TCA
NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — During his working trip to London, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Askar Mamin met with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti. Mamin and Chakrabarti signed a document on modernization of healthcare infrastructure in Kazakhstan, the prime minister’s press service reported on December 12.
TCA
NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — As part of his working trip to the USA, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Askar Mamin visited San Francisco and met with the leadership of leading world companies in the field of innovative and digital development, venture financing and energy, the prime minister’s press service reported on December 11.
The prime minister met with the leadership of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum and discussed promising areas of cooperation in the field of regulation of innovative technologies with the WEF Managing Director Richard Samans.
Following the meeting, the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Astana International Financial Center signed a document on strategic partnership in the development of the Internet of Things, which was the first step towards the opening in 2020 in Kazakhstan of the WEF Affiliate Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Similar institutions operate in Israel, India, China, the United Arab Emirates, Colombia, South Africa, the USA and Japan, contributing to the provision of systemic state support for the development of the latest technologies and innovative projects.
Prime Minister Mamin also held talks with CEO of 500 Startups venture fund Christine Tsai, as a result of which an agreement was signed on QazTechVentures JSC Kazakhstan national development institute’s joining the V Global Fund 500 Startups.
The document provides for the creation of a joint Thematic Venture Fund in Kazakhstan. The project will give an impetus to the development of venture financing and innovative entrepreneurship, providing start-up companies with venture capital.
Following Mamin’s negotiations with Chief Financial Officer of the BrightSphere Investment Group Suren Rana, Kazakhstan Direct Investment Fund and BSIG signed a memorandum of cooperation in creating a joint fund in 2020 to finance infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan.
BSIG is a leading global investment group that manages over $200 billion. It implements projects in 30 countries through 7 management companies, has 20 offices around the world and more than 850 institutional and large corporate clients.
Mamin discussed the development of an innovative ecosystem, venture capital and start-up projects in Kazakhstan with the management of Plug and Play, whose office is planned to open on the Astana Hub site.
During the negotiations with the C3.ai Chief Executive Officer Thomas Siebel, the Kazakh prime minister discussed cooperation in the use of artificial intelligence in the oil and gas and other sectors of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting with the CEO of One Web Adrian Steckel, the prospects for the implementation of the project on the widespread coverage of the territory of Kazakhstan, including remote and inaccessible areas, with high-speed broadband Internet via communication satellites were considered. As a result of the negotiations, AIFC Governor Kairat Kelimbetov and the head of One Web Adrian Steckel signed a document on further project promotion.
In a conversation with Executive Vice President of Chevron Exploration and Production Corporation James Johnson, the prime minister discussed the development of the Future Expansion Project, the further increase of Kazakhstani content for goods and services at the Tengizchevroil project, as well as the development of joint measures to improve social security and labor conditions of Kazakhstani workers.
During the negotiations with ValvTechnologies President Kevin Hunt, Askar Mamin considered the possibility of opening a plant in Kazakhstan for the production of valves and gate valves for the oil and gas sector. It is planned to use the manufactured products within the framework of the Tengizchevroil Future Expansion Project, as well as export to the markets of neighboring countries.
The prime minister also visited the office and factory of the Tesla company, where, as part of a meeting with the company’s management, questions of expanding the network of gas stations in Kazakhstan and opening service centers for electric vehicles were discussed.
TCA
ASHGABAT (TCA) — A former manager of Germany’s MAN company has gone on trial in Munich on charges of bribing top officials at the Turkmen state oil company, RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reported.
TCA
UST-KAMENOGORSK, Kazakhstan (TCA) — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on December 10 said it has received the second and final shipment of low-enriched uranium (LEU) at a purpose-built facility in Kazakhstan housing the IAEA LEU Bank, which was established to provide assurance to countries about the supply of nuclear fuel. The delivery completes the planned stock of the material that the IAEA LEU Bank will hold, following the first shipment in October.
TCA
DUSHANBE (TCA) — The Cooperation Council between the European Union (EU) and Tajikistan held its 8th meeting on December 10 in Brussels. The meeting was chaired by Tajikistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Sirojiddin Muhriddin. The EU delegation was chaired by Mr Goran Grlić Radman, Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, on behalf of Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles, the new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The Cooperation Council reviewed the positive development of bilateral relations, including political, judiciary and economic reforms, the rule of law, trade, investment and energy relations, and international issues, the EU said. The Cooperation Council also discussed questions of good governance and strengthening civil society as well as measures to improve the business climate. The EU reiterated the importance of a stability-oriented macroeconomic policy and further progress in Public Finance Management.
“The EU shares the goals of the Tajik government to promote development, security and prosperity for its people. The EU reiterated its willingness to support Tajikistan in it reform process and its endeavour to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population,” said Goran Grlić Radman.
Human rights questions were also discussed, for example Tajikistan’s efforts to reform the prison system and decrease the vulnerability of both prisoners and prison staff. The EU also suggested that Tajikistan further open up its political space in view of the Parliamentary and Presidential election in 2020.
The EU confirmed its continuing support to Tajikistan in its reform process, and in its endeavours to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population, as well to fight corruption. Bilateral development assistance provided to Tajikistan, particularly in the three key focal sectors of health, education and rural development was also discussed.
The EU welcomed Tajikistan’s formal interest in upgrading current relations as well Tajikistan’s interest in becoming a GSP+ beneficiary.
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NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) flagship Human Development Report (HDR) 2019 was presented in Kazakhstan on December 11.
