small 

and medium-sized businesses 

to carrying out state and municipal 

orders. The federal budget 

earmarked RUB10.5bn for 

crediting, subsidizing of interest 

rates, government guarantees, 

infrastructure development, 

grants and training programs. 

RF business community drew 

up its own “Platform – 2009” 

anti-crisis plan. The new economic 

policy envisages a zero 

rate for a starting business, 

moratorium on checks, fiscal 

holiday (by the way, India, 

China and Australia can share 

successful “holiday” experience). 

This March the State Duma 

speaker Boris Gryzlov at a 


“United Russia” meeting with 

RF PM Vladimir Putin offered 

to exempt small businesses 

from measures of control in 

2009, like Kazakhstan. And it 

should be noted the Premier 

approved the idea. 

Mihail Grishankov, first deputy 

chairman of RF State Duma 

security commission, views 

experts’ involvement in RK 

Parliament’s discussions of 

each law concerning the economic 

policy as a decided step 

forward. 

-We have to closely study 

other states’ experience with 

Kazakhstan’s in the first place, 

- the politician concluded. 

Crediting of SMB within the 

anti-crisis program is always 

on the agenda of RK government’s 

sessions. PM Karim 

Masimov believes that green 

light in the form of credits and 

preferences should only be 

given to “real” home producers. 

Oleg Khe, president of Business 

Resource public foundation 

(Kazakhstan) and one of the 

Post-crisis world institute’s 

experts, noted that “the producing 

sector should be backed 

in the first place, as it consumes 

human and financial 

resources to a greater degree 

and as the basic tax-payer. 

That stands for a bigger multiplier 

effect”. 

Vitali Belobrovtsev, a lecturer 

of Tallinn University (Estonia), 

believes that with the 

producing sector growth in the 

spotlight “work-places will be 

kept up; financing of the social 

sector will reduce social tension”. 

-It is most important to back 

home producers for giving 

concrete substance in form of 

goods and services to the currency. 

Only in this case we will 

EWF 21 

SMB: focus on growth prospects 

be able to tackle employment 

issues and make money go to 

people. And then the market 

will come to life: people keep 

the trade going, small and 

medium business backs banks, 

and banks replenish budgets. 

All the links are interdependent, 

- Serik Turzhanov, vicepresident 

of Kazakhstan chamber 

of commerce and industry, 

commented. 

Dosym Satpayev, Risk Evaluation 

Group Director, 

Kazakhstan, believes “SMB to 

be the economy’s long-term 

engine”. And raw materialoriented 

countries, namely 

Russia and Kazakhstan, must 

turn to non-primary spheres - 

SMB and innovations, if “we 

want to win this raw-material 

game”. In this case business 

will employ able-bodied population 

and become the main 

tax-payer. Under the conditions 

of the crisis the internal 

demand has to be stimulated, 

i.e. citizens need to be more 

actively involved in these or 

those breakthrough projects: 

road construction, infrastructure 

development… The head of 

state pointed to it in his stateof-the-nation 

address 

“Through crisis to renewal and 

development”. 

It is not surprising that within 

the “PostUSSR: evaluation of 

governments’ anti-crisis measures” 

research Kazakhstan 

population was unanimous in 

positive estimating its government’s 

activities: two thirds 

(66.3%) of the citizens were 

appreciative of the country 

leadership’s actions in the 

times of the economic recession. 

The measures currently 

brought into life are viewed by 

them as systemic, well-managed 

and perspective.

22 EWFLESERSERVICE 

TEXT 

Außenhandelsrepräsentanten in Österreich 

Republic Kazakhstan 

Valeriy Sitenko, Trade Counselor of Economy and Political Department of Embassy 

of Republic Kazakhstan in Vienna, in the Republic of Austria since April 2009. 

His main attention is given to: 

• Improvement of co-operation of Kazakhstan (foreign trade, tourism a.s.o.) 

• Supporting of contacts between companies in both countries 

• Preparation of meetings between experts and business executive 

• Perfection of contractual basement of bilateral trade and economy cooperation 

Embassy of Republic Kazakhstan 

in Republic Austria 

Felix-Mottl-Straße 23 

A – 1190 Vienna 

Phone:+43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 25 

Fax: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 20 

E-Mail: vsitenko@kazakhstan.at 

Republik Kasachstan 

Valeriy Sitenko, Botschaftsrat für Wirtschaftspolitische Zusammenarbeit der Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan in 

Wien, seit April 2009 in der Republik Österreich. 

Zu seinen wichtigsten Aufgaben zählen: 

• Verbesserung der kasachischen Zusammenarbeit (Außenhandel, regionale Zusammenarbeit, Tourismus usw.) 

• Koordination von Kontakten zwischen österreichischen und kasachischen Firmen 

• Organisation von Treffen (Besuche, Symposien, Konferenzen usw.) von Experten und Wirtschaftsleuten beider 

Staaten 

• Vervollkommnung der Vertragsbasis der bilateralen Wirtschaftsbeziehungen 

Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan 



A – 1190 Wien 

Tel.: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 25 

Fax: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 20 

E-Mail: vsitenko@kazakhstan.at 

VALERIY SITENKO 

Botschaftsrat für 

Wirtschaftspolitische Zusammenarbeit 

der Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan 

in Österreich 

VALERIY SITENKO 

Trade Counselor of Economy and 

Political Department of Embassy 

of Republic Kazakhstan in Austria

LESERSERVICE TEXT 

Außenhandelsrepräsentanten in Österreich 

Republic Kazakhstan 

Kairat Aresteyev, Counselor of Embassy for politico-economic collaboration 

of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Austria since July 2009. 

His main responsibilities are among others: 

•Supporting Kazakh companies finding Austrian partners and investors 

•Enhancing the Kazakh co-operation (transport, energy, protection of the 

environment, …) 

•Co-ordination of contacts between Kazakh and Austrian companies 

•Elaboration of contracts for bilateral economic relations 

Embassy of the Republic Kazakhstan 

in the Republic Austria 


A-1190 Vienna 

Tel.: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 27 

Fax: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 20 

E-Mail: kairat.aresteyev@kazakhstan.at 

Republik Kasachstan 

EWF 23 

Kairat Aresteyev, Botschaftsrat für Wirtschaftspolitische Zusammenarbeit der Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan in 

Wien, seit Juli 2009 in der Republik Österreich. 

