ASTANA (TCA) — A meeting of the Government of Kazakhstan on October 17 reviewed the results of the country’s socio-economic development for January-September 2017, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov reported that in January-September the economy of Kazakhstan retained the growth rate registered in January-August, at the level of 4.3%. This was facilitated by macroeconomic stability and investment activity, as well as favorable conditions in foreign markets.

The main drivers of growth were industry, construction, trade, transport and communications.

Industry since the beginning of the year has demonstrated a steady growth, which in January-September reached 8.3%. The volume of production in the mining industry increased 11.3%. The growth of manufacturing industry was 5.7%. Significant growth was observed in industries focused on the domestic market, primarily the production of pharmaceuticals, light industry, food and beverage products, and petroleum products.

Stable growth rates were also demonstrated by export-oriented industries, such as ferrous metallurgy production by 7.8% and non-ferrous metal production by 6.6%.

In agriculture, growth remained at 1.9%, while construction has accelerated from 0.1% in January-August to 3.5% in January-September.

For 9 months of this year, the volume of investments in fixed assets increased by 4.4%. The greatest increase in investments was observed in trade and construction, as well as in industry as a result of ongoing modernization of heat and water supply networks.

The growth of investments in fixed assets was primarily ensured by internal sources, while external sources of financing decreased.

Gross inflow of foreign direct investments increased by 8.6% to $10.5 billion in the first half of 2017. At the beginning of October, the country’s international reserves amounted to $89.4 billion as a result of the growth of gold and foreign currency reserves by 10.2%.

The government expects that by the end of the year, the economy will grow at a level of at least 3.4%.

TASHKENT (TCA) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on October 16 received the visiting leader of Russia’s North Caucasus region of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Uzbek presidential press service said.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Launch of the Koshoi sugar processing plant in the Chui province of northern Kyrgyzstan is an important step in ensuring the country’s food security, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Tolkunbek Abdygulov said at the plant’s launch ceremony.

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TASHKENT (TCA) — A prominent Uzbek human rights advocate, Ganihon Mamathonov, has been released by Uzbek authorities after spending eight years in prison, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service reports.

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DUSHANBE (TCA) — The European Union-funded Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP) late last week handed over specialized medical equipment (medical beds, laryngoscopes, defibrillator, patient monitors, oxygen concentrator, biochemical semiautomatic analyser and others) to the regional narcological centre in Tajikistan’s Kulyab city, the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan said.

EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Ambassador Peter Burian took part in the handover ceremony. “We hope that with the provision of the equipment, the assortment and quality of the service provided for the treatment of drug dependence and emergency care to drug users will be significantly expanded,” he said.

Dr. Mahmadrahim Malahov, Director of the Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology and other representatives of the Ministry of Healthcare from the region and local departments of health (Kulyab district, Khatlon region) were also present. They thanked the European Union for providing such essential medical equipment for the regional narcological clinic.

“We are sure that implementation of joint projects in key drug policy directions will increase effectiveness of measures undertaken in reducing drug supply and drug demand and will help us to decrease threats of drug use,” told Dr Malahov.

The medical equipment will be used at the emergency department. It renders specialised narcological help to drug users, such as with overdoses and other drug-related conditions.

CADAP purchased the medical equipment based on official request from the Republican Clinical Centre of Narcology within its Treatment Component, implemented by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. The cost of the provided equipment is 41000 Euros.

CADAP 6 represents continuity of the EU policy and long-term engagement with Central Asian partners to help further strengthen their national strategies in drug and drug demand reduction policies. The programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Consortium from the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany, led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

KABUL (TCA) — Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said on October 15 that the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline which is being built in Turkmenistan is expected to reach the Afghan border in Herat by January, TOLOnews agency reported.

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