Could you tell
us about the evolution of Kazakhstan economy
and the investment climate?
Ten years have already passed since Independence,
and Kazakhstan achieved good results. Today,
Kazakhstan takes advantages of its mineral
reserves. Talking about investment climate
today, we need to determine the four main
factors. First of all, it is about political
stability. The next is progressive reforms
in legislation. The third factor is the
possession of rich natural resources. The
last, forth factor, is about state policy
directed to the promotion of investments.
If we talk about competition for foreign
investments, we can say that Kazakhstan
now is competing with countries of Eastern
Europe. Since 1993, we have already attracted
more than 18 billion of direct foreign investments.
Currently, 74% of all investments go to
the "mineral resources" sector.
It was decided by the Government of Kazakhstan
that the mineral resources sector would
serve as a motive for further development
of the country. Today, infrastructure and
construction are developed around gas and
oil sites.
In the past, Kazakhstan had a potential
in defense-production. At the beginning
of 90's, Ministry of Defense stopped ordering
these goods; therefore plants that produced
defense goods stayed idle for a long time.
Right now, these plants produce goods for
the oil and gas sector.
Kazakhstan has two laws regulating investments.
The first law is "The Law on Foreign
Investments" that that in force since
1994. The second law is "The Law on
State Support to Direct Investments"
of 1997. Today, these two laws are combined
into one law called "Law on Investments",
where the rights of foreign and local investors
are equal. There are other five sectors
of economy that are priorities for us. They
have state support in different forms of
subsidies and preferences like tax exemption.
This is possible for those investors that
invest in processing industry, industrial
infrastructure, housing, social sphere and
tourism items, Astana city items, agriculture.
I think that for creating a favorable investment
climate, special programs have to be implemented,
this kind of interview is not an exception.
Kazakhstan Investment Promotion Center works
on this. We publish material dedicated to
investment climate in Kazakhstan, conduct
presentations abroad and locally, and act
as consultants to investors. For example,
we published Investors' Guide, where investor
can find useful information on Kazakhstan
including statistics, information on business
and investment opportunities, etc.
Could you give to our readers a brief
historical background of KazInvest?
The main task of KazInvest in 1998 was to
create investors' assistance system that would
help to inform investors about investment
opportunities in Kazakhstan. We have four
directions of our activities. The first direction
is the publication of materials dedicated
to investment opportunities in different languages.
We produce various brochures, CDs, and video
products, where investors can find maximum
information. The next direction of our activity
is to hold presentations devoted to investment
opportunities of Kazakhstan. We have special
plan that is coordinated with the Government.
We also have a database of all investment
projects. These projects come from different
regions of the country about the creation
of joint ventures with foreign investors.
The forth direction is consulting services,
which starts from registration of companies
and assistance in technological base. We have
representative offices all over Kazakhstan.
We are in May 2000 the Information Consulting
Services Bureau was established under the
recommendations of the Foreign Investors Council.
We are members of the World Association of
Investment Promotion Agencies under the United
Nations. Right now we are closed joint stock
company where 100% belongs to the Government.
Currently, we are managed by the Ministry
of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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You have more
than 500 projects. Could you elaborate more
on specifics investment opportunities in the
oil and gas sector in Kazakhstan?
Of course, we have some project in the
oil and gas sector. However, this sector
is already very attractive. Therefore, our
projects focus more on infrastructure and
service of the oil and gas sector, such
as secondary refining of oil and gas products,
construction of terminals. So, our projects
are in those five sectors of economy that
I already told you about.
Could you give to our readers some financial
figures of KazInvest?
Last year, 36 projects were promoted by
KazInvest in the total amount of more than
300 million Dollars. We act as consultants.
Every year we publish more than 14 materials
on investments and conduct more than 10
presentations abroad and in Kazakhstan.
KazInvest possesses exclusive information
about investment climate in Kazakhstan.
We monitor database of 500 investment projects
and right now we are improving this database.
Besides, we prepare presentations, such
as big presentation in Astana, which is
called "Astana - City of the Future".
The Government of our Republic charged us
to conduct this presentation.
Are they like partners for you?
We are not just partners but we have joint
projects, including the improvement of investment
climate and preparation of projects that
would be suitable for investors. We are
organizing seminars and trainings by ourselves.
For example, in May 2003 we are planning
to conduct a presentation that will be dedicated
to the best projects.
What has been your biggest challenge
while being here?
I came to State Investment Committee in
1996. It was the first state body that worked
with investors. I was a General Manager
of Promotion and Public Relations. In 1998
KazInvest was established and since that
time I work here as a Director. For Kazakhstan
and as well as for other organizations,
it was a new work. We did not have sufficient
experience, which made us learn in the process
of work. I do not have special education
in Public Relation. In 1998, I graduated
from Architecture and Construction Institute
as an engineer - constructor. I think that
my education gave me opportunity to think
systematically. In 2000, I finished Moscow
Academy of Management and Innovations. My
work is very interesting for me because
it is new. Besides, I work with many interesting
people. The average age of our workers is
25 years. This is a new generation of Kazakhstani
citizens that want to contribute something
useful to the development of Kazakhstan.
There is a famous Confucian saying that
states:" You need to love your work
so that you do not need to go to work".
What is your future vision of KazInvest,
let's say in 5 years?
We have a good potential for further work.
I think that we will start offering legal
services. Then, we are developing special
feasibility study. We will have institutional
structure that will help us prepare this
feasibility study. I think that in the future
KazInvest will generate the most advanced
and latest ideas, which will include financial,
legal, and organizational aspects. We hope
that we will be an organization, where investors
will be able to get the whole package of
information.
Would you like to give the final message
to our readers?
Kazakhstan has a taste of profit. Here we
can and need to make money. This would be
a mutual process because I think that we created
conditions for investors. Kazakhstan has many
opportunities that have not been explored
yet. We welcome companies that have not tried
yet to come here and take their chances. KazInvest
will give them an opportunity to work here
in Kazakhstan. KazInvest has its slogan, which
states KazInvest - Your Partner in Progress.
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V.I.P. INTERVIEWS 