Zu seinen wichtigsten Aufgaben zählen: 

•Unterstützung kasachischen Firmen bei Geschäftspartnersuche in Österreich und österreichischer Investoren 

in Kasachstan; 

•Verbesserung der kasachischen Zusammenarbeit (Verkehr, Energie, Umweltschutz usw.); 

•Koordination von Kontakten zwischen österreichischen und kasachischen Firmen; 

•Vervollkommnung der Vertragsbasis der bilateralen Wirtschaftsbeziehungen 

Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan 



A-1190 Wien 

Tel.: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 27 

Fax: +43/ 1/ 367 66 57 DW 20 

E-Mail: kairat.aresteyev@kazakhstan.at 

KAIRAT ARESTEYEV 

Botschaftsrat für 

Wirtschaftspolitische Zusammenarbeit 

der Botschaft der Republik Kasachstan 

in Österreich 

KAIRAT ARESTEYEV 

Trade Counselor of Economy and 

Political Department of Embassy 

of Republic Kazakhstan in Austria


Economic overview 

Kazakhstan is important to 

world energy markets because it 

has significant oil and natural 

gas reserves. With sufficient 

export options, Kazakhstan 

could become one of the world's 

largest oil producers and exporters 

in the next decade. But 

Kazakhstan’s strategic aspiration 

is to become a modern, 

diversified economy with a high 

value added and high-tech component, 

well integrated in to the 

global economy. 

Energy sector is viewed as a 

good basis to achieve this goal 

The perspective of the 

Kazakhstan economy is closely 

connected with further integration 

into international economic 

relations, utilisation of unique 

reserves of energy and mineral 

resources, vast possibilities to 

export industrial and agricultural 

products, optimum employment 

of country's transit potential and 

also with availability of highly 

qualified specialists in different 

spheres. During the Soviet 

period Kazakhstan was an 

agrarian, raw materials supplier 

of the former Soviet economy, 

where the military industry 

played the major role. The main 

economic content of more than 

10 years of independence has 

become transition from the central 

command planning to a 

market system. 

During these years, Kazakhstan 

has made considerable progress 

in implementing complex political, 

economic and social 

reforms to establish a democratic 

state with a market economy. 

While the country has not experienced 

political disturbances 

during the transition period, it 

has faced numerous economic, 

social and environmental challenges. 

The first few years of 

Kazakhstan’s independence 

were characterized by an economic 

decline (mostly due to the 

destabilizing force of disintegration 

of the Soviet Union): by 

1995 real GDP dropped to 

61,4% of its 1990 level. This 

economic deterioration exceeded 

the losses experienced 

during the Great Depression of 

the 1930s. The wide-ranging 

inflation observed in the early 

1990s peaked at annual rate of 

up to 3000% in mid-nineties. 

Since 1992, Kazakhstan has 

actively pursued a programme 

of economic reform designed to 

establish a free market economy 

through privatisation of state 

enterprises and deregulation and 

today is generally considered to 

be more advanced in this respect 

than most other countries of the 

CIS. Kazakhstan remains one of 

the most successful reformers in 

the CIS, though its record is less 

strong when compared with 

more advanced transition countries 

of Central and Eastern 

Europe, and it has the strongest 

banking system in Central Asia 

and CIS. 

TEXT 

Economy 

The main goals of current structural 

policy are diversification 

and the strengthening of the 

non-oil sector. A number of 

development agencies and 

research centres (Development 

Institutions) have been established 

and the Government is looking 

at establishing techno and 

science parks to support the 

diversification of higher-value 

added industries. But there are 

certain obstacles inherited from 

the past to quickly achieve this. 

The Presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia 

and Turkmenistan Hold an Informal Summit in Aktau 

The EU and USA have recognized 

Kazakhstan (first in CIS) as 

a country with market economy 

in 2001 and 2002 respectively. 

In October 2002 international 

rating agency Moody’s upgraded 

Kazakhstan by two notches 

to Baa3, thus Kazakhstan has 

become the first country in the 

CIS to reach investment grade 

status. Standard & Poor’s in 

2004 upgraded Sovereigns 

rating to BBB/Stable/A-3. In 

October 2004 the Fitch upgraded 

Kazakhstan’s local currency 

rating to BBB/Stable. In January 

2005 the Organization for 

Economic Cooperation and 

Development (OECD) has 

upgraded Kazakhstan’s country 

export risks rating, moving it 

from the 5th to the 4th group of 

risks. Kazakhstan has enjoyed 

impressive economic growth 

over the past five years, buoyed 

by increased oil exports, as well 

as by bold economic reforms, 

prudent fiscal policies and economic 

initiatives that were instituted 

in 1999. 

This results in stable level of 

inflation (2002 – 6.6%, 2003 – 

6.8%, 2004 – 6.7%, 2005E – 

6.6%), a budget surplus, a firm 

currency, and a decreasing 

unemployment rate (2003 – 

8.8%, 2004 – 8.4%). After 

posting moderate growth of 

2.7% in 1999 as a whole, 

Kazakhstan's real gross domestic 

product (GDP) rose 9.6% in 

2000, 13.2% (2001), easily the 

country's best year of economic 

performance since independence, 

9% in 2002, 9.1% in 2003, 

9.3 in 2004 and according to 

The Economist Intelligent Unit 

Kazakhstan is within Top 10 

world fastest-growing economies 

in 2005. 

The main driver behind 

Kazakhstan's economic growth 

has been foreign investment, 

mainly in the country's booming 

oil and natural gas industries. 

Since independence from Soviet 

rule in 1991, Kazakhstan has 

received more than 30 bln. USD 

of foreign direct investment – 

the highest per capita indicator 

in the former Eastern Bloc. 

