ASTANA – Astana Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev briefed Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev April 5 about the capital’s development and the most recent infrastructure improvements. The President assigned the city administration to pay attention to the construction of housing and social facilities, creation of parking spaces and ensuring safety in public places as well as power energy system modernisation.
Photo credit: akorda.kz.
“We fulfilled the dream of our ancestors and built a capital in the heart of the Saryarka. We managed to create a beautiful city and opened it for the whole world. Astana became the pride of the whole nation. A large number of people have worked here tirelessly, despite the weather conditions,” said Nazarbayev.
“In a short historical period, we managed to create a real metropolis of one million people with the appropriate infrastructure. Astana is a well-known city, where the most important world events take place and attract the attention of the entire globe,” he added.
Issekeshev also reported on the implementation of projects for the development of urban infrastructure and the construction of social facilities. In particular, he spoke about the implementation of digital technologies in healthcare, construction of housing facilities and power energy system modernisation to improve the environmental situation in the capital.
The President praised the achievements of a number of economic indicators, including the volume of attracted investments and the development of small and medium businesses.
“Astana is the fastest growing city in our country. The number of citizens has exceeded one million people. Along with the growing number of residents, housing construction is gaining momentum,” said Nazarbayev, highlighting that 20 million square metres of housing, 53 new schools and 26 hospitals has been constructed over the last 20 years.
He emphasised the role of Astana in the prosperity of the country and certain sectors of its economy.
“The decision to build the city was right. Astana has become a new point of further development of the economy, the growth of the population, the development of science, technology and innovation. All investments into its construction have already been returned,” the President said.
“By 2050, the population of Almaty will reach 2.5 million people, Astana – two million people, Shymkent – 1.5 million people. These cities will turn into growth points where world-class services will be provided. Other cities also need to have their own development programmes. The government needs to study this issue,” said President Nazarbayev.
He noted the necessity to create parking spaces in the city and ensure the safety of people in public places, reminding about the recent tragedy in Russia’s Kemerovo where a fire at the local shopping mall killed 64 people. The President directed officials to apply the best practices of EXPO 2017 in the field of energy supply and to speed up the gasification of the city.
The city administration and government also discussed the development of transport infrastructure, construction of the light rail network (LRT) and leisure facilities and educational facilities at the meeting. At the end of the meeting, Nazarbayev got introduced to an IVECO Heuliz experimental electric bus.
