President Urges Foreign Ministry Focus on Economic Diplomacy

A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ
ISSUE NO. 442 / FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
<strong>President</strong> <strong>Urges</strong> <strong>Foreign</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong> <strong>Focus</strong>
on Economic Diplomacy
<strong>President</strong> Addresses Nur Otan
Congress in Elections Preparation
Kazakh Delegation Offers Nation’s
Experience at African Summit
In <strong>Focus</strong>:
<strong>Foreign</strong> Policy Priorities
Also In The News

<strong>President</strong> addresses MFA board meeting, including ambassadors and senior ministry management
<strong>President</strong> <strong>Urges</strong> <strong>Foreign</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong> <strong>Focus</strong> on Economic Diplomacy
<strong>President</strong> Nursultan Nazarbayev directed the Kazakh <strong>Ministry</strong> of
<strong>Foreign</strong> Affairs to increase its emphasis on international economic
activities during a Feb. 3 extended meeting of the ministry’s board.
<strong>Foreign</strong> Minister Erlan Idrissov, other government ministers, Chairman
of Astana EXPO 2017 Akhmetzhan Yessimov, Kazakh ambassadors
and the <strong>Ministry</strong>’s senior management attended the meeting.
Nazarbayev noted that the ministry was created 25 years ago
under difficult conditions and thanked the ministry’s diplomats for
strengthening the independence of the state and developing its
foreign policy.
community considers the Plan of the Nation “100 Concrete Steps to
implement five institutional reforms” as a serious political message
of Kazakhstan’s commitment to evolutionary development and
progressive integration into the system of global relations,” said
Idrissov.
He added that the current global economic situation requires, above
all, improving the methods and tools of expansion of “economic
diplomacy.” According to Idrissov, a key focus of the <strong>Foreign</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong>
is to attract foreign investment, facilitate implementation of industrial
and innovative projects and the “Nurly Zhol” (Path to the Future)
programme of massive investments into infrastructure development.
“Today, our country has diplomatic relations with 178 countries;
there are 60 Kazakh embassies and diplomatic missions covering
94 countries, more than 50 diplomatic missions of other states and
international organisations operate in Kazakhstan. Many foreign policy
initiatives have been implemented due to our diplomacy. Kazakhstan
for the first time claims to be a non-permanent member of the UN
Security Council. In this regard, we hope to get support from countries
with which we have friendly relations,” said the <strong>President</strong>.
Nazarbayev added that Kazakhstan has also helped create
international organisations, such as the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building
Measures in Asia (CICA) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
He also reminded that Kazakhstan hosted the OSCE summit, the first
in this century, and the 38th Session of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation Council of <strong>Foreign</strong> Ministers.
“All this had a positive effect. Carrying out these activities led to the
sounding of the name of our country in the international arena. At
the same time, the challenges ahead are no less important. Therefore,
taking into account our achievements, today we have to think about
the next steps,” the Kazakh <strong>President</strong> concluded.
During the meeting, Idrissov noted that the foreign ministry would
continue to promote the foreign policy and economic interests of
the country to develop Kazakhstan’s international authority and
strengthen bilateral cooperation with other states.
“Nowadays, Kazakhstan has a high international prestige… [Many
foreign leaders] expressed their support for ongoing course of political
and economic reforms as well as policy of peace. The international
“Implementation of Strategy 2050, the ideology of Mangilik El (Eternal
Nation), a gradual achievement of the stated goal of joining the 30
most-developed countries, creation of favourable external conditions
for political, economic and social reforms inland and protection of
national interests abroad remain the key priorities of the Kazakh
<strong>Foreign</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong>,” said Idrissov.
He also emphasised that Kazakhstan has become a recognised leader
in nuclear disarmament and an active moderator in the dialogue of
cultures, religions and civilisations.
Measures to ensure participation of foreign states in EXPO 2017
Astana were also discussed at the meeting. So far, 70 countries have
officially confirmed plans to participate in the expo.
“Today, our country has diplomatic relations with
169 countries; there are 60 foreign embassies and
diplomatic missions covering 94 countries, more
than 50 diplomatic missions of other states and
international organisations operate in Kazakhstan.
