ASTANA CALLING
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan
Central Communications Service for the President of Kazakhstan
A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ ISSUE NO 332 / FRIDAY, NOV 29 2013
Kazakhstan Celebrates Day of the First President A day of unity and harmony
Social Modernization: A Key to the Future Deputy PM outlines social policy
“Bolashak” Students Gather in Astana
Astana Hosts Third Round of Speed-Skating World Cup
20th anniversary Forum celebrates educational program
Dutch skaters expected to shine
News from the Government in Brief
Also in the News
Things to Watch
Kazakhstan Celebrates Day of the First President Kazakhstan is in celebratory mood this week, as the country gears up for a national holiday, the Day of the First President, on December 1. It is the second time that the holiday is being marked and commemorates the date, December 1 1991, when Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected as Kazakhstan’s first President by an overwhelming majority of the population. A little over two weeks later, Kazakhstan declared its independence.
President Nazarbayev has led Kazakhstan to a position of stability, prosperity and regional leadership
The holiday was established after a bill was passed by the Senate (the upper house of parliament) in December 2011 in order to acknowledge the huge achievements of President Nazarbayev since Kazakhstan became independent. Since that time, President Nazarbayev has helped to transform Kazakhstan from a Soviet republic into a modern, democratic state.
This sentiment was summed up by the Chairman of the Majilis (the lower house of parliament), Nurlan Nigmatulin, at an international conference on November 26 to mark the start of a week of national celebration. At the conference, entitled “The Role of the First President of Kazakhstan, the Leader of the Nation, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in the Development of Parliamentarianism in Kazakhstan”, Mr Nigmatulin praised the President for his role in carrying out reforms in all areas of life: economically, socially and politically. The actual holiday falls on a Sunday this year, so Monday December 2 will be a day off work for most citizens. But following the parliamentary conference, preparations for the holiday have been gathering pace all over the country. The Assembly of the Peoples of Kazakhstan has been particularly active and imaginative in preparing for the day’s celebrations. On November 27 in Astana, the Assembly hosted a lecture, “Kazakhstan as a model of ethnic tolerance and social agreement”, and also a fashion show of national costumes, “Ethno-FASHION”, followed by a concert of ethnic music given by musicians from the Zhambyl and Kyzylorda Regions. The following day the Assembly held a conference on “Peace and Agreement”. In all, the various local branches of the Assembly have arranged more than 40 different events throughout the country including conferences, round tables, celebratory events, exhibitions, competitions, and festivals of art and crafts. But this holiday is not simply about celebrating. Representatives of the Nazarbayev University have marked the Day of the First President by spending a few days visiting schools and colleges in Ust-Kamenogorsk and in the Eastern Kazakhstan Region at the invitation of the Akim (Governor) of the Region. They were there to tell local students what they have to do to enter Nazarbayev University. Indeed, schools in the area show particularly high standards in mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology; and also English language. One of the presentations was even made in English to test the students; they passed with flying colours as they understood it very well. In Ekibastuz, in Pavlodar Region, the holiday is being marked by the opening of a new children’s technical school; a kindergarten for 320 children; and the presentation of the keys to new flats to 45 families. A charity concert is being held in the town under the banner, “A Present for the President”, where the money raised will go to the families of disabled children. The town’s music school, which was built thanks to the support of the President, is holding a concert of “The Three Tenors” in honor of the holiday. And there are sporting events, too: people from Ekibastuz are taking part in a 2,400m fun run, “the President’s Mile”, and there are volleyball and ice hockey tournaments.
“The results of two decades of development for independent Kazakhstan – the massive reforms in all areas of life, the sustainable growth of the economy, a just social policy, the steady democratization of society – all of this is a direct result of the fulfilment of the strategic course set by the Head of State.” Nurlan Nigmatulin, Chairman of the Majilis
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Deputy Prime Minister Yerbol Orynbayev (left) and the Official Representative of the Central Information Service, Altay Abibullayev (right), briefed the media this week on socio-economic development
Social Modernization: A Key to the Future One of the principal aims of reforms which have been carried out in Kazakhstan in the last two decades is to raise the living standards of the population. When President Nazarbayev presented his blueprint for Strategy “Kazakhstan-2050” almost a year ago, in December 2012, he stressed that the standard of living has always been “a major criterion” for him. On Wednesday this week, the Deputy Prime Minister, Yerbol Orynbayev, briefed media on the current socio-economic situation in Kazakhstan. “Stable economic growth in the country has allowed us to implement a number of social initiatives and programs in the social sphere,” said Mr Orynbayev. “The figures for January to October 2013 show that our GDP has grown by 5.8%. According to the World Bank, by 2011 Kazakhstan was already among the countries where incomes were above the global average.” Mr Orynbayev pointed to a number of impressive statistics in the socio-economic sphere. Average incomes are now 16 times the level of 15 years ago. The number of citizens living below the poverty line has fallen by seven times; and the number of unemployed people has halved. Spending on education has grown nearly ten times in this period. Improved healthcare provision has meant that the rate of maternal mortality has decreased three-fold, while the birth-rate is up by one and a half times. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the case of Nazarbayev University as an illustration of the improvements in the education system. Although the University was opened only in 2010, it has already become, “a modern international research-based university which is developing intensively; the kind of institution which has not been typical in Kazakhstan or the countries of the former USSR.” Seven schools have been opened within the University, each of which has international partners. Mr Orynbayev added, “There are 250 foreign teachers, 2,200 students, and 85% of the teaching staff have PhDs from abroad.” On the issue of healthcare, Mr Orynbayev pointed out that in 2012 average life expectancy in Kazakhstan was 69.6 years, but this has increased in just one year to 70.3 years. He highlighted the provision of employment opportunities as a major factor in this, and the role of the “Employment Road-Map 2020” in helping to improve the situation. “The Road-Map,” he said, “brings together measures for reacting to the crisis in the event of a downturn in the world economic situation with systemic measures for the provision of productive work opportunities.” To put the Deputy Prime Minister’s words into perspective, the Official Representative of the Central Information Service, Altay Abibullayev, reminded the audience that at the recent meeting of the government with President Nazarbayev on October 11, the President had highlighted a number of shortcomings in the education and health systems. The President had spoken of the poor state of both professional and technical education and the technological basis for education. He highlighted the shortage of student hostel accommodation and of teachers. Mr Abibullayev said that heart disease remains the number one cause of death in Kazakhstan; there is still a shortfall in the funding of healthcare; and healthcare facilities in the provinces still do not have enough qualified specialists.
“The percentage of the population living below the poverty line is now less than 4%. By comparison, almost 50% of the population were living below the poverty line at the start of this century.” Yerbol Orynbayev, Deputy Prime Minister
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President Nazarbayev with “Bolashak” graduates
“Bolashak” Students Gather in Astana More than 200 former students of the “Bolashak” educational program gathered in Astana on November 29 to celebrate the program’s 20th anniversary with its founder, President Nazarbayev. Over 10,000 of Kazakhstan’s brightest students have been through the “Bolashak” program over the last two decades, studying at some of the world’s leading educational establishments in order to improve not only their own knowledge, but also to raise educational and working standards back home. It is for this reason that the program was named “Bolashak” – meaning “future” in Kazakh. The “Bolashak” program was set up by President Nazarbayev in 1993 to provide grants for students from Kazakhstan to study abroad. The students were almost entirely from economic and humanitarian faculties of higher education establishments. Initially, in 1994, 785 students were sent to 13 different countries. Since then, the program has evolved considerably. In 1997, after the President laid out his plans for the Strategy “Kazakhstan-2030”, there was an increase in the number of “Bolashak” students from engineering and technical backgrounds. A major step forward came in 2005, when the President ordered that the number of grants under the program be increased annually to 3,000 for the most talented students. Three years later, more places were added for teaching staff; and in 2012 not only were these places increased but places were added for those working in medicine. The latest changes to be introduced in 2013, have seen great emphasis