Digital economy discussed ahead of OSCE Forum

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The first preparatory meeting for the 26th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum "Promoting economic progress and security in the OSCE area through innovation, human capital development, and good public and corporate governance" was held in Vienna, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The meeting in Austrian capital discussed the main topics of the Forum's agenda, such as boosting innovation, competitiveness and employment through digital economy, enhancing good governance, transparency and the fight against corruption through digitalization, etc.

The Director of the Department of Europe of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Aigul Kuspan told the participants about Kazakhstan's experience in terms of transitioning towards a "green" economy and dwelled upon the main points of the Digital Kazakhstan program. In her speech, Ms. Kuspan expressed support for the priorities of the 2018 Italian OSCE Chairmanship in terms of economy and environment.

Speaking at the second session of the meeting "Boosting Innovation, Competitiveness and Employment through Digital Economy", the Chairman of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Kairat Sarybay, drew the attention of the participants to the importance of innovation and digital entrepreneurship. Mr. Sarybay spoke about the main tasks that the country's President Nursultan Nazarbayev set in his recent State-of-the-Nation Address.

During the session on enhancing good governance, transparency and the fight against corruption through digitalization, the head of the department of the Agency for Civil Service and Anti-Corruption of Pavlodar region, Adilbek Mukashev, told the participants about Kazakhstan's experience in this regard.

Managing Director of the Astana International Financial Center, Aidar Kazybayev, briefed the participants on the AIFC's work and spoke about boosting sustainable development through digitization of the country's economy.

The second preparatory meeting will be held in May in Italy. The OSCE economic and environmental forum is scheduled to be held in Prague on September 5-8, 2018.