Many foreign policy initiatives have been
implemented due to our diplomacy. Kazakhstan
for the first time claims to be a non-permanent
member of the UN Security Council. In this regard,
we hope to get support from countries with which
we have friendly relations.”
- <strong>President</strong> Nursultan Nazarbayev
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 442 / 2 Back to Contents
Calling

The governing party held a congress on Jan. 29, as all parties are preparing candidates for the early election
<strong>President</strong> Addresses Nur Otan Congress in Elections Preparation
An initiative by Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) deputies and
resulting action by <strong>President</strong> Nursultan Nazarbayev to dissolve the
chamber and hold early parliamentary elections has Kazakh political
parties scrambling to set their slates for the March 20 election.
Candidate nominations, which began Jan. 20, will continue through
Feb. 8.
The Mazhilis is composed of 107 members, 98 elected by popular
vote and the balance by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.
The previous convocation included 83 representatives from the Nur
Otan Party, eight from the Ak Zhol Democratic Party and seven from
the Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan (CPPK).
Chaired by Nazarbayev, Nur Otan adopted a new election
programme, “Kazakhstan-2021: Unity. Stability. Creation,” as part
of its XVII Congress, held Jan. 29 in Astana. The platform is based
on the 100 Concrete Steps Plan of the Nation to execute the five
institutional reforms.
“We support our working population through implementation of the
Employment Roadmap-2020 Programme. There [should be] no place
for unemployment in Kazakhstan. We have all the resources in place
to avoid it,” said Nazarbayev, discussing unemployment problems in
the world. “250 million people are unemployed worldwide. 1.7 billion
people are capable of working, but only 1.2 billion have permanent
jobs.”
The congress was attended by more than 2,000 government officials,
heads of national holdings, social activists, scientific and cultural
figures, representatives of NGOs and youth organisations, foreign
diplomats and the news media. The party concluded its proceedings
by approving 127 candidates for its list. The Nur Otan slate includes
only 33 of its current Mazhilis members, with the openings assumed
by government officials, several business executives, prominent
sportsmen and popular singers.
The other parties had similar congresses. The All-Nation Social
Democratic Party gathered Jan. 30, the Auyl Social Democratic Party
convened Feb. 1, the CPPK met Feb 2, and the Ak Zhol the following
day. Birlik (Unity) Party is holding congress on Feb 5 with the Azat
Democratic Party remanining silent about whether it will seek
participation in the election or not.
Although Nur Otan held the overwhelming majority of seats in the last
Mazhilis, its future composition is expected to be comprised of more
parties, noted political scientist and Alternative Consultancy Director
Andrey Chebotarev. His comments, made during “Kazakhstan-
Russia: beginning of a new political year,” an international roundtable
held recently in Astana, were reported by Interfax.kz.
Chebotarev added the dissolution of the Mazhilis is linked to the fact
that Kazakhstan is facing major changes, in particular the increased
powers of the Parliament and government.
He added nearly 400,000 new jobs will be created across the country
under the Nurly Zhol (Path to the Future) programme projects in the
upcoming years.
In addressing the party, Nazarbayev noted its 17-year leadership in the
Mazhilis served as the foundation of Kazakh economic and societal
achievements. The total volume of the national economy grew 23
times, 28 new economic sectors have been created during the last six
years and 890 new productions began operation. Kazakh companies
now produce 400 new types of products and the per capita GDP
increased 20 times.
Kazakhstan is the first nation to activate the five institutional reforms
based on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) standards. Realising the changes will require an effective
and technologically-sound national apparatus and the head of state
noted the world is watching the way in which they are implemented.
“During the last presidential election, <strong>President</strong> Nazarbayev carefully
outlined that the state will focus on constitutional reform, which
involves the transfer of power from the <strong>President</strong> to Parliament and
government,” he said. “Holding an early parliamentary election is the
first step on the way to build a new structure of the Mazhilis, with
more parties represented. Apparently, the new composition of the
Mazhilis will have to implement that transfer of powers in practice.”