Economy Performance for 

Jan-Aug 2009 

Gross agricultural output for 

Jan-Aug 2009 made up KZT 

524.8 billion, 5.5% down on the 

like period of 2008. 

Unemployment rate in August 

made up 6.4%. 

GDP for Jan-Jun 2009 totaled

KZT 6446.3 in current prices. 

Real GDP decreased 2.3% on 

the like period of 2008. Production 

of goods accounts for 

39.0% of the GDP, with services 

accounting for the other 61%. 

Capital investments for the 

period under review totaled 

KZT 2599.1 billion, 5.4% on the 

same period of 2008. 

Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover 

for Jan-Jul 2009 made up 

USD 36614.9 million, 42% 

down on the like period of 

2008, with exports standing at 

USD 21003.4 million (50% 

down) and imports at USD 

15611.5 million (25.9% down). 

Industrial production for Jan- 

Aug 2009 totaled KZT 5270.9 

billion in current prices, 1.5% 

down on the like period of 

2008. 

As of September 1, the number 

of legal entities made up 

293571, 5.2% up against 2008. 

State budget revenues as of 

August 1, 2009 totaled KZT 

2066.4 billion, with budget 

expenses at KZT 2168.4 billion 

(and budget deficit of KZT 102 

billion). As compared to the like 

period of 2008, the revenues 

grew 2.1%, with expenses growing 

by 2.7%. 

Banks loans to the national economy 

as of the end of July totaled 

KZT 8079.6 billion, 11% up 

against 2008. Deposits with the 

banking system totaled KZT 

6284.4 billion, 35.7% up against 

the like period of 2008. 

Press Office of the Kazakhstan’s 

Agency for Statistics 

The leaders of Kazakhstan and 

Russia arrived in Mangistau 

region from Orenburg where 

they took part in the 

Kazakhstan-Russian Interregional 

Cooperation Forum. 

At the Aktau Airport Nursultan 

Nazarbayev, Ilkham Aliyev, 

Dmitry Medvedev and Gurbanguly 

Berdymukhamedov surveyed 

a new passenger terminal. 

Its capacity will make up to 450 

passengers per hour. The airport 

equipment meets all international 

standards. To date, the construction 

works had been finished; 

the pre-commissioning 

works are under way. 

KAZAKHSTAN 

Economy 

Welcoming address by H.E.Mr. 

Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Ambassador 

of Kazakhstan to Austria, 

to the participants of the Third 

Vienna Banking Forum for CIS 

Countries and Eastern Europe 

and of the 20th Country and 

Bank Conference of the Banking 

Association for Central and 

Eastern Europe (BACEE) 

The Third Vienna Banking 

Forum for CIS countries and 

Eastern Europe and the 20th 

BACEE Country and Bank 

Conference are being held at a 

difficult time – during a period 

of global financial and economic 

crisis. To deal with this crisis, 

the major economies of the 

world have already spent US$ 

10 trillion, i.e. practically 15 per 

cent of the world GDP. 

EWF 25 

General Background 

Commercial viability, technical 

and environmental safety and 

financial soundness are the guiding 

principles for Kazakhstan's 

strategy in this crucial area. 

The main economic priority for 

Kazakhstan is to avoid overdependence 

on its oil and gas and 

Conference of the Kazakh-Austrian government-commission for commercial, agricultural, 

ecological, industrial and technological collaboration 

minerals sector, but to use these 

natural assets to build a modern, 

diversified, highly-technological, 

flexible and competitive 

economy with a high valueadded 

component. This is the 

central goal of the National 

Strategy until 2030 adopted in 

1998 and the State Industrialization 

and Innovation Programme 

until 2015 launched in 2003.


It is the expectation of the 

financial crisis rather than the 

crisis itself that is more dangerous 

to the national economy. 

The mechanics of a recession 

is well known to economists: 

expectation shapes the behavior 

of both general public and 

professional investors. The 

first try saving more and spending 

less, while the latter prefer 

investing in the most liquid 

asset – the money. As a result 

of recession, the enterprises 

feel harder capital starvation, 

business activity declines, 

household incomes and the 

costs of enterprises go down, 

which leads to full circle: the 

recession gets worse. 

Transition from recession to 

recovery occurs in the same 

way. The trend is reversed 

when players receive a signal 

on reaching the bottom indicating 

that the decline is over. 

Those signals are highlighted 

by news reports and various 

investment signs, including 

estimates made by rating 

agencies, stock markets dynamics 

and real estate prices. 

Among the CIS countries 

only Russia and Kazakhstan 

have investment grade 

ratings ("BBB" and higher). 

Due to high level of international 

monetary reserves Russia’s 

rating remained at "BBB +" 

until February. However as a 

result of reduction of international 

monetary reserves, 

brought about by the outflow 

of private capital in the IV 

quarter of 2008, coupled with 

adverse conjecture in commodity 

markets, Russia’s longterm 

foreign issuer default 

rating was downgraded to 

"BBB" with negative outlooks 

in February. The agency predicts 

real GDP of Russia to 

decline 7% in 2009 before 

increasing 3,5% in 2010. 

In October 2007, Fitch 

Ratings agency cut the outlook 

for Kazakh sovereign rating 

from "positive" to "stable" and 

further to "negative". These 

actions by rating agency came 

out of fears related to possible 

problems with external liquidity, 

which could escalate into 

a broader threat to financial 

stability. The next downgrading 

of ratings happened in 

November 2008, when the 

foreign issuer default rating of 

Kazakhstan had been lowered 

from "BBB" to "BBB-". That 

was a reaction on worsening 

situation on global financial 

markets and falling commodity 

prices. In its comments, the 

agency stated that the need in 

support of banking sector and 

intention to maintain the national 

currency exchange rate 

"potentially may lead to the 

outflow of state currency 

assets and weaker state balance 

'. 

