OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2009. Belarus has offered Kazakhstan 37 joint projects. They can be included into Kazakhstan’s industrialization map, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told reporters following a meeting with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov, reported the Official website government.by.

According to Sergei Sidorsky, this meeting was initiated by the Belarusian side. This year the sides were cooperating within the framework of Kazakhstan’s programme of industrial and innovative development. Kazakhstan is working on a programme of accelerated industrial and innovative development until 2014.

Today Belarus presented its investment proposals which the sides have been working on for the past year. The projects are aimed at developing the agricultural production in Kazakhstan (cultivation of grain, beets, and potatoes) using the Belarusian equipment and technologies, Sergei Sidorsky said.

Apart from joint projects in machinery construction Belarus also proposes constructing dairy farms on a turnkey basis in Kazakhstan.

Belarus has also offered concrete projects in medicine and production of sophisticated household appliances.

Sergei Sidorsky underlined that Belarusian projects were met with support in the Kazakh government and expressed hope that some of these projects will be launched in the near future.

The proposals include mainly long-term projects which cost is estimated at over US6.5 billion. “The Belarusian package” includes both initiatives for which the Kazakh partner has not been chosen yet, and the projects that are already being implemented or have been agreed with the Kazakh side.

The introduction of advanced energy-saving and eco-friendly technologies will allow to manufacture import-substituting products and sell them to the markets of the third countries in the future.

The implementation of the bilateral agreements has already started to show results: assembly productions of lifts, baling machines as well as furniture and dairy joint companies have been set up in Kazakhstan. Despite the difficult economic situation, the two countries managed to increase the output at the joint companies assembling tractors and grain harvesters. In 2009 some 350 Belarus tractors were assembled in Kazakhstan. The jointly manufactured harvesters were praised by the farmers of the Akmolinsk, Kostanai, North-Kazakhstan and East-Kazakhstan and Karaganda oblasts during the 2009 harvesting campaign. The successful operation of the assembly productions of Belarusian machinery in Kazakhstan proved the viability of the chosen policy.

Belarus intends to take part in setting up mineral fertilizer production in Kazakhstan, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told reporters. This is one of the 37 projects proposed by Belarus to be included into the Kazakhstan’s map of industrialization.

This project envisages the production of potash fertilizers, development of phosphate fields and setup of phosphate fertilizer production. The Belarusian side is ready to offer its assistance in constructing the necessary infrastructure.

By now Kazakhstan has partially resumed the production of phosphate fertilizers; the demand for nitrogen fertilizers is almost completely satisfied by the import. Kazakhstan is interested in the construction of a plant to produce potash fertilizers. Kazakhstan has two potash salt deposits: Zhilyanskoye and Chelkarskoye. In June 2009 Kazakhstan initiated working out the issue regarding the joint development of these deposits. In September representatives of Belgorkhimprom and Belaruskali held talks with the Samruk-Kazyn fund and the unified chemical company. The sides have agreed that Kazakhstan will provide Belarus with bench-mark data for making a technical and economic feasibility study of the development of potash fertilizer deposits. An agreement and a memorandum of cooperation have been signed to carry out this project.

As for the production of phosphoric fertilizers, the Belarusian side suggests constructing necessary facilities using the experience and technical capabilities of Belarusian companies. Belarus suggests setting up a join venture with a share of the Belarusian side for joint production and sale.

The sides are considering proposals to create a potassium sulphate production at the existing company in Kazakhstan. The possibility of using potassium concentrate from Belarus is being examined.

Belarusian projects will be included into Kazakhstan’s map of industrialization, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov told reporters.

“Belarus has some economic advantages which Kazakhstan may use. There is a unique possibility to redeploy some of Belarusian productions to Kazakhstan,” Karim Masimov said. Kazakhstan is currently working on the industrialization map. A range of projects will be included into it.

Belarusian side has offered 37 projects. They were presented in the course of the visit of Belarusian PM Sergei Sidorsky to Kazakhstan. “I see positive results of the talks. I am happy with the result,” Karim Masimov said.

Kazakhstan divides Belarusian projects into three groups. First of all, these are the projects which have already been approved by Kazakhstan and which will be launched soon (production of lifts, farm machines and others). The second group includes the projects which Kazakhstan expressed interest in. Yet some time is needed for their implementation. The third group includes the projects which require finalizing.

Certain issues regarding several projects were settled during the meeting with the Belarusian delegation, Karim Masimov informed. “The industrialization map has not been approved yet. Yet it will be amended after today’s meeting,” he added.

According to him, this issue and also the single customs union will be considered during a visit of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to Belarus on 26 November.

Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev on 9 November. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has approved Belarus’ initiatives to promote bilateral cooperation, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told reporters following a meeting with Nursultan Nazarbayev.

“The prime ministers of the two countries have been instructed to prepare an official visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Belarus scheduled for late November. The main thing is that the visit should be filled with the contents meeting the rate of Belarus’ economic growth and Kazakhstan’s plans to promote industrial and innovative development,” Sergei Sidorsky noted.
Belarus has offered Kazakhstan 37 promising projects which fully meet the goals set out by Nursultan Nazarbayev to promote industrial and innovative development of the country. The President of Kazakhstan has supported such approaches. All prerequisites are in place for their successful implementation,” Sergei Sidorsky informed. The Belarusian side also invites Kazakhstan’s business to take part in investment projects in Belarus, he added.