placed on post-graduates and those studying for their PhD. The list of foreign institutions deemed suitable for “Bolashak” students has also been redefined. There are now 200 higher education establishments in 33 countries around the world where there are agreements for Kazakhstan’s “Bolashak” students to enrol. In choosing these establishments, the Center for International Programs at the Ministry of Education and Science, which determines where students are sent, has used as a guide lists such as “the Russell Group of Universities” in the UK, which indicates the top 24 British universities and the “Ivy League” in the US. Two further refinements are now being considered. With the subject of the EXPO-2017 exhibition in Astana being “Future Energy”, disciplines connected to “the green economy” will be highly encouraged. And greater emphasis will be put on learning of foreign languages. Currently, Britain has the single biggest percentage of “Bolashak” students: 39%. Next comes the US, with 29%. Canada, Germany and Russia each host 4% of the students; and China, Ireland and Switzerland take 2% each. Malaysia has 1% of “Bolashak” students, and the remaining 13% are divided among 22 countries. But “Bolashak” is not just about improving the future for those talented enough to be chosen for a scholarship. The principal aim of the program is to raise the standards of education and training in Kazakhstan as a whole, something which has taken on a new significance since the introduction of the Strategy “Kazakhstan-2050”. Indeed, the President wants to encourage more students from the provinces to take part in the program. In a briefing on November 25, ahead of this week’s Forum, the President of the Center for International Programs at the Ministry of Education and Science, Gani Nygymetov, said, “There will be specific tasks, the responsibility for which today’s leading young people must take on themselves, especially within the framework of Strategy ‘Kazakhstan-2050’. I am expecting this Forum to produce the momentum to push this program forward; to identify urgent problems and to determine new tasks and the ways in which they will be solved.”
“The “Bolashak” program has proven to be one of the most successful programs in Kazakhstan aimed at developing human capital in the country. Thanks to the “Bolashak” program, thousands of young people of the country have obtained a foreign education.” Gani Nygymetov, President of the Center for International Programs at the Ministry of Education and Science
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Alau Ice Palace in Astana may see world speed-skating records broken this weekend
Astana Hosts Third Round of Speed-Skating World Cup For three days from November 29, the state-of-the-art Alau Ice Palace in Astana is hosting the third round of the 2013-2014 Speed-Skating World Cup. The first two rounds took place in Calgary in Canada and Salt Lake City in the US earlier in November. The fourth round will be in the German capital, Berlin, in December. The tournament then takes an extended break because of the Winter Olympics, which are taking place in Sochi in February 2014, before competition resumes again in March, in Inzell, Germany with the final round in Heerenveen in the Netherlands on March 14-16. The World Cup is organized by the International Skating Union (ISU). There are fewer competition weekends this season compared to previous years, because of the Olympics. In total twelve cups will be contested (six for men, and six for women), and there will be 72 races. Skaters from 24 countries are taking part. Both men’s and women’s events are divided into two Divisions, A and B. The women’s races in Astana take place over 500 meters, 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. The men’s races are also over 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters; but, unlike in the other rounds where the men also skate 5,000 meters, the climax of the men’s event in Astana is the 10,000 meters. This will be the final race of the meeting, on the afternoon of Sunday December 1. The favorites for the men’s events are the team from the Netherlands, who have been given the nickname, “the Flying Dutchmen”. It may well be appropriate that it is their country which is hosting the final round. Kazakhstan has pedigree in speed-skating too. Kazakhstan’s top skater, Dmitry Babenko, set a new national record in the 3,000 meter event in Calgary earlier this month. The Alau ice rink is the most modern speed-skating rink in the world. The ice is of such high quality that world records are expected to be broken. Last year in the Astana round, one of the “Flying Dutchmen”, Jorrit Bergsma, failed by just eight seconds to break the world record for the 10,000 meters. And in the Netherlands’ national championships in October, Bergsma’s teammate, Sven Kramer, was just five seconds away from breaking the world record he himself set in 2008. Astana waits in anticipation of seeing world records broken. Dmitry Alexandrovich Babenko is one of Kazakhstan’s leading sportsmen and a veteran speed-skater having competed in two previous Winter Olympic Games. He regularly competes in both 5,000m and 10,000m speed skating events. In 2006, Babenko won the Asian Championship in the “all-round” category, and at the Turin Winter Olympics in the same year Babenko achieved a creditable 23rd place in the 5,000m race. In 2007, Babenko finished third place at the Asian Winter Games and he was a silver medal-winner at the same games in 2011. At the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, Babenko achieved 15th place in the 5,000m race, improving on his performance at the games four years previously. Babenko hopes to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in February. Babenko was born in 1985 in the northern city of Petropavlovsk.