The abandonment of crawling 

peg, expressed in February 

devaluation mitigated the 

pressure on gold and foreign 

exchange reserves, which had 

a positive influence on ratings: 

"The risk of significant deterioration 

of state finances in 

the short term, associated with 

the non-compliance with obligations 

of two major banks 

weakened. Investor confidence 

remained strong enough 

despite the banks defaults and 

national currency devaluation. 

However, the pressure on 

rating remains over the medium 

term, which is largely 

explained by the fact that 

Kazakh banks, affected by the 

crisis, and slowing economy 

may require additional 

TEXT 

Economy 

government support, on top of 

pre-allocated sums”. In general, 

the forecast for the country's 

external finances was 

improved in February 2009, 

and the GDP of 

Kazakhstan’s Government 

in 2009 is forecasted to 

increase 1%. 

Stock markets in the post- 

Soviet countries are a lot less 

mature. Therefore the real 

estate prices would be more 

suitable for a cross-countries 

comparison available to both 

professionals and the general 

public. 

The United States "managed" 

to stop the decline in real estate 

prices: the average houses 

prices fell by 25% in Washington 

D.C., 15% in New York 

and 14% across the country on 

average compared to the peak 

prices in the summer of 2007. 

During this period the prices 

were in constant fall down. In 

Moscow the average price 

increased by 1.5 in autumn 

2008, and fell by 39% compared 

to the peak. The average 

price declined by only 8% 

compared to the prices in the 

mid-2007. There was a rise in 

prices (by 1,2 times) in Kiev 

as well since the beginning of 

crisis, however decrease in 

prices was greater – 24%. 

Almost similar dynamics were 

demonstrated by Tashkent 

market: as in case of the 

Ukrainian capital the maximum 

price was reached in 

August 2008. Similar to the 

U.S the prices in Kazakhstan 

fell without significant recovery, 

however the decline 

was significantly greater: the 

average price in Astana fell 

to 42%, while the average 

price in Almaty fell by 56%. 

These data show that, overall, 

recession in the CIS countries 

occurred one year later than in 

the United States. Real estate 

prices in Russia, Ukraine and 

Uzbekistan reached their peak 

in summer and autumn of 

2008, followed by slump to 

different levels. Being closely 

integrated into the global 

financial system, 

Kazakhstan entered the crisis 

"in step" with Western 

countries. 

Thanks to well-developed 

regulation system the United 

States did not allow for rapid 

slump, however this does not 

preclude the possibility of a 

long and "soft" in nature 

recession. This point of view 

is expressed by liberal economists. 

According to them the 

U.S. government is making 

the same mistake as during the 

Great Depression of the 30ies, 

when extensive government 

intervention delayed the 

exit of the economy out of 

recession. 

Obviously, as the prices fall 

lower, the markets become 

more attractive to investors. 

Moreover, the sooner the "bottom" 

is reached, the greater 

the possibility is for the early 

start of the state’s economic 

recovery. The international 

investors are interested in buying 

cheaper assets in developing 

countries. Depth and 

duration of the economic 

downturn in developing countries 

is different; therefore the 

countries with larger potential 

of recovery would possess 

greater attractiveness. These 

countries will be the first ones 

to receive the investment 

momentum, which inflames 

national economy and triggers 

recovery.

Questionnaire among 134 politicians, 

financiers and economists 

from 21 countries held by an 

independent analytical fund 

“Institute of post crisis world” 

showed: anti crisis “baggage” 

accumulated in our country is an 

example for neighbors on post 

soviet space. The specialists particularly 

estimated our balanced 

fiscal policy maintaining “liberal 

climate” for enterprise and 

replenishing the national treasury 

in such difficult term. 

By the way in crisis many countries 

corrected their tax 

“approaches”. For instance in 

Russia they changed VAT payment-order 

introducing a 

monthly contribution instead of 

quarter payments, cut down the 

income tax from 24% to 20%, 

while bonus depreciation on 

certain groups of fixed assets 

vice versa was raised from 10% 

to 30%. 

In UK VAT fell from 17, 5% to 


EWF 27 

Strong shoulder and pride of economy 

RK Government is elaborating 

a strategic plan of industrial 

-innovative development. 

The key-role in it is 

given to metallurgy. Miningmetallurgic 

complex of the 

country is a “strong shoulder” 

of domestic economy 

providing 22% of internal 

GDP. But an output’s competitiveness 

is to be raised for 

its development. How will it 

be done? 

Course of metal conversion 

By 2015 gross added value in 

metallurgy is to increase by 

over 107%. The goal is ambitious 

but achievable. 

To- date 26 projects worth 

KZT 1, 6 trillion and creation 

of 11(!) thousand working pla- 

Best fiscal example 

15% from 1 December of 2008, 

but duties on alcohol and tobacco 

rose by 8% and 4% accordingly. 

The raised tax income for 

those gaining over £ 150 thousand 

annually was delayed for 

April of 2011. 

In Germany they cancelled a 

transport tax (it was paid for a 

year after a new car’s buying), 

doubled fiscal bonus for qualified 

workers for two years and 

cut taxes for small and medium 

scale firms by ? 7bn. 

Kazakhstan power focused 

efforts on business activity. A 

new Tax code - an irreplaceable 

instrument backing up processing 

industry and SMSB in 

“growing” crisis came into force 

from 1 January of 2009. 

First of all fiscal pressing on non 

primary sector was initially 

reduced. Corporate tax to-date is 

20% against the previous 30% 

and by 2011 it will fall to 15%. 

Apart from that advance payments 

on corporate tax was also 

ces are under implementation 

in the branch. Construction of 

Temirtau metallurgic complex, 

production of polycrystalline 

silicone and ferrous manganese 

in Taraz metallurgic business 

are among them. 

One of the indexes of mining - 

metallurgic achievements of 

our country is registration of 

aluminum bars manufactured 

at Pavlodar electrolyze business 

in London metal 

exchange. 

Mining-metallurgic branch has 

withstood the crisis: the businesses 

had to “tighten the 

belts” in the circumstances of 

growing fiscal load on the real 

sector and falling market prices 

for production, but social programs 

were not sequestered. 

abolished for SMSB. 

