NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan hosted the Altyn Sapa (gold quality in Kazakh) annual awards ceremony on Dec. 11 honoring the country’s best producers ahead of the upcoming Industrialization Day in Kazakhstan.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the meeting held via a videoconference. Photo credit: Akorda press service
The award, established in 2006, is meant to encourage industrial development and increase the quality of goods and services produced in the country. More than 100 companies have received the honor since then.
The Almaty-based Kelet engineering equipment company that has been in the market for 28 years was named best industrial project and the Pavlodar branch of KSP steel company producing steel seamless pipes for the oil and gas sector was named the best innovative project.
Almaty Bridge Construction Company (Almaty), Maks Dorstroyservis – 21 (Almaty Region) and Studbolt Manufacturing focusing on the production of bolted joints and the supply of fasteners for the oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, and urban development sectors (Atyrau Region) were named best among enterprises for industrial purposes.
GrandMiks furniture company (Turkestan Region), Global-Specodezhda garment factory (Aktobe Region) and the Dana-Del garment factory (Zhambyl Region) were awarded best consumer goods producers.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the ceremony and commended a whole new generation of business-people serving as the drivers of the national economy since the nation launched a state industrialization program in 2010 in an effort to boost domestic production and foster economic growth.
“Over the years of industrialization, more than 1,300 new enterprises were launched in the country. Many products that earlier were not produced set up their production. 200,000 jobs were created. Our citizens master new professions in line with current demand. All this leads to increased competitiveness and the general welfare of our people. Our goal is to make Kazakhstan economically strong,” said Tokayev.
The officials recently reported growth across several areas as the economy is slowly recovering. The processing industry grew by 3.3 percent over the past 11 months. This year, more than 200 enterprises were commissioned creating 20,000 jobs, said Tokayev.
Over the past five years, the share of small and medium-sized businesses in the economy has increased from 24 percent to 32 percent. The number of people employed in business has increased by 21 percent from 2.8 to 3.4 million.
To support businesses and enable growth, starting Jan. 1 next year, a moratorium on the inspections of small and micro-enterprises will be introduced effective for the next three years.
Tokayev believes that decreasing the state’s involvement in the economy will boost real competition and create fair and equal opportunities for business people.
“We are steadily creating conditions to reduce the share of the state’s participation in the economy. This year a moratorium on creating quasi-state companies ends, but I believe that it did not accomplish the intended goals. Therefore, this moratorium will extend through the end of next year. Along with creating a favorable business environment, the state should undertake systemic measures for the comprehensive development of entrepreneurship in the country,” said Tokayev.
Tokayev said that Kazakhstan’s membership in the World Trade Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union and the development of e-commerce opens up new opportunities and markets but also increases competition from foreign producers. Under these conditions, he noted, Kazakh businesses need to constantly improve product quality and labor productivity, and master new advanced technologies and business practices.
“Time does not stand still. The world, the economy, and technology are changing rapidly. The requirements of the competition (the awards) must be updated and should push our entrepreneurs to continuously improve their activities. This is crucial in a rapidly emerging global digital world that is experiencing the rapid adoption of technologies in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said.
