ASTANA – Next year’s launch of the Digital Kazakhstan 2020 state programme was announced June 9 during the SAP Forum. The results and goals of the strategic partnership between Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund and SAP, the world’s third largest independent software manufacturer, were also discussed.
Implementing Digital Kazakhstan 2020 will be carried out in four key directions, said Zerde National Infocommunication Holding Chairman Assel Zhiyenbayeva. The first step is creating the so-called Digital Silk Road, which involves developing a reliable, affordable, high-speed, secure digital infrastructure. The second is widespread introduction of digital technology to enhance the competitiveness of various sectors of the economy. The third is forming a “proactive digital government” by improving the electronic and mobile government system, developing open government components and optimising the supply of public services. The last direction is establishing a “creative society,” which implies developing the competencies and skills for the digital economy, upgrading digital literacy and training specialists for industry.
The main theme of the forum was the “way to digital economy” and more than 70 speakers, including top managers of large local and foreign companies, leading SAP experts and their partners, shared their experiences and stories.
With an excess of 44 years of experience, Germany-based SAP has more than 310,000 customers in approximately 190 countries. The corporation helps companies of any size and specialisation to manage their business more effectively by creating unique solutions for different cases.
SAP signed an agreement on strategic partnership with Samruk Kazyna in 2015 aimed at an increase in labour productivity, positive economic effect and special personnel training course. The fund’s transformation programme will be implemented in the next five years with the help of SAP’s business solutions.
The company’s technologies are currently in the highest demand in the country in areas such as retail, distribution and banks, said SAP Kazakhstan Director Maksim Lamskov.
“Another direction where we can be useful in Kazakhstan is the sphere of state administration. Based on the experience of our cooperation with developed countries in terms of implementing digital strategy in state administration, we understand that the key aspect of the effective and transparent state administration is state services oriented at consumers,” he added.
Digital Kazakhstan 2020 is presently under discussion and Lamskov noted SAP can increase the transparency of the state administration process by implementing its technologies. SAP successfully operates a project at the Kazakh Ministry of Finance.
“Ministries should do those services that they are supposed to. They should not be engaged in accounting or personnel work. They should be aimed at [providing] qualified service for consumers. It is the foundation of effective government,” he added.
This year, the company launched SAP Institute for Digital Government, a global initiative of non-commercial partnerships which unites experts of various government organisations to exchange experience on executing digital governments.
“It is important for Kazakhstan, because it will allow you to directly transfer the experience of other countries to increase the effectiveness of the digital government development. It is important not to repeat the mistakes of others if the country wants to make a digital breakthrough,” said Lamskov.
During the forum, SAP organised a special exhibition for participants to present the latest innovations in their industries. ArcelorMittal, ERG, Halyk Bank, Kaspi Bank, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, KazTransOil, Technodom and Zhol Zhondeushi are among the company’s largest Kazakh partners and clients.