Moreover, tax losses carry-forward 

for them was extended 

from 3 to 10 years; VAT - 

decreased from 13 to 12% and 

minimum volume of VAT- free 

turnover doubled - to KZT 

38mn. And a common 11%-rate 

replaced a descending social tax 

scale. 

Second: administrative barriers 

were eliminated, including limitation 

of powers of controlling 

and inspecting officials. The 

country’s leadership imposed a 

moratorium on checks in 

SMSB. A strict discipline and 

responsibility (dismissals and 

big fines) is envisaged for 

unplanned inspections by the 

state bodies, which is no less 

important. 

For comparison: according to 

the National institute of systemic 

researches of business problems 

pressure on tax bodies on 

SMSB in Russia doubled in the 

end of 2008 - early 2009. 

The staff was kept too. 

It is noteworthy that they plan 

to fund deep processing and 

creation of new conversion at 

the account of crediting means 

and the companies’ own 

resources. 

Thus the volumes in the sector 

will grow due to conversion 

and export of expensive output. 

The experts from republican 

Association of mining-metallurgic 

businesses have already 

prepared the list of motions for 

that. 

Taxes and subsoil wealth 

One of the motions is reconsideration 

of fiscal requirements. 

The new Tax code operating 

from 1 January stipulates a 

range of novelties in subsoil 

Third: investments preferences 

are also provided for all economic 

branches and their businesses. 

Particularly they defended a 

special tax regime on VAT -a 

70%-indulgence for agriculture, 

said Azat Peruashev in his interview 

to radio Eho Moskvy. 

It is noteworthy that our citizens 

share the optimism of Atameken’s 

chairman. Recently held 

questionnaire” Post USSR: estimation 

of the governments’anti 

crisis measures “showed that 

our republic is the only one in 

CIS, where positive expectations 

prevail: 73,4% of respondents 

are sure that the situation 

will not worsen as minimum 

and only 16,6% are pessimistic. 

By the survey was carried out 

only two weeks after one-time 

tenge devaluation initiated by 

RK Government and National 

Bank. 

Anastassiya Baitova 

users’ taxation. The branch was 

the first to “feel on its own 

skin” the difference between 

royalty and MET (mineral 

extraction tax) which became 

the main instrument in the tax 

policy in this sphere. 

In crisis the increased MET 

rates are putting pressure on the 

branch losing incomes. Thus 

the association and the business 

pin hopes on reconsideration 

of criteria, the more especially 

as mining resources in 

Kazakhstan have been exhausted. 

The association also reminded 

of some regional ecological 

payments. According to its authorities 

a moratorium should 

be imposed on their rise. 

☞ 28

28 EWF 

Price of transfer 

Another fiscal “aspect” is problem 

in transfer price -formation; 

the big companies are 

facing in external markets. The 

acting law is aimed at prevention 

of losses from the state 

budget in international operations. 

It does not admit fluctuation 

of the transaction price 

from market prices published 

in informational sources 

(excluding agriculture output). 

This normative-legal act also 

constitutes economic sanctions 

The best anti crisis program 

was elaborated in 

Kazakhstan - is the result of 

the Russian audit-consulting 

company “FBK” preparing 

an analytical report “CIS 

states and the world crisis: 

common challenges and different 

approaches”. The 

experts give a comparative 

evaluation of the current 

economic indexes. 

The specialists are sure that 

Kazakhstan is leading in anticrisis 

activity in spite of the 

fact that its economic indexes 

cede Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. 

Our republic demonstrates 

maximum stability in such circumstances. 

In the recent four months of 

2008 the republican economic 

dynamic favorably differed 

from CIS and western countries. 

Kazakhstan “felt” its 

impact only in 2009. Nevertheless 

its leadership in a group 

with Russia and Ukraine is 

undisputable, the authors note. 

A political decision on the bailout 

program was taken by the 

state leader Nursultan Nazarbayev 

in October of 2008. 

While the trail is hot the 

Government prepared a corresponding 

action plan. The 

in terms of additional tax 

assessment, penalties and 

administrative fines. 

The miners and metallurgists 

applied to the Cabinet for just 

and balanced approaches to 

determination of market cost 

in crisis term, particularly they 

asked to envisage fluctuation 

at 20% between the bargain 

and market price. 

“Points” on the map 

A new high-technological and 

industrial strategic plan will 

National and saving pension 

funds were involved in financing. 

For comparison: promulgating 

a package of anti crisis measures 

Azerbaijan leadership 

announced that they would not 

apply to any foreign financial 

sources. Nevertheless in 2008 

the World Bank allotted $ 

450mn to them for railways’ 

repair. 

Armenian anti crisis program 

laid an accent on development 

of infrastructure, small and 

medium scale business, while 

a social constituent of the 

country’s support remained 

beyond its frames. As opposed 

to their “brother-republics” the 

state is essentially using international 

help. 

Such countries as Belarus and 

Moldova did not present a 

concrete list of measures 

fighting crisis, the researchers 

note. 

However, the very Belarus is 

outstripping Russia in macroeconomic 

achievements - GDP 

in January-April of 2009 in the 

latter displayed “minus”. It 

should be reminded that RF 

anti crisis program was promulgated 

on 19 June of 2009. 

According to the specialists 

they “obviously underestimate 

KAZAKHSTAN 

SERBIEN MESSEN MESSEN TEXT 

become the main program for 

the country’s development. 

That’s why inspection of all 

the conceptions, doctrines and 

plans was declared. 

Especially the question is “30 

corporate leaders of 

Kazakhstan”: 97 projects, 

including 19 in mining-metallurgic 

sector, were competing 

for the promised state preferences. 

After a long and back-breaking 

procedure 45 potential 

projects were selected. Metall- 

measures stimulating demand”. 

But as for Moldova, economic 

challenges are deepening: 

bankruptcy of businesses, 

backdated wages, growing prices 

and interest rates, decline 

in crediting volumes and production, 

unpaid leaves, etc. 

The current socioeconomic 

results in January-April of 

2009 are the worst among CIS 

in this republic. 

