Strong country – strong regions: Tokayev visits Karaganda and Pavlodar to outline development priorities
Tokayev’s visits today come just a week after he visited Turkistan, Shymkent and Semey. «Since last week I have started traveling around the country. In the regions, I held several meetings with local residents, sharing my ideas about the development of the country. I got acquainted with the progress of preparations for winter and addressed the most pressing issues. We identified strategic tasks for the regions. In short, it was a very informative trip,» he told the public in Pavlodar city.
Industrial production
Karaganda region is the country's major industrial center, accounting for a third of coal, about half of the country's copper, and over 85 percent of steel production.
«The region is the driver of the country's industrial sector. It is developing dynamically and maintains stable growth in all sectors of the economy,» said Tokayev.
In 2021, the volume of investments in fixed assets amounted to 809.1 billion tenge (US$1.7 billion), according to the data from the regional akimat. Investments are largely directed to the industry (61.5 percent), transport and warehousing (12.5 percent), real estate operations (11.2 percent), public health and social services (2 percent), wholesale and retail trade (1.2 percent), education (1.3 percent), and construction (1.1 percent).
Tokayev reiterated the key formula – ‘strong country – strong regions’ where the focus is made on regional development as the driver of the country's overall economic development, envisioned in the national project the country adopted last year.
Priorities outlined by Tokayev regarding the development of Karaganda region include support for the manufacturing industry, improvement of the region's transit and transport potential, development of single-industry towns, improvement of the environment, ensuring safe working conditions at industrial enterprises, water supply, and agricultural development, development of infrastructure for education, healthcare, sports, and culture as well as the development of the regional center.
The manufacturing sector accounts for 80 percent of the region's total volume of industrial production, rightfully leading in the country. However, diversification remains a priority, according to him, which becomes even more relevant amid the challenging geopolitical and unstable global economic situations.
The region can benefit from its Saryarka special economic zone and Saran industrial zone where several promising industrial projects are already being implemented. According to Tokayev, they can be sites for the relocation of foreign companies, but the appropriate conditions are needed.
Tokayev visited QazTechna plant that produces buses and special equipment in cooperation with Yutong, the world's largest passenger transport manufacturer. Since 2021, it has produced 347 buses and electric buses for passenger transportation and more than 700 buses and electric buses are planned to be delivered to the regions by the end of the year.
Among the latest major projects are KamaTyres plant to produce car tires to be launched by the end of 2022 and Silk Road Electronics to produce household appliances which is expected to be commissioned in two years.
KamaTyres plant, with a design capacity of 3.5 million tires per year, currently produces tires for cars and light trucks. The second stage of the project will involve the production of rubber products, and the third stage - tires for agricultural machinery.
In Pavlodar, Tokayev also highlighted the important role the region plays in the country’s energy security. Pavlodar produces 40 percent of the total electricity in Kazakhstan.
Over the past 3 years, the total regional product of Pavlodar has increased by 28 percent and reached 3.9 billion tenge (US$8.3 million) with agriculture, construction, and trade witnessing rapid development.
«Pavlodar region is one of the most important industrial centers of our country. The availability of resources and electricity, and the developed infrastructure open great prospects for further development of the region. While strengthening the industrial potential, we should also provide comprehensive support to small and medium-sized businesses. Many businesspeople live and work in the region and are able to realize projects which are in demand on the national and even global level,» said Tokayev in Pavlodar.
Environmental concerns
The key issue voiced repeatedly by Tokayev in his address to the public was that increased industrial production must not hurt the region’s environment. The recent cases, however, show the opposite.
Pavlodar region alone accounts for one-third of the country's emissions – around 700,000 tons annually, according to the President. He stressed the importance of maintaining a balance between enhancing industrial capacity and environmental protection.
He also urged large enterprises to strictly comply with the obligations, standards, and norms related to environmental protection, otherwise, the country might terminate partnerships.
«This is by no means a threat, but simple, honest, and fair rules of operation generally accepted throughout the civilized world,» said Tokayev.
Social responsibility must be a common rhetoric for businesses, as the state is entering a «period of social responsibility.»
«The era of oligarchic capitalism in Kazakhstan is coming to an end. We are entering a period of social responsibility to our citizens. Our citizens need an efficient and socially responsible business which takes a leading position in the economy of the country,» he said.
Energy security
Tokayev called Pavlodar the «energy heart» of the country, as it produces more than 40 percent of the country’s electricity, and more than half of coal produced in Kazakhstan belongs to Pavlodar.
Tokayev emphasized the growing importance of energy security. While Kazakhstan tries to diversify its energy sources, it is too early to give up on coal, according to him, due to geopolitical changes in the international arena.
«But there are very good technologies for minimizing coal-mass emissions by power plants. We must use these advanced technologies in our production,» he said.
Agriculture development
The development of the agricultural sector is an important priority for Kazakhstan which tries to diversify its economy. The two regions that Tokayev visited today are central to this goal.
Speaking about strengthening the agriculture potential of Karaganda region, Tokayev noted that over the past five years, the number of horses in the country has doubled and reached 4 million. Nevertheless, not all land area is used effectively and the special commission is now working to identify these lands.
«Space monitoring of agricultural lands has begun on my instructions. Over 20 million hectares of unused pasture lands have been detected across the country. A special commission is working to return them to state ownership. More than 4.2 million hectares of land were returned, including 1.1 million hectares in Karaganda region. The lack of pastures in Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world, is beyond logic,» said the President.
In Pavlodar, Tokayev highlighted the critical role of the Irtysh River in the region’s agriculture. Over the past three years, the area of irrigated land in the region has increased by 1.5 times, but Tokayev said it needs to be doubled, bringing it to 300,000 hectares.
«I instruct the government to increase funds allocated for land irrigation in the region. This is very important not only in terms of food security but also for providing employment for the population. Water scarcity hinders economic development, so special attention should be paid to the rational and economical use of Irtysh waters,« he added.
Significance of Kazakhstan’s values
Addressing the public in two regions, Tokayev reiterated the increasing importance of Kazakhstan’s fundamental values – unity, solidarity, tolerance, mutual respect, compassion, and readiness to help each other – at a time when the world is witnessing unprecedented turbulence, tension, hostility and mistrust.
«I am convinced that the simple, but the most important symbol of our national identity should be the turquoise passport of Kazakhstan. It, in fact, demonstrates all the progressive principles on which our statehood is based. The passport of a citizen of Kazakhstan embodies fundamental values that have made our country known throughout the world as a shining example of inter-ethnic and inter-religious tolerance. The passport of Kazakhstan is a symbol of justice and the aspiration of the nation for the future,» he said in Karaganda.
He said Kazakhstan is widely known as a responsible and dynamically developing country in international affairs aimed at achieving progress in its development and striving for mutually beneficial cooperation.
Written by Assel Satubaldina
Photo: t.me/bort_01