An initiative by Mazhilis (lower house of
Parliament) deputies and resulting action by
<strong>President</strong> Nursultan Nazarbayev to dissolve
the chamber and hold early parliamentary
elections has Kazakh political parties
scrambling to set their slates for the March 20
election. Candidate nominations, which began
Jan. 20, will continue through Feb. 8.
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 442/ 3
Calling
Back to Contents

DFM Yerzhan Ashikbayev (left) with African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. NC Dlamini-Zuma
Kazakh Delegation Offers Nation’s Experience at African Summit
The distance between Kazakhstan and the southern tip of Africa may
be 9,786 kilometres, but it has not prevented the Central Asian nation
from taking great interest in the continent.
A Kazakh delegation led by Deputy <strong>Foreign</strong> Minister Yerzhan
Ashikbayev participated with observer status in the 26th African
Union (AU) heads of state and government assembly, held Jan. 21-
31 in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme was “African year of human
rights with particular focus on the rights of women.”
As AU’s supreme organ, the assembly regulates policies, forms
priorities, ratifies the annual programme and monitors the policy and
decision administration. The summit was dedicated to the issues of
sustainable development in Africa in terms of realising the Agenda
2063 goals. The participants discussed topics of economic and
investment cooperation, regional security provisions and promoting
the human rights and migration policy.
Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has worked to
consolidate the development process and open markets throughout
the world. The last 20 years have seen the Kazakh per capita GDP
increase by a factor of 18 by establishing specific goals to update,
industrialise and reform the political system and the country wishes
to share the road to those accomplishments with other nations.
“We have an interest in contributing to the modernisation and
transformation of Africa,” said Ashikbayev in an interview with EFE
published on laprensasa.com. “We can share the experience we have
accumulated with African countries.”
Expanding trade with other nations is one of Kazakhstan’s goals in
its recent admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The
country has “great expectations” for the future despite the fact the
effects of trade liberalisation “have yet to be seen,” he added.
Collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), Kazakhstan organised a special event during the
assembly dedicated to strengthening South-South cooperation
for implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Africa.
Ashikbayev told the foreign ministers and heads of international
organisations about recent achievements in Kazakhstan and
its contribution in achieving SDGs and the global cooperation
programme. He referred to the similarities between Kazakhstan’s
2050 Strategy and AU’s Agenda 2063 in terms of SDG application.
The participants also learned about a $2 million Kazakh-
UNDP cost-sharing projection aimed at providing institutional
development assistance to African countries. The venture is in
addition to Kazakhstan’s ongoing assistance in promoting South-
South knowledge exchange and offering expertise in coal, oil and
gas mining, sustainable transport management, urban sanitation,
arid land irrigation and growing wheat. Attention was also drawn to
Kazakhstan’s proposal to create the Islamic Organisation for Food
Security, which represents the nation’s contribution to prevent
hunger and food security problems in Africa.
Ashikbayev’s comments on the timeliness and relevance of the
Kazakh initiatives were reinforced by those in attendance. Ethiopian
<strong>Foreign</strong> Minister Tedros Ghebreyesus noted the importance of Kazakh
technical assistance rendered to African countries and stressed the
necessity to further advance and strengthen relations among the
developing countries in the bloc. UN Secretary General’s Special
Adviser on Africa Maged A. Abdelaziz emphasised the continent’s
growing role in the modern world, which opens new prospects for
cooperation, and suggested taking advantage of the opportunities.
Ashikbayev also used the opportunity to meet with AU Commission
Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, emphasising the
union’s important role in the development of the continent and
achievements in overcoming poverty and increasing people’s welfare,
preventing conflicts and providing for regional security. She noted she
appreciated the country’s participation in the summit and expressed
confidence that mutually-beneficial relations between Kazakhstan
and the AU will continue to grow.
The foreign minister convened with 20 of his counterparts to discuss
further cooperation and ensure mutual support for many important
initiatives on international platforms. On behalf of Kazakh <strong>President</strong>
Nursultan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister Karim Massimov, he
also extended invitations to attend EXPO 2017, the international
exhibition with the theme of future energy to be held next year in
Astana.
“We have an interest in
contributing to the modernisation
and transformation of Africa.”