Their bailout program, according 

to the experts’ estimations 

is quite efficient, but “does not 

enhance the budget’s revenue 

side”. 

Particularly they envisaged 

financial assistance to SMSB, 

timely funding of social guarantees 

and fulfillment of liabilities 

on salaries, common 

monthly public allowances, 

reduction of checks and simplification 

of licensing system 

for construction of social housing 

with budget means’ involvement. 

In Tajikistan the Government 

in their anti crisis program paid 

a special attention to the budget 

incomes (reconsideration 

of tax preferences) and reduction 

of the budget expenditures. 

Uzbekistan is among those 

presenting a full complex of 

urgic complexes were among 

the program’s pioneers - the 

abovementioned Pavlodar 

electrolyze business, Arcelor- 

Mittal Temirtau” and mining 

and concentrating business on 

Voskhod deposit. 

PM K. Masimov assured the 

businessmen that elaborating 

the Map of the industrial capacities’ 

rational placement they 

would take in into account 

their investment initiatives. 

Svetlana Antoncheva 

Economics: the moment of truth 

bailout measures. Traditional 

methods are successfully working 

there - tax preferences to 

SMSB, essential means for a 

real sector and customs remissions 

for local producers. 

Ukraine in this light did not 

keep their ends up. And it’s no 

wonder that such organization 

of anti-crisis work in the atmosphere 

of political woes negatively 

tells on the current 

socioeconomic results, the 

experts say. 

Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia 

experienced the crisis 

impact later than western 

countries. Export indexes and 

external trade-volumes as well 

as stock figures in these states 

have twice reduced and such 

problem as growing consumer 

prices also gives rise to concern. 

Nevertheless Kazakhstan 

advantageously differs from 

Russia and Ukraine. 

For instance unemployment 

growth in our republic made 

up 2, 9% in March against the 

same month of 2009 and it is 

lower only in Germany - 2, 

4%; in Russia and Ukraine 

they are 53, 8% and 34,8% 

correspondingly. 

Gold-foreign reserves reduced 

only by 1, 9% while in Russia 

- by 25, 1% and by 23, 6% in

Ukraine. Industrial volumes in 

Kazakhstan decreased by 7, 

4%, but by 13, 7% - in Russia 

and a “collapse” at 30% is 

obvious in the neighboring 

state. 

Real earnings are falling in RF 

(-5, 7%), while in other republics 

they are growing… 

Whose anti-crisis program is 

better? That’s the question 

frequently asked of late by 

the post-soviet space analysts. 

On expert conclusion 

Kazakhstan plan for economic 

stabilization is notable 

for its feasibility and practicality 

and is the best example to 

the neighbors. Publications 

in foreign media say the 

same. 

Own anti-crisis programs have 

been worked out in most postsoviet 

states, and the experts 

studying them find 

Kazakhstan’s to be the most 

efficient, as a main accent in it 

is placed on support to small 

and average business and on 

account of sizeable investment 

in infrastructure projects, giving 

a multiplicative effect. 

State investments stimulate 

demand in metallurgy, in construction 

materials’ production, 

and this experience could be 

emulated, says Igor Nikolayev, 

director of the strategic analysis 

department of “FBC”. 

He does not find Kazakhstan’s 

anti-crisis program “ideal” at 

that for its unjustified focus on 

bailing out the financial-credit 

system. But it has to be said for 

the country the plan was timely 

adopted and detailed out, unlike 

the Russian one that was not 

ready until RF found itself 

facing an acute phase of the crisis. 

Aleksey Vlasov, director-gene- 

The crisis has become a kind of 

a “moment of truth” for economics 

demonstrating the countries’ 

potential and the Governments’ 

efficiency to react to 

challenges. And according to 

the experts Kazakhstan anti crisis 

program “stands out due to 

its accessibility and safety”. 

ral of the info-analytical center 

with MSU researching into 

sociopolitical processes on the 

post-soviet space calls 

Kazakhstan the best template of 

state’s efforts in fighting the crisis. 

According to the polls by 

“Eurasia monitoring” research 

consortium over 20% of RK 

population are content with life 

even under crisis, in other postsoviet 

states this figure is higher 

in Uzbekistan alone – 42% . In 

Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Armenia 

and Moldova it is 17,12, 5, 4 

per cent respectively. 

85% of RK residents at that 

have confidence in their President 

and over half of them – in 

the government. 

-There is a feeling that the 

situation in Kazakhstan tends to 

improvement, - says Valery 

Fiodorov, head of the Russian 

public poll center. – The IMF 

spokesmen were recently 

appreciative of the country 

leadership’s actions in mitigating 

the crisis’ negative impact. 

They attribute it to proper 

management of the situation, 

funding of commercial banks 

and support to the real economy 

sector. 

Yulia Tsepliayeva, chief economist 

for Russia and CIS, Merill 

Lynch Securities Bank of America, 

stated: in Kazakhstan the 

recession set in for the first time 

in many years (with “usual” 

GDP growth making around 

10% a year). 


In crisis Kazakhstan pays much 

attention to investment in infrastructure 

projects and the state 

investments are able to create a 

chain of demand. Being channeled 

to such directions as 

transport and communal infrastructure, 

they will generate a 

multiplicative effect, - the 

Recipe for recovery 

Recently PM Karim Masimov 

declared this macroeconomic 

index upped by over three per 

cent in 2009 second quarter 

against the first. 

Y.Tsepliayeva also attributes 

the signs of recovery in 

Kazakhstan to the fact that the 

anti-crisis money was practically 

from the start pumped into 

economy. 

From the very start too the problems 

were apparent: in the 

neighbor states the soap bubble 

was inflating through budget, 

whereas in Kazakhstan – 

through second-tier banks 

(STB). Specialists agree it was 

a premature onset of the crisis 

that helped cope with the consequences 

of the former “gorgeousness” 

of the banks. 

Besides in RF the flight of the 

capital and drop of oil prices 

were concurrent, whereas in 

RK there was an over-half-year 

space between the two shocks, 

which gave the Government 

time to brace up for the challenge 

to come. 

