Kazakhstan granted observer status of WTO Agreement on Government Procurement

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Kazakhstan's official bid to get the observer status of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) was approved on October 19, 2016 at the regular session of the WTO Committee on Government Procurement in Geneva, Switzerland.

Vice Minister of Finance Ruslan Beketayev presented Kazakhstan's bid at the session.

Kazakhstani delegation in Geneva consisted of Sabit Akhmetov, Director of the Public Procurement Legislation Department of the Finance Ministry, and representatives of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

"Kazakhstan undertook commitment in its WTO accession protocol to initiate accession to the GPA," Vice Minister Beketayev was quoted as saying by the press service of the ministry.

It should be noted that during the session representatives of the U.S., the EU, China and Tajikistan extended their congratulations to Kazakhstan on being granted the observer status.

Members of the Kazakh delegation also held talks with WTO Deputy Director General Yi Xiaozhun and Chairman of the GPA Committee John Newham and his deputy Robert Anderson on the margins of the regular session in Geneva. The sides agreed to hold a national seminar focusing on the WTO requirements on November 7-8, 2016 in Astana.

The delegation from Kazakhstan also participated in the working meeting with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD will carry out assessment of Kazakhstan's public procurement system to help it further improve the system.