Spain to assist Kazakhstan in developing green economy

Spain is ready to assist Kazakhstan to develop its green economy, Tengrinews reports, citing Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy. “Kazakhstan strives for sustainable development and I am sure environment issues are set to play a greater role in cooperation of the two nations. Spanish companies possess advanced green technology. They have actively applied the technology in Spain and are widely exported worldwide, including to Kazakhstan. Cooperation with Kazakhstan has been more than satisfying, notably in urban waste recycling”, Mr. Rajoy said when speaking at an international conference on environment issues in Astana. He emphasized Kazakhstan’s vast potential in developing its green economy. “We are aware of efforts Kazakhstan has been taking to modernize its economy and the role of renewable sources of energy in the Government’s Strategy-2050 Program. We hope we can cooperate in this realm as well. Spanish companies are getting more and more interested in cooperation opportunities Kazakhstan offers in the green technology sphere”, the Spanish PM said. He said that Spanish exports to Kazakhstan had substantially grown for the last three years. The figure doubled in 2011 and grew by 68% in 2012. In the H1 2013 the figure reached 209 million Euro, exceeding the level of 2012. By Renat Tashkinbayev