Even before the crisis 

Kazakhstan was outpacing 

Russia in some of the reforms: 

“oil” budget, stabilizing fund, 

scaled tax amnesty. Concessions 

were made to the processing 

sector, small and average 

business. In RF, on the contrary, 

tax incomes are growing continuously. 

According to RF PM Vladimir 

Putin the anti-crisis “cost” them 

12% of GDP. In Kazakhstan 

EWF 29 

experts resumed. 

In the result in 2009 -2010 we 

expect such achievements: 1%- 

3% GDP growth annually, 7%- 

9% of inflation and 8% of 

unemployment of economically 

active population. 

Ildar Romanov 

fighting the negative impact in 

economy took a bit more – 14% 

of GDP. 

The experts regret to admit that 

so far in RF not a single per 

cent was contributed to sustain 

the real sector, and in RK over 

six per cent of GDP was distracted 

to it, which helped industrial 

production pick up. In 

June it “added” seven per cent 

to the same last-year term. 

Minerals’ extraction at the 

expense of direct foreign 

investment upped by 11,3%. In 

the previous crisis year China 

accounted for 40% of the entire 

foreign investment, and this 

year the Government is thinking 

of drawing another 3 bn 

dollars for the infrastructure 

development from Asia and 

Mid-East. 

RK leadership set a higher 

ambition upon recovery from 

the crisis: to modernize production 

and diversify economy, 

whereas many other countries’ 

single goal is survival alone. 

-It is difficult for Kazakhstan to 

hold on GDP growth tendency, 

I.Nikolayev observes, - as they 

heavily depend on exportimport 

with Russia, on the Russian 

economy that is not as 

dynamic. Anyway there are 

hopes the situation will be 

improving. 

Ildar Romanov

30 EWF 

“Make provision of coal for a 

rainy day”- the rehash of a 

well-known proverb can describe 

the year-round preparation 

for the heating season, the active 

phase of which starts in September. 

From the fall of 2008 ferrous 

and nonferrous metallurgy 

companies have been shut 

down throughout Kazakhstan. 

This June even “Bogatyr 

Komir” receded from its position 

despite of resumed extracting 

and shipping activities in 

previous volumes just in a 

month. What are perspectives of 

the coal industry in the context 

of volatile export directions? 

What can solid-fuel consumers 

expect in the new heating season? 

Will it be altered by the 

world financial crisis that has 

either affected coal-industry 

enterprises? 

Svetlana Antoncheva 

On coal alone 

Total geological reserves of 

Kazakhstan coals are estimated 

at 150bn tons with distributed 

volumes of A+B+C1+C2-category 

solid-fuel of over 34bn 

tons and non-commercial reserves 

of 28.6bn tons. Sixty-three 

percent of the estimated resources 

account for Karaganda, Ekibastus, 

Teniz-Korzhankol coal 

basins and Kushokin, Borlin, 

Shubarkol and Karazhyr coalfields. 

-In terms of “solid” reserves 

Kazakhstan is one of the world 

top-ten leaders after China, US, 

Russia, Australia, India, South 

Africa, Germany and Ukraine, - 

states Vladimir Klyakin, deputy 

director of electric power and 

coal industry’s development 

department of the energy and 

mineral resources ministry 

(EMRM). –During the last 

years the extraction volume has 

been stable with 95-100mn tons 

per year and export shipments 

at an around-30% level. The 

bulk of coal is consumed by the 

republic, thereby fully satisfying 

needs of its electric and heat 

power industries, public utility 

facilities, budget organizations 

and the population… 

The republic currently operates 

33 coal companies; the biggest 

are LLP “Bogatyr Komir”, coal 

strip mines of “Vostochnyi” 

(Eastern) and JSC “Shubarkol 

Komir” of Eurasian Energy 

Corporation, “Borly” coal 

department of “Kazahmys” corporation. 

They invested more 

than $3bn in subsurface resources 

management in the past ten 

years. 

Main suppliers of coking coals 

for internal consumption and 

export are “Arselor Mittal 

Temirtau” mines and “Gefest” 

coal industry association’s 

enterprises in Karaganda coal 

basin. 

Basic suppliers of thermal coal 

for RK TPPs (thermal power 

plants) are Ekibastuz hard coal 

basin, Maikuben coal basin, 

and Shubarkol, Karazhyr and 

Borlin coalfields. 

According to the EMRM, chief 

importers are Ural and West 

Siberian electric power stations. 

In keeping with the RK-RF 

joint fuel-and-energy balance 

up to 2020 Ekibastuz coals’ 

export is to be 20-22mn tons a 

year. 

According to the forecast in the 

concept of Kazakhstan coal 

industry’s development up to 

2020, the extraction volume 

will grow up to 158.35mn tons 

by the end of the term in question 

with a 60.1%-increase compared 

to the pre-crisis 2006year 

indices. Kazakhstan thermal 

coals’ consumption is to 

grow up to 121.3mn tons standing 

for a 46.4%-increase. 

The same document states that 

KAZAKHSTAN 

SERBIEN MESSEN MESSEN TEXT 

Energy of solid resources 

even after full provision of the 

current, expanded and new 

power-generating facilities and 

supplies to Russia, free resources 

of Ekibastuz coals will be 

9.78mn tons a year in 2010, 

7.88mn – in 2015 and in 0.63 - 

in 2020. 

Construction of new mines and 

coal strip mines, reconstruction 

and re-equipment with or without 

production capacities’ 

growth implies considerable 

investments. The underground 

mining method’s “input” in 

extraction of coking coals can 

be more than $2bn. Investments 

in open-pit extraction 

development equal $1.8bn. 

Miners’ anti-crisis 

In January 2009 the leadership 

of Kazakhstan association of 

mining and metallurgy enterprises 

(AMME) declared that the 

branch “was facing grave challenges: 

curtailed production 

caused tangible shrinkage of 

orders’ volumes; the customers 

did not pay the coal companies”. 

