The Lukoil Lubricants Central Asia plant was launched Sept. 20 in the Ili district of the Almaty Region. The facility, with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes of product per year, will produce 800 types of oils. Production is designed to provide lubricants for the domestic market and Afghanistan, Central Asia, China and Mongolia. The company invested $94 million in construction and equipment and Prime Minister Askar Mamin noted Lukoil has to date invested $9.5 billion in the country’s hydrocarbon sector. The company supports the current direction of Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry to transition from raw materials to advanced processing.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Kazakhstan organised the first workshop for law enforcement officers on effective investigation of sexual and domestic violence cases Sept. 10-12 at the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Kostanai Academy. The workshops are part of the Seoul Development Centre partnership programme of the UNDP office policy with Kazakhstan, reported the release. Twenty-seven mid-level officers of the city and district police departments participated in the workshop. They were also briefed on the comparative analysis of the Kazakh and Korean methods of investigation that presented the main difficulties in combating gender-based violence, the investigation process and inquiry of underage persons and those with disabilities.
Narxoz University and the British Council will organise a Creative Almaty Day Sept. 26 to discuss the city’s photography industry. Experienced photographers will talk about challenges and prospects, conduct a master class on mobile photography and hold a contest for the best photo “I am and my city.” According to the council’s report, 18,000 enterprises operating in the field registered in Kazakhstan in 2018, of which 44.8 percent registered in the city. “The photography industry is a popular sector among young people, both for extra income and for other professional activities. Activities in the field of photography as part of a creative economy can be called one of the global success stories over the past 20 years,” reads the release.
The eighth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Global Summit on Urban Tourism will gather 700 delegates from 30 countries Oct. 9-12 in Nur-Sultan. The event will focus on how developing smart cities can contribute to addressing complex urban challenges faced today by many destinations. Sustainability, accessibility, urban management, innovation and technology issues are also on the agenda. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) will present a master class on the meeting industry and provide access to free executive education training delivered by ICCA experts to enhance expertise in the field.
Individual taxpayers will receive SMS notifications about upcoming tax payments on property, land and transport, reported Kazinform. The SMS mailing service was launched in pilot mode to cover all individuals about tax obligations for 2018. Notifications to taxpayers about local taxes calculated by the tax authority are one of the important components of the Integrated Database Information System. The measure will reduce paper consumption and increase tax collection efficiency. To receive notifications, telephone numbers must be registered in the Mobile Citizens Database through the egov.kz website or the mgov app.
ZhasCamp, an informal conference dedicated to youth social initiatives, will be held Oct. 19-20 in Almaty. The event annually attracts 500 young people aged 16-29 and organisers plan to gather, teach and support young social initiative developers nationwide. The programme includes public policy, social business, media, contemporary art and in-depth practical work on public projects. The best projects or ideas presented at pitching events in Almaty, Nur-Sultan, Petropavlovsk and Uralsk will get the opportunity to come to the conference and participate in the accelerator programme for ZhasCamp graduates.