“Considering the quality of the ice in the Alau Ice Rink, and the undoubtedly high level of preparation of the athletes ahead of the Winter Olympics, there is every reason to think that Astana will witness an historic event: a new world record.” (ortcom.kz)
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News from the Government in Brief Prime Minister speaks at “Expert Forum” in Astana Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov spoke at the Fifth Economic Forum for big business in Astana, “Expert-200-Kazakhstan”. The Forum took place on November 22. The theme of the Forum was, “The People Creating Kazakhstan’s New Economy”. The “new economy” refers to enterprises in the non-natural resources sector of the economy that have been created since independence. Underlining the importance of the Forum, Mr Akhmetov described it as, “the traditional territory for a wide assessment of all the questions related to entrepreneurship”. He stressed to delegates how crucial it is that the President’s instructions are carried out regarding the state’s economic policy and he put particular emphasis on the measures introduced to strengthen macro-economic stability. “We are expecting economic growth this year of around 6%,” the Prime Minister said. “Inflation is also expected to be about 6%,” he added, saying that this opened up real possibilities for the budget to be fulfilled, for development programs to be financed and for the government to support business. Highlighting success stories in the non-natural resources sector of the economy, Mr Akhmetov said that the agricultural sector is doing well; and he praised the transport machine-building sector. The Prime Minister said that the National Entrepreneurs Chamber had a special role to play in defending and promoting the interests of business. He added that the “Business Road-Map-2020” government plan supports small and medium businesses in particular as well as business in general. (primeminister.kz), (ortcom.kz)
Kazakhstan welcomes Iran agreement Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the signing of the Geneva Agreement between E3+3 and Iran on Iran’s nuclear program. Although Kazakhstan was not a signatory to the deal, the country has been close to the process and deeply concerned about the outcome. Two rounds of talks were held earlier this year in Almaty, in February and April. These talks undoubtedly contributed to an atmosphere of trust between Iran and the international group and gave positive impetus to the negotiations. As a country firmly committed to nuclear non-proliferation and the first country to renounce nuclear weapons voluntarily, Kazakhstan has always supported a political and diplomatic resolution to questions of Iran’s nuclear program. And as Iran is a neighbor of Kazakhstan across the Caspian Sea, Astana could not remain disinterested in the outcome of the talks. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry believes that implementation of the agreement will make an important contribution to the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime as well as to regional and international security. The Foreign Ministry added that it hopes that in the not-too-distant future the parties will be able to reach an all-round agreement for the sake of a final and comprehensive solution to the issue. (mfa.gov.kz)
Asian Cooperation Dialogue: Foreign Ministers gather in Bahrain On November 25, Kazakhstan took part in the 12th meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). The meeting took place in Manama in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bahrain currently holds the chairmanship of the organization. The ACD was established in 2002 at the initiative of Thailand to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level. The main aim of this latest meeting was to widen cooperation of the 33 member states in economic matters, in tackling the problem of poverty and in raising the quality of life of their peoples. (ortcom.kz)
Parliamentarians discuss nuclear issues in Saint Petersburg The lower house of the parliament of Kazakhstan, the Majilis, and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States organized and took part in a conference in Saint Petersburg on November 29 on the topic of, “Nuclear Security in the Modern World. The role of parliamentarians in the process of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.” The delegation from Kazakhstan was led by the Chairman of the Majilis, Nurlan Nigmatulin, and the Speaker of the Senate, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, who also attended. The proceedings focused on the anti-nuclear initiatives put forward by President Nazarbayev, in particular the global “ATOM” project, which calls for a total global ban on nuclear testing. At the event, politicians from Kazakhstan: parliamentarians from around the world; representatives from the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Parliamentary Union for Nuclear Disarmament; as well as leaders of international organizations, scientists and experts in nuclear security discussed what parliamentarians can do to ensure nuclear security. (ortcom.kz) ASTANA CALLING / ISSUE 332 / 6
