Kazakh products were for the first time presented at the 84th Green Week 2019 agriculture exhibition in Berlin that ran from Jan. 18 through Jan. 27. The exhibition welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors since its opening in 1926. Kazakh Ambassador to Germany Bolat Nussupov and a Kazakh delegation consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, North Kazakhstan Region Akimat (administration), Kazakh Invest national company, Agriculture Credit Corporation and National Veterinary Laboratory attended the opening ceremony. Representatives of Kazakh Invest responsible for facilitating investments in Kazakhstan and improving investment climate met with top management of leading German food and agriculture companies, including Vion, Claas, Petkus and AGROTEX and took part in a roundtable organised by the Kazakh Embassy in Berlin and Kazakh German Agriculture and Political Dialogue focusing on opportunities German companies have in Kazakh agriculture.
The Central Asian Economic Forum, the first of its kind in the region, will take place in Uzbekistan in spring. Deputy prime ministers of Central Asian nations are expected to take part leading the delegations to facilitate a dialogue between business communities and officials and bring Central Asian products to foreign markets. “It will be organised before the consultative meeting of Central Asian leaders. It is an economic part. It will propose ideas for joint projects and facilitate development of external trade, not only between us, but to other countries,” said Uzbek Ambassador to Kazakhstan Saidikram Niyazkhojaev. Security, trade and economic relations will also be on the agenda.
Kazakhstan, world’s top uranium producer, exported 14,200 tonnes of uranium over the three quarters of 2018 worth $699.1 million. The figure, however, declined 18.8 percent with the revenues falling by 17 percent over the same period in 2017. Key markets remain China that accounts for 57 percent of the total volume importing 8,000 tonnes worth $422.6 million, Canada (18.2 percent, 2,600 tonnes worth $108.2 million) and Russia (16.6 percent, 2,400 tonnes worth $113.6 million). Over nine months, Kazakhstan produced 17,800 tonnes of uranium, 7.3 percent lower than in 2017, which follows Kazakhstan’s plan to reduce uranium production. In December, Kazakh Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev said the measure helped raise prices by 30 percent.
Kazakhstan will be featured in the “First Man Out” survival TV show on the Discovery Channel. In each episode, Ed Stafford, English explorer and the Guinness World Record-holding first person to walk the Amazon River, is put head-to-head against world’s best adventurers to go through Asia’s most hostile and epic environments. Stafford will be attempting to walk through the Altyn Emel National Park located in the Almaty region. The first show will air Jan. 31. “Participants had no water, food or special equipment with them. They will have to spend five days in toughest climate conditions. Hot sun, where air temperature soars to 45 Celsius degrees, steep mountains under your feet, when wind makes your sand traces disappear making it easy to get lost on the park’s huge territory exceeding 3,000 square metres,” the announcement said.
Kazakhstan ranked 105th in the Good Country Index that measures each country’s contribution and net benefit to mankind. The ranking examines 153 countries across their contribution to seven categories: science and technology, culture, peace and security, world order, planet and climate, prosperity and equality, health and wellbeing. The idea behind the ranking is to spur a “global discussion about how countries can balance their duty to their own citizens with their responsibility to the wider world.” Kazakhstan’s highest ranking, 18th, is in peace and security measured by number of peacekeeping troops sent abroad, arms exports, internet security and international violent conflict. The country ranked 54th in health and well being category, 100th in world order, 107th in science and technology, 127th in culture, 129th in planet and climate, and 142nd in prosperity and equality.
