OREANDA-NEWS. December 07, 2007. Before the plenary session, the Head of State met with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre, reported the Official website http://www.akorda.kz.

The sides discussed trends in the development of the world economy, measures taken by the state in order to maintain the stability of the financial banking system of the country, and also issues of further developing cooperation between our country and the EBRD. Jean Lemierre noted that because of the well-timed measures taken by the government, the economic situation in Kazakhstan remains stable and healthy, and expressed the intention of the EBRD to boost investment cooperation with our country. Over the years of cooperation, the EBRD has invested 3,3 billions of U.S. dollars including 1,6 billions in direct investments. It is planned that in the next year the EBRD will allocate 1 billion dollars on the support of small- and medium-size business and on the implementation of infrastructural projects in Kazakhstan.

The agenda of the plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council was on issues of sustainable development in the Republic of Kazakhstan and environment protection.

In his speech, Kazakhstan’s President noted the importance and actuality of the discussed issues for the country’s further development.

“Kazakhstan has to keep a balance between economic, social and ecological aspects in its development. We have announced our aspiration to become a state with high living standards of its population. In order to do this, it is necessary to make Kazakhstan a “clear and green country of fresh air and still water”, as it was said in Kazakhstan’s Development Strategy 2030,” Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized.

The President noted that first of all it is necessary to use natural resources rationally in order to maintain Kazakhstan’s sustainable development.

“The government must take into account the principles of sustainable development, effective and rational use of natural resources, balanced demographic policy in all regional and branch programs. All bills developed by state bodies must pass through state ecological expertise. Major foreign investors also have to prepare programs for transfer of their enterprises in Kazakhstan to sustainable development applying principles of the Strategy for harmless manufacturing,” the President stated.

The Head of State especially noted the necessity of joint efforts of the Government and investors on developing alternative sources of energy, renewable energy, and also on forming conditions stimulating entrepreneurs to introduce pure technologies. Particularly, the Government with the participation of FIC members must develop suggestions on introducing ecological taxes in Kazakhstan taking into account international practice.

The President drew attention to issues of preserving water resources. In this regard, it was decided to establish Eurasian Center for Water in Astana, which must become a cutting edge scientific organization studying issues of research and protection of water resources in the continent.

The Caspian Sea requires a special treatment. Kazakhstan’s Government and authorized state bodies and governors of all levels must take all measures on holding strict state control of the ecological situation in their regions,” Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized.

The President offered to hold an annual competition awarding state certificates “Zhasyl Munai” (Green Oil) for achievements of oil companies in the area of environment protection starting from the next year.

The President called the task of preservation and restoration of forests in Kazakhstan to be among the most important tasks to the Government.

“It is necessary to take effective measures on protecting forests against fires and illegal deforestation, on increasing forests’ area in the republic. Forests must be planted around all cities and villages every year. We have to prohibit any industrial activities in special park zones, and must use them only for recreational purposes and tourism,” the President underscored.
Having mentioned the problem of air pollution by cars in large cities of the republic, the President instructed the Government to take measures on tightening ecological standards for transport and to use more ecological fuel.

Historical sites of pollution are another threat to the environment and human. Those sites were inherited from the Soviet era. Shymkent has a problem of pollution by lead; Aktobe has the same problem with hexavalent chrome. In this regard, the President instructed the Government and local executive bodies to take immediate measures in order to eliminate those polluted sites.

In his speech, the President noted that Kazakhstan has a lot of work in order to achieve good ecological figures. In 2005, our country occupied the 75th position in terms of world index of ecological sustainability. In 2006, it was at the 70th position. Conception for transfer to sustainable development adopted by Kazakhstan as received a positive response in the world. Kazakhstan will host a ministerial conference on sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region in 2010, and a conference of CIS countries, North America and Europe in 2011.

Interaction with foreign investors has a special importance in the process of sustainable development.

”Our main common goal is to raise the living standards of the people. I am sure the development of concrete measures and concrete decisions aimed at improving the condition of the environment in order to preserve Kazakhstan’s precious nature will be one of the important results of the 18th Session of the Foreign Investors’ Council,” Nursultan Nazarbayev said to the participants of the plenary session.

While addressing the auditory, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre expressed his support of all measures taken in Kazakhstan on maintaining sustainable development, and put an emphasis on the necessity of rational use of natural resources.

Kazakhstan’s Minister for Industry and Trade Galym Orazbakov submitted a report on the execution of the Protocol of the previous session of the FIC, and Kazakhstan’s Justice Minister Zagipa Balieva delivered a speech on activities of the FIC working group for legislation issues.

Speech of Kazakhstan’s Minister for Environment Protection Nurlan Iskakov was devoted to the ecological situation in the country and measures on its improvement.

Chevron’s Executive Vice President for Upstream and Gas George Kirkland, Total’s Executive Vice President, member of the Executive Committee, President for exploration and production Yves-Luis Darricarrere, Board Chairman of Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation PLC Alexander Mashkevich, President of Mitsubishi Corporation PLC Tsunao Kijima, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank Liquin Jin, President of LukOil Vagit Alekperov who delivered speeches at the session expressed their support of initiatives in the area of environmental protection and readiness to cooperate in order to achieve Kazakhstan’s sustainable development.
“Sustainable development can and must be a Kazakhstani brand. We have got a historical chance to make Kazakhstani products recognizable throughout the world due to the special attention on ecological issues. This is the way of forming a niche for our goods and products in world markets,” Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized concluding the Council’s session and called foreign investors to participate in the diversification of the Kazakhstani economy and in the development of ecologically harmless manufactures in our country.

Joint press availability by President Nursultan Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan and by President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre was held at the end of the session.

The President also received General Manager for the Exploration and Production Division of Eni Stefano Cao.

The next sitting of the Foreign Investors’ Council will be held in Atyrau on 6 June, 2008 and will be devoted to the issues of developing the electricity industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan.