ASTANA – More than 3,000 international finance ministers, central bank governors, business leaders, investors, journalists and civil society representatives are expected to gather in Astana May 2-5 for the 47th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The meeting is being held under the heading, The Silk Road – Connecting Asia with the Changing World.
Among the meeting’s topics will be the modern investment climate in Kazakhstan. The meeting will include the conference, Invest in Kazakhstan, with the participation of politicians, businessmen, as well as representatives of European and Central Asian regional financial institutions.
“Invest in Kazakhstan conference is expected to be held on the first day of the annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors,” said Maksat Mukhanov, head of the Institute of Economic Research, during a recent Central Communications Services briefing.
“The conference will be focused on the economic potential of our country,” he said.
According to Mukhanov, the conference will be a good platform to establish new business contacts and sign contracts.
“The main theme of the venue will be, Silk Road: Connecting Asia and the Changing World. The theme was proposed by the government of Kazakhstan taking into account the increasing potential and the role of our territory in the development of inter-regional cooperation,” Mukhanov added.
“Currently, it is planned that more than 3,000 delegates from 67 world countries will participate in the event. More than 25 different events are planned to be held during the event,” he noted.
“It is planned to hold important events, sessions that are to help reveal the potential of Asia. In particular, it is planned that some sessions will be aimed at the development of innovations, energy, transport and international and regional cooperation in Asia,” he said.
According to the programme, ADB President Takehiko Nakao, President of Toyota Motor Europe Didier Leroy and others will speak at the conference.
“Participants at the conference will discuss issues relating to the development of the economy, financial system and state policy of Kazakhstan, which contributes to attracting investments to the country. Moreover, Kazakhstan’s opportunities both on regional and global scales in terms of attracting investments in joint projects for promoting products and goods produced in Kazakhstan, as well as in the development of business and trade relations between national and foreign producers, will be discussed at the conference,” according to the Kazakh Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning.
Investment agreements and memorandums are also expected to be signed with foreign partners as a result of the forum.
Kazakhstan has been cooperating with the ADB since 1991. The country has attracted more than $3.2 billion in loans from ADB since its accession in 1994 for the development of agriculture, education, finance, transport and water supplies.
