In 2011 we plan to launch over 200 industrialization projects: President Nazarbayev

Kazakhstan is setting ambitious tasks: in 2011 we plan to launch over 200 industrialization projects, President Nazarbayev said when speaking at the 24th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council (FIC) opened today at Nazarbayev University in Astana. “Last year alone we implemented 152 new projects under the Industrialization Map Program; the projects are totally worth $5 billion. This year we plan to launch another 200 projects”, he said. “All these years since 1999 the Foreign Investors’ Council has been there to support us (…) We have attracted $120 billion of foreign investments and $150 billion of domestic investments”, the President said. “We are setting ambitious goals. The engine of the economy modernization program is flagship companies – national companies and extraction sector companies. We are calling foreign investors to be the driving force (…)”, the President said. Nazarbayev pointed to the necessity of raising qualifications of teaching staff. “Modernization is done by human resources. We need to enhance professional development and re-training capabilities (…) I am calling you, the investors, to put forward suggestions on how to enhance human resources”. The 24th plenary session of the Foreign Investors’ Council (FIC) has been opened today at Nazarbayev University in Astana. The session focused on modernization of Kazakhstan’s enterprises was opened by President Nazarbayev. The FIC is an advisory body established to promote direct dialogue between the Government of Kazakhstan and foreign investors to efficiently address issues related to investment activities and to improve the business climate of Kazakhstan. FIC comprises 29 foreign companies and international organizations. Almaty hosted the 23th sitting on qualified labor resources in 2010.