- Deputy <strong>Foreign</strong> Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 442/ 4
Calling
Back to Contents

In <strong>Focus</strong>: <strong>Foreign</strong> Policy Priorities
Strengthening UN & Int’l Security
Impact of Lifting of Sanctions on Iran Discussed in Astana
The opportunities presented by the fact that sanctions on Iran are
being lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
were discussed at a special briefing at the Kazakh <strong>Foreign</strong> <strong>Ministry</strong> on
Jan. 28.
Economic counsellors at the United States Embassy Patrick Horn and
the delegation of the European Union in Kazakhstan Niall Leonard
took part in the briefing hosted by Deputy <strong>Foreign</strong> Minister Askar
Mussinov.
The main issue of the discussion was a list of the sanctions to be lifted.
“Against the backdrop of negative events in the world, this agreement
is a bright spot and a breakthrough. I would like to underline that
Kazakhstan played a significant role in addressing this important
international process. Thus, we organised two rounds of talks between
the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the
United Kingdom and the United States, with the High Representative
of the European Union for <strong>Foreign</strong> Affairs and Security Policy) and
Iran in Almaty in 2013. International experts emphasise the key role of
Kazakhstan in accelerating this process,” highlighted Mussinov.
The EU and the U.S. adopted the necessary legal acts to lift all
sanctions taken in connection with the Iranian nuclear programme.
Authorisation of dual-use goods should be granted by the competent
authorities of the member states where the exporter is established.
Welcoming Investment
Hosting Astana Expo 2017
Kazakh National Business ‘Champions’ to Discuss
Expanding Exports to Iran
Germany Prepares to Take Part in EXPO 2017
On Jan. 27, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Germany Bolat Nussupov
met with Commissioner General of the German Pavilion at EXPO
2017, representative of the Federal <strong>Ministry</strong> for Economic Affairs and
Energy of Germany Dietmar Schmitz.
During the meeting, Commissioner of the German Pavilion at EXPO
2017 said that over the past period Germany had done a great deal
of work in this area and was currently finishing internal procedures
to develop the concept of the German pavilion and prepare for the
signing of the relevant framework agreement.
According to Schmitz, holding of the EXPO 2017 in Astana will create
conditions for successful diversification of the Kazakh economy. In
order to present and promote EXPO 2017 in the international arena,
the German Commissioner proposed to use the Kazakh stand at the
globally known international travel trade show ITB-Berlin, which will
take place March 9-13 in Berlin.
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 442/ 5
Calling
A Kazakh-Iranian business forum will be held Feb. 7 in Tehran,
Iran, according to the Baiterek National Holding press service. A
memorandum of understanding between Baiterek and the National
Development Fund of Iran defining the priorities of the companies’
joint work is among the documents to be signed. In particular,
the parties will cooperate in the fields of industrial and innovative
development, informational technology and other industries. The
partnership aims to support investment and achieve its impact
in accordance with the economic development plans of the two
countries.
During the forum, the Minister of Investment and Development
of Kazakhstan Asset Issekeshev and Baiterek CEO Kuandyk
Bishimbayev are expected to meet with the Minister of Industry,
Trade and Mines, Minister of Oil, Minister of Roads and Urban
Development and Minister of Agriculture of Iran, as well as Iranian
Vice <strong>President</strong> for Science and Technology Soren Sattar.
More 100 Kazakh companies are slated to attend the forum, including
40 Baiterek partner companies, four national champions (Alageum
Electric, Caspian Beverage Holding, Eurasian Food Corporation and
Zhigermunayservis) and more than 40 companies operating in the
manufacturing, food processing, machine building, petrochemical,
agriculture and other sectors of the economy. (baiterek.gov.kz)
Back to Contents

Also In The News...
