North-Kazakhstan Oblast plans to attract $200 million of foreign investments by 2015, KazTAG reports citing the press-service of North Kazakhstan Oblast Akim (Governor) after the recent investors forum.

According to the oblast administration, the forum was attended by Kazakhstan and foreign investors from Russia, Switzerland, China, the U.S. and South Korea. The event included signing of agreements totally worth around 1 billion tenge ($6.7 million). The oblast expects to attract up to $200 million of foreign investments during implementation of the projects.

“Promising investment projects and industries of North-Kazakhstan oblast were presented to the forum’s participants. These projects are the priority targets for investments into production of construction materials, exploration and production of poly-metals, transport and cattle breeding,” the press-service stated.

According to the press-service, investments into the regions have been growing this year, including foreign investments: 68 billion tenge ($453 million) were invested in North-Kazakhstan oblast in 10 months of 2012, which is 1.4 times more than in the same period last year.

“Kazakhstan has all the necessary conditions for effective operation of foreign companies. First of all thanks to investment tax preferences,” North-Kazakhstan oblast Akim Serik Bilyalov told the investors.

According to him, the oblast is a rightful part of the international economic relations: it has trade partners in European and Asian countries.

“The State Program of Accelerated Industrial-Innovative Development has boosted development of the economy. This program is aimed at diversification of industries and implementation of advanced technologies. Over 500 new industrial facilities have been built during its implementation. Expenses on technological innovations in the industry have increased 8-fold. They currently make over $1.3 billion. The Industrialization Map of our oblast includes 30 investment projects totally worth $282 million,” the Akim said.

In particular, the agreements signed during the forum included agreements between Swiss RVReva-GroupSA and Petropavlovsk Construction Materials Plant, Chambers of Commerce of North-Kazakhstan and Kurgan (Russia) oblasts, as well as between Petropavlovsk administration and Hosoo International Cis (Korea).