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Also in The News… • Kazakhstan lists its 45 most important partners for exports Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industry and New Technologies, Asset Issekeshev, told the “Expert200-Kazakhstan” Forum in Astana on November 22 that Kazakhstan has determined the 45 best markets for the country’s exports. These he listed as: the ten regions of Russia which border on Kazakhstan; Belarus; Ukraine; Western China; the countries of Central Asia; Turkey and the countries of the Caucasus. Mr Issekeshev said that he expects that the Customs Union will help Kazakhstan to develop these markets over the next ten years. He also noted that Afghanistan was emerging as a promising new market for goods from Kazakhstan. This year exports to Afghanistan have already reached USD 300m. (primeminister.kz) • New Ambassador appointed to Saudi Arabia By presidential decree, Bakhyt Batyrshayev has been appointed as Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This post carries with it the role of permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC is an international organization consisting of 57 member states. The organization proclaims itself, “the collective voice of the Muslim world” and works to, “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony”. (tengrinews.kz) • PM introduces new Head of Sport On November 22, Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov introduced the new Head of the Agency for Sport and Physical Education, Tastanbek Yessentayev, to the staff of his department. Mr Yessentayev has a background in martial arts, both as a practitioner and as an instructor. He is a qualified instructor in Thai boxing and kick-boxing (in which he has a black belt) and is a Master of Sport in sambo. Mr Yessentayev takes the helm of the Sports Agency from Yerlan Kozhagapanov at a crucial time, as Kazakhstan’s winter sportsmen and women are preparing for the Winter Olympics in Sochi in three months’ time. (primeminister.kz; vesti.kz) • Kazakhstan elected to UNESCO World Heritage Committee On November 19, Kazakhstan was elected to the 21-member World Heritage Committee of UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The election took place at the 19th General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention which met on November 19-21 at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris. Kazakhstan was elected to the Committee along with 11 other nations. Members of the Committee manage UNESCO’s World Heritage List and implement the Convention. Currently, Kazakhstan has three cultural and natural heritage entries on the UNESCO World Heritage list: the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassaui (designated a UNESCO site in 2003), Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly and Korgalzhyn (2004), and Nauryzumsky reserves in northern Kazakhstan (2008). (whc.unesco.org) • Kazakhstan and Turkey share medical knowledge A group of specialist doctors from Kazakhstan – oncologists and radiologists – has been spending most of November in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where they have been sharing their professional experience with their Turkish counterparts. The doctors from Kazakhstan observed their Turkish colleagues in diagnosing and treating symptoms and also performing surgery. (ortcom.kz)
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• Kazakhstan-Japan anti-nuclear exhibition A joint exhibition by Kazakh artist, Karipbek Kuyukov, and the Japanese designer, Hiromi Inayoshi, was held on November 19 at the Nippon Press Center Building in Tokyo. Mr Inayoshi has been involved in social activism since 1996, deploying global-scale art-aid projects for peace. Mr Kuyukov was a victim of nuclear testing in Kazakhstan and was born without arms. He paints using his mouth and feet. He is a long-time campaigner for banning nuclear testing and is the honorary ambassador of the ATOM Project, an international initiative launched by President Nazarbayev in 2012 to build global support for a permanent end to nuclear weapons testing and the total abolition of nuclear weapons. On November 20 the exhibition moved on to Hiroshima and then the following day to Nagasaki, cities where the devastation of nuclear bombing was experienced towards the end of the Second World War. (japantimes.co.jp)
(From left) Kazakhstan’s Ambassador Akylbek Kamaldinov, Akie Abe, wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kazakhstan artist Karipbek Kuyukov and Japanese designer Hiromi Inayoshi attend the exhibition in Tokyo on Nov. 19.
• Kazakhstan rates highly as a sporting host Kazakhstan has been ranked 27th in a list of countries best suited to hosting international sporting events. The list was drawn up by Global Sports Nations Index. Kazakhstan has hosted seven international events this year, including the World Boxing Championships. China, which hosted 37 events, came out on top of the list, with Russia (34 competitions) second and Britain (30) in third place. (sport.gov.kz)
Things to Watch • President Nazarbayev to visit South Africa On December 3-4, President Nazarbayev will visit South Africa. The visit aims to consolidate growing bilateral relations between the two countries. During the trip, President Nazarbayev is scheduled to take part in the Kazakhstan-South Africa business forum in Pretoria.
ASTANA CALLING A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION / WWW.MFA.GOV.KZ Please send comments and questions to pressa@mfa.kz
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