• New container train service through Kazakhstan launched
On Feb. 1, a new container train service on the China-Iran route
via Kazakhstan was launched. The 9,000-kilometre route runs
from the city of Yiwu (Zhejiang Province, East China) through
the Alashankou-Dostyk border crossing to Kazakhstan’s
new Zhezkazgan-Beineu and Uzen-Bolashak lines and via
Turkmenistan’s railway network to Tehran. With only a 10-day
transit time, the 40-foot containers on the train can travel much
faster overland than by sea, which takes from 25 – 30 days. In
establishing the new service, the railway companies of China,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran collaborated to identify logistics
solutions needed to speed up the delivery of cargo from East China
to Persian Gulf markets. The launch of the service was attended by
Mayor of Yiwu City Chiu Shen Ping and representatives from the
China Railway Container Transport Group, Kazakhstan Railways,
the international transport and logistics holding TransInvest Group
and others. (railways.kz)
• Air Astana and Air France to share flights
Air Astana, Air France and KLM have strengthened their cooperation
by signing a code-sharing agreement for flights between Astana
and Paris operated by Air Astana. Starting from March 11, the three
weekly flights will be given a marketing code of KLM and Air France.
This agreement will allow passengers using international networks
to purchase tickets to travel to the capital of Kazakhstan. The
airlines also signed an agreement on the transfer of passengers and
baggage to facilitate cooperation and increase transit flow. Starting
from March 11, departures and arrivals at Charles de Gaulle airport
by Air Astana flights will be moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 for
the more convenient transfer of passengers. (kazpravda.kz)
• KazISS joins leading global think tanks
The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the <strong>President</strong>
(KazISS) was recognised as a regional leader in four categories
of the Global Go-To Think Tanks rating index of 2015. The rating
is made by the think tanks and civil societies programme at the
University of Pennsylvania, which explores the role policy institutes
play in governments and civil societies around the world. The rating
results from the analysis of more than 6,600 think tanks worldwide.
According to the new rating, KazISS is among the top 100 best
centres for security, defence and foreign policy research. It also
entered the list of leading think tanks for the first time, taking 57th
place in the world. (kisi.kz)
• National television of Kazakhstan to cooperate with Vietnam
Television
Vietnam Television (VTV) and the Kazakhstan National Television
and Radio Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding
and cooperation with the intention of expanding cooperation
between Kazakhstan and Vietnam in information provision. The
memorandum was signed during the meeting of Ambassador of
Kazakhstan to Vietnam Beketzhan Zhumakhanov and <strong>President</strong>
of Vietnam Television Chan Bin Min. The memorandum aims to
expand communication between the people of the two countries
and strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in television,
creating joint activities for exchanging experience in television
production and in the protection of copyright and related rights.
(mfa.gov.kz)
• Video cameras to appear on Almaty roads in 2016
A new automated informational system on road safety, uniting
105 fixed stations and using 663 cameras, has been introduced in
Almaty. In the last year alone, police have identified more than
614,000 offences using the new system. According to police,
these measures helped reduce such violations related to crossing
oncoming lanes by 45 percent, pedestrian crossings by 11.7 percent
and road intersections by 16.3 percent.
• Grant competition for internships in American startups
announced
The Shakhmardan Yessenov Science and Education Foundation
has announced a grant competition for internships in some of
the fastest-growing startups in Silicon Valley. The programme,
“Internship in IT startups in the U.S.,” was launched by the fund
last year. It aims to develop the intellectual potential of Kazakhstan.
The key selection criteria are professional skills and a desire for
personal growth. According to requirements published on the
foundation’s website, applicants must know English but need not
be professionals yet. The competition is also open to students still
working on bachelors or master’s degrees in information technology.
(yessenovfoundation.org)
• GGG to fight Dominic Wade
Kazakhstan’s middleweight World Boxing Council (WBC)
interim champion and unified World Boxing Association (WBA),
International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing
Organisation (IBO) middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin
will face American Dominic Wade in California’s Forum Arena on
April 23. (boxingnewsonline.net)
• Almaty boy awarded medal for courage
On Feb. 2, 11-year-old Daniyar Satybaldy was given an award pin for
his courage during a house fire. Satybaldy saved his younger sisters
and brother from the fire by breaking a window and pulling them
from the burning house. During the awards ceremony at school 152,
Satybaldy said he wants to become a rescuer when he grows up.
According to tengrinews.kz, the fire took place Nov. 29 in a private
house in the district of Almaty. (tengrinews.kz)
ASTANA CALLING A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION /
WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ
Please send comments and questions to pressa@mfa.kz
Astana ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 442/ 6
Calling
Back to Contents