Along with that the fiscal load 

on the real sector has increased. 

The new Tax code abolished 

stable regime for subsurface 

resources management contracts. 

Thus, according to the 

estimates of LLP “Bogatyr 

Komir” it will have to pay 19.9 

times more for the use of land 

plots, and 6.7 times more in the 

from of special payments for 

natural resources use. The total 

sum of budget commitments 

has grown by 46%. 

Nevertheless the government 

is backing the industry: the 

mineral extraction rate for coal 

is zero. 

The AMME head Nikolai 

Radostovets stated a drop in 

coking-coal sales (the demand 

for it is determined by steel and 

ferrous alloys’ output) that 

keeps going down. But the crisis 

left almost intact the demand 

for domestic coal used in municipal 

heating, for which it is 

almost irreplaceable. The weather 

also affected the market: the 

winter of 2009 was relatively 

warm and producers could not 

sell their commodity in full… 

-Enterprises were idle either 

partially or for a long time from 

the last year’s fourth quarter, as 

consumption and output of thermal 

power plants significantly 

decreased. That told on extraction 

volumes as coal-fired 

power plants account for 

around 75% of the nation’s 

electric power, - V.Klyakin 

commented. 

“Bogatyr Komir” company 

stood in the gap. According to 

the energy ministry, shipping 

volumes in the four months of 

the current year have dropped 

by 33% year-on-year. From this 

May TPPs started scheduled 

shutdowns for equipment 

repairs that caused transfer of 

June shipments to this month. 

Mining activities were”silent” 

during 30 days with concurrent 

full-scale repairs, but from 1 

July both extraction and shipments 

were resumed in full – 92 

thousand tons a day. 

The experts assure the temporary 

shutdown of “Bogatyr” did 

not tell badly on performance of 

the country’s TPPs that availed 

of fuel stored during previous 

months. 

-The internal market will be 

provided with coal completely, 

- LLP “Bogatyr Komir” leadership 

asserts. – And the demand 

for it will be growing. 

After several months of the 

August temporary closing 

down “Batyr”, “Zapadnaya” 

and “Kirovskaya” mines are up 

and running at full capacity. 

Extraction was frozen from 

October till June there.

According to Natalya Ryzhkova, 

“Kazakhstanskaya Pravda” 

correspondent in Karaganda 

oblast, the enterprise was prepared 

for the next “heave”: the 

premises and equipment were 

under repair, an innovative 

system was introduced, and 

working conditions were 

improved. The state commission 

accepted for operation new 

long-wall faces at “Kirovskaya” 

and “Zapadnaya” (Western) 

mines. Already in June “Batyr” 

and “Zapadnaya” miners worked 

full-time with “Lad- 

Komir” and “Karugleresurs” 

washhouses in July and 

“Kirovskaya” mine in August 

too. 

The miners say the reasserted 

operating order and level of 

incomes was the best gift for 

the Miner’s Day. And the stable 

operation of “Gefest” enterprises 

is certain to replenish the 

oblast treasury with more funds. 

It should be noted to the coalproducers’credit 

that leaders of 

the industrial enterprises lived 

up to their social commitments 

and realized that mass layoffs 

and unpaid leaves were to be 

avoided by all means. Their 

good intentions were enshrined 

in relevant memoranda with 

the Government. 

Season and off-season 

-Today’s volume of TPP-stored 

coal exceeds the year-on-year 

mark and we can be sure of coal 

companies’ capacities to provide 

power producers with 

enough fuel for the entire 

autumn-winter season, - underlined 

Vladimir Klyakin, deputy 

director of electric power and 

coal industry’s development 

department of the energy and 

mineral resources ministry. 

For instance, “Bogatyr” has 

already signed contracts with 

Russian partners and specified 

seasonal supplies’ volumes. 

According to the company’s 

leadership, production capacities 

enable them to fully meet 

the consumers’ demand. And 

the coal price hike is not the target 

of the near future. Moreover, 

the Government resolved to 

keep down railroad tariffs this 

year (in some regions they 

account for 70% of the coal 

delivery price). 


Astana by night - Baiterek 

…In the past five years Ekibastuz 

coal producers increased 

their output cost by 30% to 

make it around 800 tenge per 

ton (excluding VAT). The 

domestic coal price has grown 

by less than a third to make 1 

000 tenge per ton (excluding 

VAT). It is twice cheaper than a 

ton of crushed stone. The Agency 

for competition protection is 

monitoring prices. At the same 

time some producers (“Bogatyr 

Komir”, “Shubarkul Komir” 

company and “Eurasian Energy 

Corporation” – the owner of 

“Vostochnyi” coalfield) are deemed 

to be monopoly suppliers. 

More than once the need for 

state-pricing leverages in the 

internal coal market was raised. 

The Agency for regulation of 

natural monopolies submitted a 

relative offer to the government 

that turned it down. 

-I do not believe in a stiff administrative 

tool to hold prices 

down. The market is self-regulating. 

It is quite competitive: 

there is no deficiency, price 

development is stable and coal 

producers have no surplus profits, 

- N.Radostovets assumes. 

EWF 31 

Export perspectives are linked 

to development of the neighborstate’s 

energy grids, in the first 

place, as a set of them were 

designed for firing of Ekibastuz 

“original goods” (for instance, 

power plants of Western Siberia 

and South-Ural region of Russia). 

Last year even the signed deals 

did not help home producers 

export their coals to Europe for 

the lack of coordination between 

states’railway administrations 

and freight wagons, which 

became available by the top of 

2009 due to the ceased traffic 

volume. 

The AMME head says the 

enterprises are “optimistic 

about perspective shipments to 

Poland and Czech republic”. 

The priority task of the coal 

industry and its “tutor” – the 

energy and mineral resources 

industry is full satisfaction of 

the internal demand for highquality 

solid fuel and its unlimited 

export to near- and far-abroad 

states. 

Kazakhstan is a serious player 

in the world coal market and 

this status ought to be upheld.

east west forum - Kazakhstan Embassy

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